The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-05-11
LOWNDEsVILLE DEMOCRACY Y
A Letter Which Has Been Crowded
Out for Two Weeks, But Which IN
Still Good.

Editor Press and Banner:
have been hoping TO hear from some OF
the brethren as to the big Democratic rally IN
this place of the 9th instant. have heard IN
heart sick" Well. our heart has not been sick
very much, II any, because OF our hopes not
having been realized, and we Will proceed,
with your permission, TO give snort account
of said meeting.
On the above mentioned day q large crowd
OF men and boys assembled In our town. II
would be impossible In an ordinary commu'
nication to tell every thing that was done IN
detail at that time, even IT II was known,
therefore this writer can only conflne himself
| to generalities.
the meeting to order. stated the object OF the
meeting, and laid aside his official robes. II
was stated that the first business before the
body was the reorganization or the club.
Then Mr.. ]. B. Franks, in behalf or the an,
tis, those who rebelled two years ago, and
| tried to set up shop of their own, In other
words, formed Club No. 3 and were inglorlous,
| ly denied admittance TO the great Democratlc
brotherhood at Abbeville, stepped forward
and snid that he and those In the same boat
were ready TO reunite with the club, when the
point was raised (perhaps because our spokes'
man neither showed nor expressed id any h con d.
ccived till after reorganization. ,
This provoked considerable discussion
which was decided in the negative: Wen
well! that was sumner. a new wrinkle in
Democratic polity. or 1t was merely q Local
ruIing. Did any one ever before hear Of such
thing? Has the great Democratic party be.
come TO strong in this State, and particuiariy
in the LowndesvIlIe township, that recruits
| to It's ranks are not allowed, except at the
good pleasure of those armed with little
brief authority. ,,
admission TO club meeting, and he processes
n slight knowledge of Democratic usage. III lie
Is ignorant Of Democratic law, and never De.
fore was II made debataole auestlon, as te
| 4, oharo nnrnlIQn-
| plicanLs Ls were allow ed membership whenever
called for. 1t was well known that there
were but few, comparatively, OF Inc anus
present, and yet the great majority" seemed
10 be afraid to allow the handful to participate
| in the reorganization. If not AFRAID why
have they become such great stick iers, lor tne
letter Of the law. Such action Will entlrely
do away with the necessity, for both singing
and the Inourners bench, on the first of May:
The times must be wonderfully changed
when as good Democrats, as the sun ever
shone upon, are denied admitaaee * ., mo 10,
Many of those Democrats have done more to
make the Democratic party In this township
n success since the war, thnn ninety-nine,
hundreds OF those who so Voclieronsy ha VGseI En,
out? Simply because they were anti-Tlll.
nanltes-nothing more nor less; 80.
Some Of the reformers, over the lefi, assert
that the opposition of the antis arises because
Of their having been thrust out (of ofhce(, and
want to get back and want 1t bad. but u the
lengths to which some Of the would-be lead
ers In this section are going does not indicate
that they are longing 10 get into something,
then we fail TO correctly read the signs of the
times.
What's the matter, anyhow? II used to be
that Democratic meetings were held In the
broad light of day. Public notices were post.
ed Mt cross roads and published In the news
papers, so that all might be informed of them.
Now there seems to tie either Il thoroughly
equipped underground telegraphic system, or
q perfect overgr0und cabllIslic means OF com-
ted after night. Not even during the Radical
rex ime. when we were fighting the most un'
scrupulous foe that any people upon earth
ever had to combat, did the proud old Demo
cratic party think II essential TO hold Its
meetings in country school houses after dark
as Is being done at some places.
One Lesson learned in 'TG, !. e. to be good
been discontinued, Is again being practiced OF
some places. Some OF the brethren vote at
home and then help out neighbor. Come.
boys, tote fair: don't take all under holt all
the time. Give Us an open field and fair
chance, and If you whip us will bear 1t, If we
can't grin, and try. try, again.
This communication was begun with the re.
organ ization of the clnb, 30 1t will end. Ac.
cording 10 the best OF this wIiter's knowledge
and belief an organization was effected. the
unregenerate admitted. and delegates elected
to the May convention. The antis were In
| the minority and were not able. under the
| circumstances, to send one delegate. The
election purged Of It's Irregularities. to use an
exceedingly mild term, would make very
| different showing.
The Tillmanites are In the majority around
here perhaps, but not 80 overwhelmingly 80
as Is reported, not by jug full. Anti.