Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-04
A. JUST CAUSE.


Will the State Herald kindly indulge
me space for just cause?
In the Birmingham Age erald of
Monday appears under the heading,
This Is Suggestive" the following ar
tcle:
THE state papers continue to speak
warmly for General Pettus for United
States senator.-Brmingham State.
why, General Pettus would be dead
before he found out where he was at iG
he were sent to the senate. North Ala
bama does not want anyone who has
his cow catcher on his caboose instead of
his engine. We recall d speech made by
General Pettus here year or two ago.
1t was all about the war-reconstruc-
ton carpetbaggers and things which oc-
CURED thirty years ago. We want men
who live in the future. and not in the
past We have great admiration for
General Pettus as an able lawyer and
excellent citizen. Senator Pugh, the
chairman of the judiciary committee of
the senate, is good enough for North Ala
bama, and we tell you right now, if you
want your little man, Joe Johnston,
mashed into a batter cake, you go to
showing signs Of coquetting with Frank
Pettus, indicate that you are trying to
make a trade to get Frank out of John
ston's way by sending General Pettus to
the senate, and Joe Johnston won't know
With what to hit him. Our people are for
Senator Pugh, and we would not give one
senator's vote on the silver question for
seventy-tYe little governors. Huntsville
Tribune.
ITO a man up a tree the above indicates
that Bobby of the house of Watkins is
getting in his work. Robert is good at
playing for even. Well, the application
of the old adage is not amiss just here.
The plum Frank Pettus was anxious to
punch still clngs to the tree"
The assumption that the Tribune arti-
Gle quoted by the Age-Herald was writ
ten by me is not only Incorrect, but does
me gross injustice. l was absent from
Huntsville when it appeared in the Tri-
bune, which is not under my control.
The sentiments and disposition imputed
to me are utterly repugnant. | am at
loss to understand what the AgeHerald
means by the term playing for even"
If it has any sort of idea that l harbor a
grudge against either of the gentlemen
named 1t could not be farther from the
truth. On the contrary, l am pleased to
use every appropriate occasion to avow
my sympathy with every expression that
commends to the people that brave and
grand old tribune Of Alabamans, Ed
mund w. Pettus. The intimation that he
would consent to stand as a candidate
for the United States senate was good
news to me, as l doubt not it was to
more than 900 democrats in the state
who do not want federal office. General
Pettus has many friends and admirers in
this end of the state, who will delight to
use this opportunity to indorse the call
upon him to represent Alabama by the
side of John T. Morgan. AS to Hon.
Frank Pettus, consideration of nobody
else embarra sses the high esteem in which
l hold him. He is man who makes his
way by his own intrinsic worth of head
and heart, and believe his future per-
formanceS will give cumulative credit to
the honorable name he bears.
And now in conclusion let me play for
even"-as l see the game-with Capt.
Joseph F. Johnston. In careful scrutiny
of all that my memory records of the
man there is not the shadow of one re-
greet I have never had with anyone
more unalloyed relations of friendship.
I have never seen in the fifteen years
knowledge of him in public or in private
anything to provoke my resentment, ex-
cept when any one sought to do him in
justice i'm my presence l have always
believed him during the period 1 name
as fiji for any office within the gift of the
people of Alabama for no man, whatever
his name or the honor he wears. has ever
served his commonwealth with keener
appreciation of her good name, or with
drawer heart and purer faith than, he. So
you will oblige me by allowing me to say
that under almost any circumstances
conceivable within the range of bestow-
ing deserved honor you may set down
Bobby of the house of Watkins" as
Joe Johnston man.
BY the way-down with the Internal
single gold Standard
ROBERT H. WATKINS
Huntsville, Oct. 2, 1895