The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-03-25
GRIGGS AT NASHVILLE.
, STRONG AND ELOQUENTSPEECH
IN BERRIEN COUNTY.
Captain Hammond Was There and Took

Advantage of the sJudge'slAppointment
to Make Some Remarks.
Judge j. NJ. Griggs addressed the
neople of Berrien county at Nashville
last week, and reports from there say
he made decidedly favorable impress
sion and that.the two votes of that coun-
tv can safely be placed to his credit.
Although the appointment had been
made by Judge Griggs and no other
speaker,had been invited or was expect
ed. Captain Hammond, of Thomasyille,
was there and at the conclusion of Judge
Griggs' speech ytook advantage of the
occasion to talk for more than an hour,
the greater-part of the time being con-
.sumed in personalities and yitup9ration
instead of argument and a discussion
of the issues. When Captain Hammond
concluded Judge Griggs asked Judge
HanselI. who was holding court in
Nashville, ten minutes in which to re-
ply to the attacks that had been made
upon him, but the request was refused.
The Berrien county paper, the Triton
Gazette, tells as follows of the two
speeches and their effect upon those
who heard them:
Judge J. M. Griggs addressed the vot-
ers of Berrien county at the court house
in Nashville last Tuesday, during the
noon recess of court. He began speaking
at u 80, and spoke for two hours and
five minutes. His speech was chiefly
devoted to discussion of the financial
question, beginning with the basic or
primary use of money, and was pow
fully built argument for free silver
coinage, on the basis that, while there
may be plenty Of money in circulation,
yet the scarcity of a basic money, or
measure of final payment, causes it's
value to appreciate, and thence steady
depreciation Of prices, giving all due
allowance to the laws of supply and de-
mand and their control of the markets.
Throughout, his speech was able and
scholarly, and while the Gazette does
not agree with the major ity of his ar
gument, yet it was'a most powerful one,
from silver standpoint. While wax
ing eloquent at times, it was in the
main as a discussion between two
friends, and at no time did he abuse or
ridicule those holding opposite views.
While differing in opinion from the
administration, he made no harsh crit
lcism of those at it's head, and when
mentioning them at all did so in the
most patriotic manner. 1t was the
speech and argument of a man possess
ing the courage of his convictions: fair.
honest and straightforward, and made
profound impression on his large au-
dlence, who listened to it with great
attention.
iointdebate, and no notice giyenof more
3bor, n,.espeech, but after the effect of
Judge Griggs' argument became annar-
enG Hon. w. M. Hammond. Of Thorn
asvllle, at the solicitation of friends
and after permission from Judge Han
sell, rose to reply.
lie spoke for one hour and ten min
utes, and to many of his sound money
friends the speech was a disappoinf-
ment; especially to the writer. who ex-
pected something entirely different
from the eloquent, scholarly and gifted
hammond. Wehad not heard him since
ne spoke from the rostrum of the dem
Ocratlc convention at Albany in 1892
ana the contrast was greater than we
We're prepared for.
The speech of Judge Griggs was that
OF man arguing a question of differ
ence with his equal; Mr.. Hammond
mat OF a stump debater, resorting to
Well-known tricks to catch his audience
ana playing upon their emotions in
Stead OF their reason. For logic he
substituted ridicule; for argument
vltuperation. With the boundIess and
unanSWerable argument of the sound
money side at his command. he chose
10 rldlcule the opponent who would
nave no cnance to reply, and attributed
unpatrlotic motives to those holding
views differing from his own.
!. instead of arguing Tor bimetallism.
ms speech was on the line of a single
standard, and on the basis that there
was sufficient money of final payment,
laws. - OoinaSe
POSSIBLY the most unfair part Of his
speech speech was his reference to his oppo-
Yent's comments ON a trip to New
aork as plagiarism from Ben Till
1 ms: speech in the senate, MIR.
III HbL;iggs mentions as his companion on
DIS DIS, occasion Hon. Charles BARTLETT. of
f Ra9o. The writer has been unable to
'U anything to verify Capt. Ham