Asheville daily citizen., 1894-09-21
A GREAT MIGHT FOR DEMOCRATS
MEETING Ol'TIIE ASnENILLE DEM
OCRATIC CLUB.


son. Hon. j. II. Merrlmon And VIM.
Gudgcr.
at was good to be there was the
general verdict on the mass meeting OF
the Ashcville Demo cratic club in the
court house last evening. There was a
large crowd in attendance. and every
body showed an earnest desire to take
in everything offered by the splendid po-
itical hill OF fare prepared for the occa
sion.
President d. NJ. Luther preside over
the gathering and introduced the gentle
men who addressed the audience. The
first speaker was Hon. Thco F. David
sou. He thought THE CITIZEN had
overdrawn the matter in referring t.
his forthcoming speech Yesterday, and
to what the audience might eXpcc,, but
,hc popular opinion attcr he had cor
cluded sustained THE CITIZEN in every
particular.
The fusion that has been formed in
North Carolina, Mr. Davidson chlrac-
tcrized as an unhoy, illogical alliance,
that might cut little figure now; but, -
he went on, I'VE will have TO meet il
and defeat it, The people OF North Caro-
lima are slow to act. delibetative hut
they are nearly always right wi en- thrN
make up their minds. When the vote Is
counted it will take search warrant to
tud man who prot, sSed to favor
fusion. We in North Carolina point
with prld! to q pan 5 taking, a reason
ably prosperous and certainly indus
trOuS people, We hear of no scandals,
no dlfalcatious and no usurpatious of
office. As some one has recently re-.
mar kcd, we came nearer having perfect
government than any State. Wcsec our
schools kept up and our institutions
N sglrtd.
For eight years. during my term OF
ullIee as Attorney GcHtrtl, | was close
with the administration of thc law, and
believe there is in our law that which
gives more freedom, more Justice and
produces more fairness than the laws OF
many of our States. During these eight
wears there were only Two contests he
lore the cauyassiur board. The Renuh.
leans have the rffrontrry To sav the eiec
ton laws are unjust and yet i'll both
these contests the decision was IN favor
of the Republicans. grant you that the
laws are not cXYctly perfect. Whv do
the Republicans oppose them, Is it be.
cause the elections are held in daylipht
Is 1t because the votes are counted where
all the le,pc may see? What is the
crayamtil at thsircomalaint? Tutell you
The constitution had good provision
that SAYS every voter must register and
identity himself 1t did not 90 as far as
could nave wished. There is no rich,
50 dear to the people as the right OF sui.
tragc. 1t ought to be uurc. and th> uov-
crnm,nl that does not protect il is no,
true to It's pcoplc. The condition OF
things are not here like they are in the
densely populated negro counties OF the
east, where rcpeaters can vote in Robe.
son in the morning, in Columbus by din
ncr, and in Bladsn and New Hanover
before sundown.
"Did YOU ever near OF an honest man
olccting to law that required him to
identity himself Il is not any fraud hat
is committed that they are complaining
VI. bpt the fraud that is prevented.
There Is another question | wish to
.lIscu.s. think it is the duty every
speaker owes to his people. Another
ground of Republican complaint is the
county government system. am aware
there is a GOOD deal Of difference nar,;c-
ullrly in this section, ON that question.
| lear that some Of our candidates and
our public men are nccdlcssly alarmed |
about it. ltlelt to the people don't b,
llcve it would tail to receive th.ir appro-
baton. Nmety-tour years ago our pco.
pie began this system of government. 1t
prevailed up to 1865 Ne heafdno man
say /. was unjust. 1t was old fashioned. |
1t is true, but it was handed down to us
bv our good old forctathcrs In 1sGS |
came the social and political revolution
following the war, when men came here
from Cane Cod and Buzzard's Bly. men
who knew nothing OF us, and they
the system, The Corst;.,,,ir,,
was changed and a different system Dre.
vailed up to 1877. What was the result;