Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-09-01
party promised better times. Has it
given you relief from your distress:'
Mr.. CrawfOrSi's Reply.

Four years after that time, tonight,
stand here again, your nominee, to repre-
sent you again in the 54th Congress. My
friends, thank you sincerely for the con-
tidcncc you expressed in me when you
again gave me the Democratic banner to
bear once again. was not here among
you working for that high honor, but
was at my post in Washington, trying
to do my duty for my people as best |
knew how. never gave any attention
to the matter; it was your business to
select candidate to succeed me in the
54th Congress; but because of your con-
fidencc in me, am proud to be your
standard bearer again, and shall hold
it in my hands and it shall not trail in
the dust.
Fellow citizens, am delighted to be
here tonight. 1t may be said that this
is my funeral speech; heard that said a
few days ago. am glad. however. to
be here with such a respectable audience,
to witness this interesting scene; such a
splendid audience as pall-bearers at my
funeral tonight
Now, my friends. am not prepared
to 90 into detailed discussion of what
the 53rd Congress has done up to this
time. But it is enough to say that |
was there at my post to represent YOU.
In 1892 | was engaged as your star
dard bearer, and met Mr.. Ewart in
that campaign, man whom ] respect,
man tf honor; but with al his
splendid talents and popularity before
the people, |, your standard bearer, by
the aid of the good Democrats OF this
district. gained a splendid victory over
him. Not because of any personal at.
fractions on my part, not because pco'
pie love me SO much-l was never So
egotistc as to think that could meet
Mr.. Ewart in personal attractions-but
| believe it was due to the force of Dem
ocratic principles, and the people showed
that they loved party more than they
did any man. In, 1892 Jeter c. Pritchard
a noble champion of Repubicanism, &
man who stood with such Republican
lights as lanes G. Blaine and John Shcr
man and the other great leaders of thu
Republican party, was pressed into TIN
fight for Republican principles by hi
party but when presented the princi
pies of the Democratic party to the peo
pie, again it was that the Republicans
went down in the dust into defeat ant
ruin. A splendid victory was ours.
And now, 1894, what do we see
They counsel among themselves, and de
tcrminc that they will not fight this bat
tie for their own principles; they decd
that they can do nothing in this hight b
themselves. They say, We cannot pu
out a straight ticket, because we canno
win this fight; Crawford and the Demo
cratic party, who beat us two years age
are to- strong before the people. AN
then they decided that they woul
abandon the field, that they would rt
: treat before the great vanguard OF De
mocracy, and would not take any mo-,
chances. but would surrender the tel
to one Richmond Pearson, man OF II
principles that the people have yet bee
able to discover. The Republicans OF tn
district knew nothing about such mov,
e had not a consultation. but the Clld
Register urged him on tic Republicans
t ard says that a few Republicans OF tn
: district met here in Ashevll!e in Marcl
I in the winter time-great anti-sn ppeI
} as they wcrc-and decided not to put OF
t candidate, but totake upthc candidac
e of Richmond Pearson. After they held
5 conference they called a meeting here
II night, and he was admitted at on'
c without consulting the Republicans,
e the district, and he was permitted
y speak to them. The Clyde Rcslst'
J. hoisted the name Of Richmond Pcarso
Why vast that they werein such gre'
hurry about it, that they should haste
: to have this meeting in March; WI
l. was it that that conference authorlzt
n the secretary of the Republican Executi'
COMMITTEE to call that convention wit
y out the authority OF the chairman OF Il
c, Republican committee six long mont
before the time, and without the consti
b. OF James M. Moody, the chairman OF t
is committee? Great applause ! wa
IT to know turning to"a'us MI e"'s'