Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-05
PIGMY DARTS FALL SHORT
Professor Burruss Is Out of
Their Range.
A FELLOW CITIZENS WORD
Which Ought to Outweigh All the Calumuy
and Inyective That Can Be Cast Into
the Balance.
To the State Herald:

tlO tlle RoldIe I1SIdlus
That caustic satirist, Horace, says
when your friend is assailed by an enc
my that he present ought to vindicate
his aspersed friend; if not he is mig
ger''-black. SANDER, libel, has always
been considered low and despicable, es-
pecially when it is sheer fabrication, not
having for its support the slightest evil
dence. In our public contentious for pow
er and place eight-tenths of our public
speakers and writers have about as
little respect for accurate statement and
genuine truth as the famous Baron
Munchausen.
The writer has been led into this line.
of thought from the unfair and false
charges made against the character Of
Prof Henry Page BurrusS by the fusion
pop-rep crowd Of speakers and newspaper
Bohemians, who, for party ends, have
been attempting to destroy his influence
with the honest voters of the state Be-
fore we are done with this letter the
writer hopes to be able to show that Pro-
fessor Burruss has been consistent in his
late public conduct and that the missiles
aimed at him by his assailants will never
reach the designated victim. Before adj
yerting to the professors" late party
associations the writer will have some
thing to say as to his private character
and his pursuits since coming into our
quiet Mount Pinson hamlet. Since that
time he has been engaged in the highest
order of first-cass schools, always emf
Irently successful in advancing his pu-
pills and in impressing them with his
thivalrous and heightened conduct.
livery enterprise in the community,
charitable, benevolent or Christian, has
always received his hearty support He
is a man of fine personal presence, active
and energetic in his business, whatever
IL may be at the time, floating his banner
above him with the escutcheon upon
1t in flowing letters, mil desperandum."
1t would be useless to write of his men
tai outfit; it is simply of the highest or
der, increased and embelished by
superb scholarship and fed from the best
springs of general and miscellaneous
reading. The writer has known him well
for years and pronounces him, as Horace
would say, a good, all around man. He
Us little impulsive, kind of Hotspur,
but does not often fly into pieces like the
1oint snake. If he does he soon picks up
his pieces, quickly adjusts them in their
proper places and is again the genial
pleasant Professor Burruss. Now, outside
of his business avocations, we come to
fecite some acts in his public life.
He is Virglnian by nativity and
graduate of the splendid university of
that state, and, like all her intellectual
children, is an ardent admirer and enthu-
siastic devotee of this noble school of
Thomas Jefferson. Professor Burruss
took an active part in the politics of Vir-
ginia from 1880 ITO 1888, and supported dur
Ding those years the readjuster party of
Virginia. The original issue made by
this party was the equita BILE division of
the ante-war debt of the old state of Vir-
ginia between the dismembered postwar
Virginia and the war-created and uncon-
stitutional state of West Virginia. Hav-
dng divided the people of Virginia on this
focal question. General Malone, one OF
The shrewdest politicians of his day, sought
TO extend and strengthen his political or
ganization by a coalition with the repub-
leans in Virginia analogous to the CO.
operation recently formed in Alabama.
Professor Burruss being a young man,
Implicitly yielded his individual judgment
i o the decision of his party authorities,
and doubtless his political experience in
-Trginia taught him the fatal mistake
md evil results of coalition or co-opera-
zion with the republican party. II such
were the case it would be his duty as
citizen of Alabama to shield his adopted
state as far as his influence extends
against the evils of a mistaken, injurious
and vicious policy. In Virginia he held
the office of district school trustee by
unanimous selection, an office OF RESPONSE
bility, not emolument. He was
unanimously nominated by ms
monwealth's attorney (solicitor) in
his native county of Louisa, and was de-
feated by his opponent. This was the
only office he was ever candidate Tor in
Virginia, though repeatedly rendered To-
cal positions in Virginia and a depart
ment position in Washington by his
party. He came from Virginia to Ala
bama in May, 1884, bringing with him
the highest testimonials of commenda-
tion from his political opponents as well
as his party associates. He has never
sought political preferment from any
party source since his residence of twelve
years in Alabama.
In Governor Jones' fierce struggles with
the Jeffersonians he supported Colonel
Jones. Early in 1894 Professor Burruss
reached the conclusion that 1t was his
duty to support the Jeffersonian ticket.
He went over to Kolb, with thousands or
good, gallant democrats, and stuck TO me
party as hong as he thought there was
any hope of its usefulness. When the
foul coalition ticket of supple populists
and negro-loving republicans was re-
solved upon by the authorities of the
popuist organization, in spite of his long
and determined opposition and earnest
protest, he shook the dust from his feet
and bid the betrayers of the peoples par
ny an eternal adieu. Who can censure
him for his unselfsh action and the de-
aiberate sacrifice of his personal interests
and prospects? He has been denounced
by his late party associates in bitter
herms, but bears 1t all with placid be-
hignity, and back in his old home will
vote for the Incompatible Johnston and
his ticket.
what are the IdciS III the QelSctiOH VI
GOODWIN Kolb & Co.? There is no
doubt about the coquettng and junket-
hing of these "godly reformers" with the
republicans for a long time back. The
martin robins in the spring have not been
fmore regular in their migrations than
have these SANITY reformers" to run up
north to get the sinews of war from lhelr
dear allies. To be short, this help put
khem under bond to the givers, and they
are now bound hand and foot by repup-
pican thongs,
II Nothing strange that they sold out
popuIism and donned republican clothes.
fright here, 10 his immortal honor, FRO
fessor Burruss, refused to indorse the in.
famous trade. Who can blame him!
Nobody but this guilty ccnsprasors VINO
have been exposed in their shameful BAR
balm and sale of principles for pecuniary
aid. Take Kolb today. Where has he
moored his liFtle Jefferscnian brig? Right
along a republican wharf. Where Is
Goodwyn, poor fellow? Apparently an abb
Abject slave to his republican bosses, His
vote forthe negro Murray,the writer fears,