Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1898-09-30
SPEAKING
At HEREFORD.
Small Makes it Hot
For Skinner.
A Negro Gives Meek
ms the Lie.

On last Monday, the 26th
inst. Col. Harry Skinner and
Mr.. John H. Small met for the
first time during this campaign
in joint debate. Skinner spoke
first and as usual delivered a
lengthy discourse filled with
the most beautiful language;
but somehow he tailed to tickle
the fancy of his large and at
tentive audience and you could
hardly hear single handicap
at any time. Finally he con-
cluded and Mr.. Small was in>
troduced and amid shouts of
welcome and roars Of applause
he came forward and succeeded
in quieting the immense crowd
and then opened file. He soon
had his guns turned on Mr..
Skinner and fred rapidly. MI.
Skicner was badly "hacked' as
every one could plainly see. but
with the support of the brick
wall of the Court House, against
which he was leaning he mans
aged to live through the terrible
ordeal to which Small subjected
him. Mr.. Small said he couldn't t
find out exactly what Mr.. Skin
ner's politics are ard he propos>
ed to dissect him and learn If
possible the true cause of these
sudden changes Whi Ch have
come over Col. Skinner in re-
cent years, so he rolled up his
sleeves and set to work with a
will. Mr.. Skinner bore Mr..
S1nall's dissecting knife as long
as he possibly could and he fl
nally admitted that his weaker
organs were affected with Popu~
lism. Poor fellow, it was a try
ing time-Republicans and
Populists waiting alike in sus-
pense for his answer. Mr..
Small continued his speech amid
thunde,ing rounds of applause
and such exclamations from the
crowd as "give it to him" "make
him own it "tell us all about
him. and many others too nu~
merous to mention while Mr..
skinner sat by and looked the
picture Of despair. At the con-
clusion of Mr.. Smal''s speech
cheer after cheer went up from
the patriotic sons of old Per
quimans and everybody de
clared the tide had at last turn
ed in favor Of good government
and white supremacy.
At night the negroes met In
the Court House i'll a mass
meeting convention. Feeling
they had no congressional can
didate in the field and not wish
ing to support either Skinner
or Small they decided to nomi>
nate candidate for congress
Resolutions were read and adop'
ted denouncing Harry Skinner
in the most bitter tones and his
whole course in congress. FL
nally after much wrangling and
quarrell1ng Mr.. J. L. .Whedbe@
was nominated for congress
from the first district.
Mr.. | NJ. Meekins spoke just
before the convention was called
to order but it was SO tame and
consisted mainly of stale yarns
that you couldn't telt whether
he was a candidate for Solicitor
or township constable. The
negroes just bossed Ike to their
hearts content, limited hi:
Tsp ech to 20 minutes, shut him
lup at their own sweet will ano
commanded him to go aheao
when they got good and ready
While speaksng, the language
of Meekins failed to please some
of the negroes and one of then
arose with fire in his eyes ane
a clinched fist and denounced
Meekins as liar. This caused
some stir, but Meekins quickly
aplogized and oiled the waters
the best he could. Thus ended
a day that made a lasting i'm
preston on the people of Per
quimaHs county. All agre'
that she is bound to go Demo