People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-02

democratic organ. Renewed laugh
ter. 1t is only recently that the
Atlanta Constitution, the Augusta
Chronicle and various other demo
cratic organs expressed the deepest
sympathy and solicitude for Anthony,
the deeply wronged colored man !;
and you, my fellow-citizens, and
others who did know the facts,
might imagine, from reading the
Ishmaelite and other democratic pa
pers, that he was a much abused
man; but 10, and behold! last Tues
day Anthony Wilson, Of his own vo-
lition, like an honest man urged by
his own sense of justice, urged by
his own disapproval Of the falsehood
and abuse heaped on Tom Watson,
took the platform in an adjoining
county in the interest of what he
conceived to be right and justice.
Great applause) What is the re-
suit? Why, the papers that saw in
him a victim of Watson's maignity
suddenly discovered that he was as
black as the ace Of spades. Ire
mendous cheering. Now listen and
will read to you where they say he
is SO much abused, and then his sud
den transition into a niger as black
as the ace of spades. But here is
Anthony Wilson, and he can speak
for himself.
Mr.. Wilson advanced, was re-
oeived with great applause by both
white and colored, and spoke as fol-
lows:
ANTHONY WILSON'S SPEECH.
Fellow-citizens of Hancock county:
1t affords me much pleasure to be in
yoar presence to- day, and especially
on this occasion. Having heard my
name ringing in the papers, and
deeply conscious that I was becom-
ing a campaign document, and hear
ing so much sympathy expressed for
me in particular, and the colored
people in general, it occurred to me
that it was no more than right that
| should appear before you for the
purpose of setting this. matter in its
srue light. Applause.
In the year 1862 I was elected to
the Georgia Legislature as amember
from the county of Camden. IA
| voice, 1882, not '62. Did I say
| 90? It was 1882-thank you.
Well, Mr.. Watson was there and
Mr.. McGregor was there, and many
other gentlemen from all over the
State. That contest came up in it's
form, but, as Mr.. Watson told you a
few moments ago, there were legal
questions involved, and while l had
5he votes, my opponent had the law,
Mr.. Rountree, who held the mi
nority at the time, told me that
had good case, ''but" says he, "you
have left out the legal points in the
case, and for that reason the com
mittee is compelled to report against
you, and we will make a minority
report on the matter"
But the facts in the case were
behind the returns; the committee
went behind the returns and they
disclosed certain facts, but certain
legal technicalities had not been
complied with; then came the vote
in the House, and when that vote
came on, Mr.. Watson, as we'll as
many other gentlemen on the other
side voted against me, voting the
facts, as disclosed on the legal side
Of the question. They expressed
themselves as being satisfied with
the justice of my rights, and so they
do now, but my case was not put in
legal shape, and the law was against
me. In view of all the facts, so far
as l am concerned, [ have only to
say that, as far as that vote is con-
cerned, there is nothing ranking in
my bosom;there is no hardness in my
heart against Mr.. w atson or the other
sixty-one members who voted
against me that time.
These sixty-one who voted
against me, and are now trying to
create prejudice against Mr.. Wat
son, were probably honest in their
votes then, and they may be honest
in their course now. I will leave
that to their own conscience and to
you. (Great applause and laugh
ter
| wish to relate an incident in
connection with that contest. Two
years later the chairman of the COM
mittee that made that report, Mr..
Rountree, was an aspirant for the
position of Solicitor General in his
District, and he said to me:'I suppose
that you are in position
to return the compliment now;
voted against you getting
your seat in the legislature, and it is
in your power to vote against me
now" l said "No; | have no dispo-
sition to show any retaliation, I
would cheerfulIy vote for you, but [
have already promised to vote for
another gentleman" (Long con-
tinued applause.)
There is another thing [ want to