The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-01

and freshness. 1t was June and No
vember welded and fused into a per-
| feet glory that held the sunshine and
snow beneath tender and splendid
skies. To have winnowed such a day
| from the teeming winter was to have
found an odorous peach on bough
whipped in the storms of winter. One
caught the musk of yellow grain, the
flavor of ripening nuts, the fragrance
of strawberries, the exquisite odor Of
yiolets, the aroma of all seasons in the
wonderful day. The hum of bees I'M
derrode the whistling wings of wild
geese flying southwark. The fires
slept in browsing CRATES, while the
people maryeliing outdoors, watched
the soft winds WOO the roses and the
lilies.
Truly it was a day of days. Amid
its riotous luxury life was worth liv-
ing to hold up the head and breathe it
in as thirsting men drink water; to
put every sense on it's gracious excel
lence; to throw the hands wide apart
and hug whole armfuls of the day
close to the heart, till the heart itself
is enraptured and ilIumined. Gods
benediction came down with the day,
slow dropping from the skies. Gods
smile was it's light, and all through
and through its supernal beauty and
stiffness, unspoken but appealing to
every heart and sanctifying every soul,
was his invocation and promise,
Peace on earth, good will 10 men,
There is one face that was familiar
in Reidsville nine years ago that is
missed now-the face OF the venerable
David s. Reid, one of the best Gov
errors who has held the reigns of DOW
er since North Carolina was State. /
saw him upon the occasion of that
visit-the only time in my life-and "a
short conversation with him recalled
his memorable struggle for the en-
largement of suffrage. and for broad
er day and greater uplifting of the
people. The Democrats had been
making a losing fight against the
Wings year after year until they nomi-
mated David S. Reid for Governor.
have heard that Gov. Reid was in
fiuenced to take his stand for Free
Suffrage upon the advice of Stephen
A. Douglass. who married in Rocking
ham county, and whose advice upon
political movements was sought by
Democrats in every section of the Re-
public 1t was on the occasion of one
Of his visits TO Rockingham county
that he became acquainted with the
disqualification of voters who did not
own fifty acres OF land. His true Dem
ocratic spirit revolted against such a
discrimination against men otherwise
we'll qualified, and as he dilated upon
this undemocratic, therefore unjust,
policy pursued by the State he fired
Mr.. Reds heart with an Indignation
that had. perhaps, been blunted by
having long witnessed the exclusion.
He was as true a Democrat as Doug
lass. but had not the national scope
OF 1.-THE Little Giant" and moreover
there were maRy wealthy Democrats
in North Carolina who were at one
time with the Wings in believing IN
the ownership Of land as q condition
precedent 10 suffrage After his first
nomination, Gov. Reid, upon starting
ont to open the campaign went
10 Raleigh to confer with some Of
the prominent Democrats, and to un-
fold the plan Of campaign he had de-
termined TO make, putting Free Suf-
flaoe forward as the leading issue.Ihe
late Governor Holden told me that
there was quite a diversity Of opinion
among the leaders. most of the wealthy
and more influential among them hold
ing that it would win few votes, but
would drive of many influential adj
herents, but in Mr.. Holden, who was
then at the zenith of his power as edi-
tor of the Raleigh Standard, Governor
Reid found an ardent supporter who
strengthened him in his advocacy of
Free Suffrage by personal advice, and
kept up the fight for it week after
week in the organ of the party for that
was q day when the utterances of the
marty organ were potential. The re-
salt of Gov. Reds new issue that en-
bodied Democracy and justice did ex-
actly what Mr.. Douglass, Gov. Reid and
Gov. Holden predicted, to wit: made