Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-03-07
A WIFE DISGRACED.
A LADY RECOGNIZES HER HUSBAND:
PICTURE AT DOUGLAS GRAVE,

PICTURE AT DOUGLAS GRAVE,
The Women Hang Their Heads in Shame
Over the Action of the General Assem-
bly,: A Popu1ist's Daughter Writes to
Her Father That Her Mother Feels Dis
graced Because the Legislature Honors
Fred Douglas and Neglects Ex-Confed-
| crate Soldiers.
The following letter has been
sent to the NeaOs and Observer
with the request to publish it.
It was either written by the
daughter of a legislator to her
father, or ought to have been
written by loving daughter who
is so unfortunate as to have a
father as a member of the Fusion
branch of this General Assembly:
x ROADS, N. c., Feb. 26, 1895.
DEAR PA:
Knowing, as you did, that Ma
was quite unwell, and having
written to her that you would be
sure to come home to see US last
Saturday night; and knowing as
we did, that you had a free pass
on the railroad, and that it would
cost you nothing to come, you
cannot imagine how greatly we
were disappointed at your not
coming. But ma, who is always
disposed to look on the bright
side Of things, said it might be
that you were detained by some
important Legislative business,
and that when the mail should
come on Monday all would be
explained. So we sat down to
supper and tried to be as cheer
ful as we could, under the cir
cumstances. But every now and
then ma would sigh and say; Il
feel just like some great trouble
is coming upon US. don't know
why it is" she went on to say,
"but l just feel miserable"
After supper Mr.. Smith came
over, thinking you were at home,
to get the news from Raleigh,
and to hear how the Legislature
was getting on. I was real glad
that he did come, for I thought
he would cheer ma up and keep
her from having the blues. But
he had not been IL the room five
minutes before he told US about
the House adopting a motion
made by negro, to adjourn in
honor of the memory of Fred
Douglass, who married some
fool of a white woman and for
ever disgraced her race. [ saw
mas face turn red and then ashy
pale, and she looked as if she
would fall from her chair. and
then [ heard her say in a sort of
undertone: ''Oh, my Lord, do
wonder if he voted for that?"
and she got right up and left the
room. [ followed her out, and
found her on the back porch
wringing her hands and saying:
"Oh, my Lord, [ do wonder if
my husband voted for that?"
No, ma" says 1, ''you know
pa did not vote to adjourn in
honor of negro who believed
in and practiced miscegenation.
Remember, pa has daughters of
his own, and you know he
wouldn't vote to honor the mem
ory of negro who tried to pull
down the barrier between the
whites and the blacks and open
the parlor doors of the whites to
admit negro men to visit their
, daughters. Pa wouldn't do such
, a thing as that. Besides, 1 have
heard pa say thousand times,
that he had rather die than to
see the day when negro mer
E should be allowed to marry white
women; and you know, ma,
f said l, that after pa was elected
he said, a number of times, thai
, he was just as much Democrat
and as much opposed to negro
: supremacy in the State as he evel
was. So you may just know tha
pa did not vote for that motion.
This pacified her somewhat
r and after a while she went int
the house and went to bed; but
: heard her groaning and moaning
all night long, and [ wished
! thousand times that night, as
lay there and listened to her. tina
~ you had never heard of the Farm
+ + ers' Alliance and of the Peoples
= party, but that you were just lik
you used to be before you got t
: mixing with the Radicals and tn
negroes.
n Sunday was a gloomy day t
v US, Notwithstanding it was S
y bright out doors. Ma had ba
? headache and remained in be
NJ most of the day, which I though
q would do her good. She reste
o. better Sunday night, and Nor
f day morning she really seemed
= little cheerful and I thought sh
\ was getting along right wei
=. The mail came over at II o'cloc
r. and being sure that she woul
ID get letter from you, explainin
~ why you did not come Saturda
% night, ma met the mail boy
a the door, and took a hurrie
,s glance at the mail but found n
letter. Just then brother, Tol
"a opened the Nea0s and Observer an
~ seeing a picture up in one CO.
~ - ner, he said, Hello, what
= this?" Ma, and all of US turne
If to-. look at the picture, and befol
n I had made out what it was, n
ID screamed and fell to the floor {
m if dead. We did not know VIII;
was the matter, for neither of |
IF children had seen the pictul
4 10 aa% q