The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-05-11
A HARD HITTER.
Congressman Martin Rips Mr.. Flake vi
the Back.

SODkACSSHS0 A0AS
the Back.
Mr.. E. ". Flake, of Arson county,
expected to be Congressman Martins
private Secretary, but as he (Flake)
did not stand with the Peoples party
and for it's principles during the legis-
lature, but lobbied for things entirely
foreign, Mr.. Martin declines to bestoW
the honor. Flake has published the
following letter from the Congressman
in the Wadesboro Messenger and Intel
Iigencer, a Democratic paper. 1t is a
warm number, and if Flake didn't
have a hide like a RhinCceros he would
not have made it public, but he has
done so and it might az well be kept
going:
"WAsHINGToN, March 26, 1897.
Mr. E. w. FLAKE,
"Wadesboro, N. G.
"sIR:-When you, unhesitating, took
your stand among the boilers who had
betrayed the Peoples party, you be
CCLI4OP ny uGbO ONC4V ~SVS OO4 V4SNP0
crimini and absolved me from all
obligations, legal, moral, humane and
divine. The boilers for their treachery
were expelled from the Peoples party
and publicly branded as traitors, which
is a matter of official record, and they
will wear the brand upon their brows
forever. They have not only been
branded as traitors in North Carolina,
but have been branded as traitors
throughout the United States and the
whole world, for a joint caucus OF
the Senators and members Of Con
gress IF the Peoples party, held in
Washington, it was agreed, by unani-
nous consent, not to invite Col. Harry
Skinner to any caucus of the Peoples
party. may say without mourning
the charge of egotism, that I have
more sense than you give me credit
for, if you imagine that / do not know
that such treacherY as elicits State,
national and universal condemnation
releases me from all obligations to you,
even if 1 had made you ten thousand
promises and seconded them every one
in black and white. Sir, I have in
time split rails and walked behind the
plow handles beneath the hot, broil
ing, July sun, and I tell you plainly, I
would do it sgein before l would ap
point to any Cfice a nan who ha1
E~o- o-~1Il0S Fn@-o tho Dn1nlnSa roNEu
and publicly and officially branded as
a traitor, If you never fill cfice till !
appoint you, you will eve be a o
stable, sir, the lowest Office known to
American politics. Before I would
have a traitor sitting right under my
nose, handling all the secrets Of the
State and the modus operandi of the
party that he had betrayed, I would
resign my seat in Congress, go home
and split rails again and walk behind
the plow handles beneath the hot, broil-
ing sun till all my garments were
sWeltering and dripping with sweat.
If this be treason, make the most of
it The war is on, sir, and let it come
If I shall not deport myself like a val
liant soldier on the field of battle, let
my enemy triumph over me and
trample mine honorin the dust. I have
paught to fear from the stack of arms
and the clash of steel with such a foe.
I wrote you a letter couched in mild
and gentle words, declining to appoint
you, but that mild and gentle answer
you would not accept; hence, I have
been compelled to use palmer, blunter
speech, partaking more of the rugged
ness of the rock than g~entleness Of the
flower tnd meekneas of the lamb. ]
herewith send my ultimatum:
''Since you have been expelled from
The Peoples party and publicly and
officially branded as a traitor, If yon
never fiji l;fice till l appoint you, you
will never be constable, sir, the Lowest
Office know in American politics.
Truly,
s'CHAs. n. MARTIN"