Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-08
QUITE A DIFFERENCE.

1t can but prove a source of gratiflca-
| tion to every true democrat and every
other citizen of Alabama who has the
| good of the state at heart to have a COM
parison drawn between the two ratlfica-
ton meetings which have taken place in
| this city since the democratic and repub-
| llcan state tickets were nominated. Only
a few hours before his return from Mont
gomery, after the democrats of Alabama
| in convention assembled had placed in
| his hands the democratic banner, it was
| given out on the streets that the demo-
| Gratis of Birmingham would extend to
| Captain Johnston upon his return from
Montgomery a welcome in the shape of
ratification meeting. When the train on
| which Captain Johnston returned pulled
| into the union depot nearly or quite 1000
| fair-skinned, straight-haired democrats
were on hand to greet him. A brass band
| composed of white men was there, and
there on time. The democratic nominee
was received amid deafening cheers, and
escorted by that large concourse of white
men to the balcony of the Florence hotel,
in front of which an open air meeting
was had. Up and down Second avenue
from the hotel corner thousands of men
crowded each other in their zeal to be
present and aid in ratifying the action
of the convention and pledging to the
head of the ticket their loyal support In
the approaching general election. From
the balcony where the speaking took
place the speakers and other prominent
gentlemen upon the balcony looked down
dnto the white faces of at least 1000 white
men, and cheers from the Threats of as
many white men constantly greeted the
ears of the speakers.
over that meeting presided one of the
noblest young democrats in Alabama-a
democrat who had opposed Captain john
ston in the primary election. number
of the speakers upon that occasion were
gallant democrats who, in the primaries.
had followed the fortunes of Mr.. Clarke
and gone down in defeat. But they were
only temporarily defeated, because their
party had named leader, and he was
then and is now their leader, and they
were then and are now Loyalty following
his lead. 1t was, as everybody who wit
messed it remarked, grand and glorious
meeting 1t was a ratification that rati-
fed. In that vast audience there were no
bowling negroes. 1t was meeting OF
white men, 1t was a clean, clear-cut
declaration by the white men of Birming-
ham that democracy is in the saddle
that the white people of this county and
state propose to stand together, shoulder
to shoulder, and continue the rule of the
white man in Alabama.
Now let's look at the other meeting
the meeting of Wednesday night-for
brief while. For several days it had been
adv rtised in Birmingham and Jefferson
hof Goodwin the nominee OF
the opposition to democracy for governor
of Alabama, would be here Wednesday
night and that reception in the nature
of grand ratification meeting would be
extended him. The momentus hour rolls
around for Goodwyn's arrival. He
reaches the city at the same hour in the
day that the democratic nominee came
on the day of the democratic ratification.
When the train bearing him pulled into
the depot Capt. r. F. Kolb and some ten
or a dozen other republicans were on
hand to greet him. The brass band, COM
posed of negroes, was like Goodwin Will
| be in August behind. Accompanied by
| the few individuals who were at the de-
pot on time the would-be conquering
hero wendell his way to the Opera House
hotel, where he was held in waiting until
up and gotten into position in front Of
the postoffice. Next we find the nominee
perched upon the platform erected for
| the occasion surrounded by the follow
| ing men: DIR. r. A. Moseley, Jr., Mr.. l..
| T.. Parsons, Mr.. p. G. Bowman, Gov. w.
| II. Smith and Capt X. F. Kolb. Sur
| rounding the stand were some 800 or 600
negroes About on the outskirts Of the
crowd of negroes was to be seen here
| and there white sympathizer, some fifty
| to 100 all told, and probably as many
| democrats, who had gone there out Of
| curiosity to see really how the thing sue
| ceeded as ratification meeting and
whether or not it would ratify. Good
wynn spoke, Bowman spoke, Moseey
| spoke, Parsons spoke and Kolb remark
| ed. When Moseley would wave his silk
| hat the negroes would YELL The white
men that compose the party in Ala
| bama that drove the carpet-baggers
and scalawags from power and gave to
| the people of Alabama a respectable, in
| teligent and economical government
! were roundly abused each speaker from
| the nominee up appearing to vie with
| the other as to which could say the hard
| est things of the men who have stood
| between the people of alabama and me-
| gro rule. So it was, some 500 or 600 ne
groes and probably fifty white men rati-
fled Goodwyns nomination and predicted
| his election by their presence, while
| Moseley Parsons, Bowman and Kolb did
| the same by appearing upon the plat
| form and speaking their pieces.