The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-05
"A TREE is KNOWN BY ITS FRUITS. "

We publish elsewhere in to-day's pa
per the speech made by Mr. Henry Clay
Wall at the recent Richmond county
Democratic convention.
1t is the best contribution to the poll
tical literature of the year that we have
seen from any source. Mr.. Wall does
the cause of decency, not only in his
own county, but in the entire State as
well, a great service, by showing up in
its true light the sort of government
the Republican party gives the counties
in Eastern North Carolina. In Rich
mond county there are n number of Re
publican leaders who boast of their in
tellgence. The facts given by Mr.
Wall show that they use their boasted
intelligence to degrade their own race
and elevate the negro, putting the bot
tom rail on top if, by such treason to
their own races progress, they can get
an office for themselves.
No living man has made truer and
juster arraignment of Republcanism i'll
North Carolina than Mr.. Wallis just
and plain statement of what the Repub-
lican party of Richmond county stands
for. He says:
''We know that in Richmond county
that party stands for principles and prac-
tees which are at variance with good
morals; at variance with high-toned
manhood and with the good order and
well-heing OF society We know that
it stands for corruption and venality in
politics; its cohesive power is found in
its opportunities for public plumber; it
chuckles and gloats in its continued tri-
umphs over responsibility and decency
in the body polite; it controls the offices
and tax-laying power of the county, and,
doubtless rejoices in the questionable
methods by which it gets and keeps such
control. 1t sets at defiance any and all
sentiment that would enthrone virtue
and intelligence and capability in the
seats where now ignorance, immortality,
prejudice and incompetency hold univer-
sal sway; it would and does degrade the
white man in its pursuit after the ne
gro vote and influence; it has converted
our court house and official apartments
into a common stamping-ground for ne
public necessity, decent white people pre-
fer not to enter them; its control of the
worst elements that curse our society
lies in its ring power to kill and make
alive in a political sense, according to
the whims and ambition of that same
ring power; its test of loyalty to the
public good is loyalty to the Republican
party. especially that part of it represent
ed by the Ring: it plays with juries-ne-
gro juries ut that-and, through its ma
nipulation of the machinery of our
courts, court session in our county is
more like farce than it is like judi
cially grave and dignified occasion"
This is no campaign declaration of a
political aspirant. 1t is the calm,
thoughtful, deliberate utterance of a
quiet and patriotic business man, justly
aroused by the disgraceful rule which
he has so admirably held up to public
attention and to public condemnation.
We have Il two-fold purpose in pub
fishing Mr. Wallis speech ut this time:
/. TO let the people see the real sort
of government with which the Republi-
can party is grinding down and trying
to degrade the white people of the
East:
=. To suggest that the service Mr.
Wall has rendered the cause of good
government in giving a clear insight
into Radical rule in his county
ought to prompt some like clear
headed and capable patriot, in
every county where Radicalism'
holds sway, to prepare a concise and
plain statement of the evils peculiar to
the same degrading rule in his county.
The Radical politicians and such allies
as the promise Of office will give them.
will seek to eyade the discussion of the
low tone and corruption and degradation
Of the county and city governments Of
the East They can be met and routed
il we give them facts-nothing but
facts-in the plain and straightforward
manner which Mr.. Wall has employed.