The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-25


in no uncertain sound.
Jas. T. LeGrand, of Richmond, pre-
sided.
Kope Elias, of Macon, was the first
speaker. His voice is related to his body
in the ratio of 16 10 /, and stirred up
some enthusiasm. He said: Il stand
here confronting my co-laborers, and
subordinating my views to the prepon-
derance of opinion of my party" This
announcements was greeted with APP
planse.
Ex-Congressman Thomas Skinner
said: 1--WE did not come here to adj
iourn." Appfause). He said Cy. Wat
son, of Forsyth, was the man for Gov
ernor; he would wipe Russell off the
face of the earth; the man from New
Hanover cannot withstand the fiery on
slaught of Cyrus b. Watson.
Capt. Il. B. PEBBLES, of Northampton,
came TO the platform. He said he had
been fighting for Democracy since 1866,
and desired to see it's victory in this
campaign. When he named free silver
as the great issue of the day, and said
the Democracy, in the struggle, had
been true TO the people, a great wave of
applause swept over the hall. The en-
emy," he said, have put upon us the
duty of acting first. / think we ought
to put ourselves fair and square before
the world on the platform of 1G TO /.
\ / hear them say it is glori-
Gus TO GO down in defeat. but | hose the
time will not come when we are defeat
ed at all. Victory with honor,
but victory! Let us elect true
and tried silver men to go
to I
tion of the Chicago convention. There
as all to gain and nothing to loose by
waiting If atChicago a silver candidate
is nominated on a silver platform, we
can then open THE doors and honestly
invite all silver men to join us Demo-
Gratis, and nominate a ticket that will
promote free silver and be the death of
Russellism. Say ITO the world we are
not now prepared to nominate a candi-
date, and call other primaries. tCries
of No! No!0 We must put the lead
ers of the Populist party i'm the atti-
tude of standing in the way of the free
coinage of silver. No man and no party
can stay the tide of silver that is sweep
ing the land. If they stand in the way
of silver, their hold on the PopulisU
party is broken. If, after we
our honesty and faithfulness
to silver, these Populist leaders still
refuse to come with us, we can show
them that Butler and the leaders are
after the loayes and fishes, rather than
principle, and they will desert the Pop
ulists and come back to the fold. This
rs my earnest hope. l want to see all
the white men under one banner. ar
rayed against the rule OF Russell and
his horde (Applause).
Col Thomas w. Mason, of North
ampton was called for, and received
quite an ovation. "Never before" said
he, have | felt that we were confront
ed by the dangers and difficulties that
now lie in our pathway. / came here
in the sincerely of my heart, desiring
nothing higher or nobler than the sue
cess of the party = y Some
things we do know. We know that
this great party has suffered defeat
in the State; we know it has gone down
in the nation. 1t is well to face the
matter squarely. Some great political
mistakes have been made by our lead
ers. Truth and candor compel me
to say that somebody has Numbered.
Now this blunder has been traced
home. and the proud phalanx of the
South that on its shield bore a presi-
dent to the White House has rallied
to its old principles, and has come
back to the faith of it's fathers. We
know the fight has bean won in the
South, but how do we know what will
happen at Chicago? We know that the
leader of the gold-bugs postponed his
trip to Europe, took his baggage from
a Cunard steamer and checked it to
Chicago. It requires a two thirds ma
iority to nominate, and we might find
ourselves with a silver platform and
a gold candidate, or worse still strad-
die candidate. Cy Watson is as fearless
as Caesar. He would be willing to go
down for the cause. But where would
be the Democracy of North Carolina2
Gone down in defeat. And gone down
at the dictation Of President who
has wrecked the party. Cheers and
applause, and a few Kisses from the
left.) Why may we not wait, and see
what is done at Chicago. | say if the
Chicago platform is for gold you will
sentence these men you nominate to
political death. | am here to do all
in my power for the free coinage of
silver and to bring about a united
Democracy" (Applause.)
AIR. Skinner came again. THE nom
inee of this convention viii not be con-
fronted by any such dilemma as Col.
Mason and Capt PEBBLES predict" he
said. @Can you guarantee free coin
age platform and candidate at Chica-
go?" delegate qseried. Yes" he
emphatically replied.
Mr.. w. G. Burkhead said: The bur
den of proof lies with the advocates Of
innovation to prove their easse.
think they have failed to prove their
case. II the Chicago convention does
declare for gold, the gold men will con
troll the party ia the State and we viii
be in pretty fix to ask the Populists
TO come to us. We vii be political
orphans. ] am foD one convention to-
morrow-a Cy Watson" (Long and
loud applause.)
ssThere has been no sufficient reason
for two conventions presented" said