The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-27
Ole Wessengn.
POLITICS AND NEGRO RULE In
EDGECOMBE.

EOO lands n a SOOO pOpuldtlOn.
We have in the past travelled no little
in that county and can praise it. 1t
ed into good and bad. The other day
the black radical county convention
met and it was black indeed as to
principles and complexion. There was
not a single white man present; it was
all Africa and America was eliminated
and the Ayran race. Down there the
white populists, let it be said to their
shame and ~reproach, are fusing with
this black niger gang. Think of it.
The populists elsewhere are not all,
and by a great deal, of that ugly stripe.
They are white men, with white skins,
white souls and white principles, and
not ashamed or afraid to own and as
sert it.
In the convention the niggers mixed
IN a free fight or two, and the knock
down a~rgument-the only one OF hand
was conspicuous. Sambo and Pomp
failed. to hug in unity but went into
the wool-pulling business with alacrity
and great spirit.
They nominated a half-idiotic fellow
for clerk of the superior court, and
an indicted whiskey den keeper for
register of deeds-a niger of course.
Others of the same color were nominal
ed for other offices-a fine lot to have
control of white folks in one of the
Oldest and best counties in all south
land.
Edgecombe has a brisk, bright, as
,~sertive, saucy stump-speaker who fire.
quently "orates" to the delight of his
race, and Ms as infammatory as a
match and no little of anarchist in his
style. Mr.. H E. G Bryant, who wrote
the letter to the Charlotte Observer
from this city, and which contained so
much that was just and true, and was
so lively and SO awakened public at
tention, fills nearly three columns of
LHc oDSeINcl Will d leICCl IlOul
boro, of 18th inst. 1t is this interest
ing, spicy production that has enlight-
ened us. OF this anarchic, browsing
orator in black, he gives account, his
name being Lee Person:
con the stump he arouses the ne
groes against the white people. He
draws tho color limo OCT Mnn6ou
night, in a speech to negroes, at Mil
dred, this county, he said: GO to the
elections well-armed, with rocks in
your pockets, clubs in your hands and
s arrying your pistols: And don't al
wv any officer to arrest you after you
z ave REGISTERED until the day after the
ection, unless o have stolen some
ing or killed somebody. Come to me
81 they get after you
Mr.. William H. FELTON,, being duly
sworn before Mr.. James r. Gaskill,
notary public, says: My name is Will
diam H. FELTON,, %postoffice address, Old
Sparta, N. G. l was in Old Sparta
Monday night, October 10Th, 1894, and
heard a negro, Lee Person, a republic
can candidate for the state Legislature
for Edgecombe county, address some
of the people of Old Sparta and vicin-
ity. During his speech he declared in
substance that the poor white man and
the negro were now equal, that the
poor white man had already begun to
invite the negro into his house and
soon the DOOR white man would invite
the negro to eat and sleep with him.
Also in the course of his speech Per-
son declared that any negro who voted
the democratic ticket should be lynch
ed, and he for one would walk from
Rocky Mount to Old Sparta to help
lynch him. There were present during
this vindictive speech probably fifty
or more people, This is the kind of
negro that will go to the senate from
Edgecombe this year."
George White made a talk too We
all know George this way. He is very
bumptious, highly consequential, has
a great opinion of George and his
brains, is in his own estimation "a
bigger man than old Grant" n de-
lights in showing how very superior
h is to the men Of the AnglO-Saxon
stock. George is a mighty arguer and
reasoner, and he "can distinguish and
divide a hair 'twiXt south and south
west side" In a word George is i'm
mense and has been in the congress
and held Possessions and warm sal
utations of equality with the northern
republicans who think a niger is as
good as they are. George enjoys hugely
the present situation, and he is conf
dent of going back to Washington and
renewing his connection and intimacy
with little Mckinley the small post
master general, (name forgotten) and
the other fellows of like sympathy
and character. Mr.. Bryant gives this
concerning George:
white w~arnedthe democrats against