The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-08-16
DEMOCRATIC ELOOUENCE.
Some Selections From the Address of
W. r. Henry Before the State Con-

Some Selections From the Address of
W. R. Henry Before the State Con-
ventiOn.
Below We take pleasure in laying be-
fore our readers selections from the elo-
quent and thrilling address of our towns
man Mr.. Walter r. Henry, delivered be-
fore the State Democratic Convention
last week. Among other things Mr..
Henry said:
Mr.. Chairman and Geaaemen Of the Conven-
ton.
| am thrilled by the spectacle presented
by this magnificent body of North Caro-
lima patriots. [ thank you for the honor
conferred by your call for me to address
you. | shall detain you but a short
time. On the eve OF the great battle in
which We are about to engage, no man
who will not subordinate every personal
grievance, hardship and disappointed
ambition to the welfare and success of
the Democratic party is worthy the name
of patriot.
The Democratic party deserves the
sympathy and support OF all true men
instead OF reproach and denunciatiOn.
Shakespeare, the reservoir of wisdom,
uttered sentiment that we may well
heed in this hour: at is better to bear
the ills we have, than to fly to those we
know not Of"
Let us stand under the sacred emblem
Of our splendid brotherhood. call the
Democratic banner sacred, because upon
it was written in the morning of our Re-
| public, by the hand of the immortal JET
ferson, that grand code of political prin-
ciples, that has ever since challenged the
admiration of the world, guaranteeing
| to US and to our children liberty and
Equal and exact justice to all men,
OF whatever state Orpersuasion, religious
or political; peace, commerce and honest
| friendship with all nations, entangling
alliances with none; the support of the
State governments in all their rights, as
| the most competent administrators OF
| our domestic concerns, and the surest
| bulwark against anti-Republican tenden-
cies; the preservation of the general gov
eminent in its whole constitutional vigor,
as the sheet anchor of our peace at home
and safety abroad; a Jealous care OF the
right of election by the people; a mild
and safe corrective OF abuses which are
|
peaceable remedies are unprovided; alb
solute acquiesence in the decisions of the
majority; a well disciplined militia the
supremacy OF the civil over the military
authority; economy in the public ex-
pense, that labor may be lightly bur-
dened the honest payment of our ma
tional debt and the sacred preservation
| Of the public faith: the encouragement
OF agriculture and of commerce as it's
| handmade; the dissemination OF educa-
ton and the arrangement of all abuses
at the bar of public reason: freedom of
religion, freedom of the press and free
dom of the person, under the protection
OF the habeas corpus, and trial by juries
impartiaIIy selected"
| These principles have been repeated in
the various platforms of the Democratic
party, and, as Mr.. Jefferson declared,
"they form the bright constellation which
has gone before us and that has guided
our steps through an age OF revolution
and reformation.'
The wisdom Of our sages and the blood
! of our heroes have been devoted to their
attainment: they should be the creed OF
our political faith, the text of civic in
structon the tombstone by which to
| try the services of those we trust, and
should we wander from them in moments
OF error or alarm let US hasten to retrace
| our steps, and regain the road which
| alone leads to peace, liberty and safety.
call the Democratic banner sacred,
| because it is the standard of the only
organization in this country that has
sufficient strength and patriotism to con-
| tend with the enemies of the prosperity
| and freedom of the people and the life of
| the Republic. call that banner sacred,
| because as long as it floats in triumph
above the homes of America, their in
mates will gaze upon it as symbol in
the political heavens promising and
guaranteeing a cessation of centraliza-
ton, the gradual reduction and ultimate
humiliation of the robber tariff, the des-
truction of trusts and mOnopOlies, and
such correction of the financial system of
this government as that King Gold may
not longer starve and render utterly
wretched the suffering millions of this
country, but that by his side, made his
equal in every respect by proper laws,
shall be enthroned the peoples friend,
King Silver.
To recover stolen beauty the legions
of Greece beseiged the citadel of Troy for
| a period OF ten years. | call our banner
sacred, because through an era three
times as long it has inspired US in the
contest not for stolen beauty, but for
our plundered freedom; not for Helen OF
Troy, but for ten thousand thousand
beautiful women OF our fair domain; the
re-establshment Of our national honor
and credit; and the disenthrallment of
the grooming masses of this Union, until
We have reached such position that all
these blessings must soon follow.
oil %ho 4fo
because the inspiration of it's presence
saved us from the horrors Of the Force
bill which would have driven us to the
ballot box like galley slaves to their
labor, and because, not until waved in
victory above the Democratic host, were
the shackles OF political slavery stricken
from our limbs by the repeal OF the in
famous Federal election law.
| call the Democratic banner sacred,
because it is the only hope of the South.
| Asstood the invincible legions of Caesar
! under the eagles OF Rome, as stood the he
| roes of England under the great banner of
| st. George, as stood the men of the South
| impenetrable, impregnable and immortal
| for four years under the Stars and Bars
| so to-day the ma jor part OF the chivalry,
| beauty, wealth, character and intelligence
| OF the South is marshalled under the
great banner of Democracy.
There are reasons for this with which
We are all familiar. God grant that that
| glorious company may never be broken,
| and that that banner of light, may never
| be trampled in the mire by its foes
Men think differently, and are at lib
erty to think as they please, provided
they obey the admonitions OF reason and
the dictates of conscience; but as for me.
l would no sooner think of DESERVING the
Democratic party under existing condi-
tons and going over to it's enemies, than
| would have thought OF DESERVING the
Army of Northern Virginia in front of
Cemetery Heights, or on the blood sod
den plain OF Sharpsburg.
The Republican party in its whole his
tory is as a starless night. The Populist
party is as a rapidly vanishing comet,
insubstantial. gaseous and deceptive,
which good men have been persuaded to
believe pillar of fire to lead them to a