Birmingham state herald., 1896-09-06

are very much opposed to us critic.sing their leaders or their movements. The baby is yet weak, and must not be rough ly handled. No man likes to be told of his own meanness; and there are few sup porting our nominees and platform who venture to remark that the best interests would be subserved by gentle treatment. Our esteemed Evening News asserts that moderation in politics, as in all other things, is wholesome and should be cuIti- vated." Now, l believe the News is hon est in what it says. l do not believe it is paving the road to flop" I do not be- lieve enough of the golden light can be turned on to dim the silvery rays that sparkle in its editorials.
 But l maintain that the time has come for action, and that the public actions of the men promoting this new movement should be candidly presented to the peo- pie, that they may know the character and stability of those whose leadership they are invited to follow.
 We find the man put forward as their leader in this state an ex-governor elect ed by the democratic party. While con- ducting his campaign he proclaimed from the stump that men are not expected to plead the baby act, and after having submitted their claims to recognized tribunal draw out and declare that they will not abide a decision because it is not according to their wishes. If such spirit prevails there will be no use in future for tribunals to decide upon the conflict ing rights that may arise His slogan was, "I am democrat without prehxeS or phrases Said he: "A democrat who seeks the road to these reforms by join ing Q third party or promoting division, in his own party is only firing into the back of his friends in the hour of battle" Now what do we find him doing? We see him practicing just the opposite of what he preached then, boastingly asserting fIat hi d ht n r. filed, though never once did he say satis- fled. Is there any consistency in his ac- tiops, to say nothing of patriotism?
 Now he informs us that he becomes more tolerant with the republican party and Abraham Lincoln as he grows older. It would seem that he came about this trait of tolerancy honestly. It is in his blood and is no new thing to him. Doubtless it was on account of his toler- ancy that he was appointed supreme court reporter by that august body when it was composed of three republicans. AS the years rolled over his head this saving quality of tolerancy grew and becafnd more apparent, as evidenced by the fact that he occupied very prominent posi- ton in a negro republican profession in the city of Montgomery on one 4th Of July occasion. Then need we be sur prised now when he announces that he continues to grow in tolerancy toward the republican party.
 The sound money" bolters held a con- vention in this city a week ago and I want to read you some things that were said and done on that occasion:
 ''The meeting was called to order at s:30 o'clock by Mir. Walker Percy, who, as chairman of the executive committee of the Sound Money Democratic club of Jef- ferson county, introduced MT. James Weatherly as chairman of the meeting.
 Upon taking the stand MT. Weatherly T Ill. must say that feel proud to be connect ed in any way with the cause we repre- sent. We are hers tonight for the pur- pose of selecting delegates to the state convention of the sound money demo- cratic party in Alabama, which shall meet on Thursday next in the city of Montgomery. We propose to send to that convention Jefferson county's full quota. We have met here as men who have the courage of their convictions and who are determined to carry out, so far as they are able to do, the policies de- clared at the conference of our leaders at Indianapolis. ;"
 Now here Is portion in which I feel personally interested.
 "Efforts have recently been made to ifh cite the fears of the timid by abuse of certain of our members, especially in the past few days, our distinguished leader. Thomas G. Jones' He has been roasted T should even say eXcoriated. By a young gentleman whom God Almighty had not even contemplated as part of the scheme of creation when Thomas G. Jones was fighting beside the gallant John B. Gordon in the late war. have no doubt that this young man has de- served well of his party and will be re- membered. It is probable that he may be selected chairman of some committee.
 '"rhe day has come, it would seem, when any little whipper-snapper is ap plauded who gets on the stand and tells his hearers that Thomas G. Jones is go- ing against the interests of his country, because he happens to differ with the powers that be-"
 ."Distinguished leaderm Distinguished for what! For being the only man whom the democracy of Alabama ever put in the governors chair who proved traitor to her cause and deserted her ranks in the hour of battle. Distinguished for what! For having cost the democratic party more to twice elect him governor than it has to elect every governor put together from Houston down to and in cludng the election of Joseph r. John ston Distinguished for what! For hav- ing reduced a democratic majority of over 100000 to II, ,00O. Distinguished for what! For being the man on whose &C., count the democracy of Alabama came nearer being disrupted than ever before It may be true as said by the gerainum- tinted chairman of that convention, that I had not even been contemplated by God Almighty as part of the plan of creation when Thomas G. Jones was fighting the battles of the late war, but thank God that I was born in time to fight the bat ties of democracy while Thomas G. Jones is fighting the battles of her enemies. Neither was 1t contemplated or expected that he, the man who had been twice honored by the democracy of this great state with the highest office in the gift of her people, would disown the party and the people to who he owes all that he Is. tell you, fellow democrats, that the people of Alabama never con- templated when we made this man great that he would ever use that greatness as a shield to hide behind while with the arm of ingratitude he seeks to bury into the very vitals of his benefactor, democ- racy, the poisoned dagger of his treach- cry. Julius Ceaser had his Brutus-Ala- bama democracy has her Jones.
 These same fellows held another meet ing on the 27th of last January in the same hall where they met last week. Let me read you some-of the proceedings on that occasion: N>
 "One hundred and fifty representative
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