The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-04-15
THE KING GEORGE DEMOCRATIC MEET
ING.
A Correspondents view
Shiloh, Va, April 18th, 1870

next issue of The Free Lance an ac-
count Of the proceedings of Demo
cratic mass meeting held hore at that
time. We ask space for few words.
not so much in reply as in explanation
of what he chooses to term "a disgrace
full political meeting
To cold. blooled Statrordian, around
whose home and heart still fingers the
chill of last winters SHOWS, or 10
staid and starchy citizen OF Frederichs-
burg, where the streets all cross ut
right angles and everything moves
to the music and measure OF the
town clock. where grog tine comes
only at stated hours, and where
the young society man, when he taxes
his best girl up behind his saddle Tor
ride over the Stafford hills, IL not al
lowed to trot his mule over the town
bridge where even the grind'stones
exhibited on the side walks are chained
together, and the inkstands III the court
room are nailed down TO prevent their
becoming gay and flying about to crack
the heads and soil the shirt fronts Of
contending attorneys-to any one, III
fact. who resides I'm community
whee red tape rules of propriery pre-
vail at all times. we have no doubt the
Democratic entertainment given at
our last court seemed little irregular.
Your reporter took the matter TOO
seriously. Our boys must have some
diversion after long and dTeary win
ter. It was a sort Of Inauguration day,
which comes only once in four years,
and when the procession moved and the
bands played, it is no wonder the peo-
pie cheered and yourg Democrats
danced to the music.
In view Of the fact that your reporter
was granted a free ticket 10 this pollti-
cal vaudeville, was decorated with the
badge Of secretary. and given seat III
the bald headed row, near the foot
lights. where elderly gentlemen delight
TO sit when the dance goes on, II seems
bit ungrateful that he should g oiY
and report the scene as " disgraceiuA w.
In any large gathering Of the people
in this free land Of ours, especially IN
a political mass meeting, some dis
order may be expected, and If there
was any excess on this occasion. u vas
due 10 peculiar circumstances The
meeting should have been held At T.
O'Clock instead Of AT > o'clock The
Fredericksburg mail arrived at one,
bringing Jackson's division ~ wal
laces and Strashurgcr's brgadrs, and
this r. enforcement greatly aroused
the patriotic fervOr of the boys. Be
sides. il was held too late IN the sea-
son. Chairman Potts should have called
il for March court. before the poliiical
SAP had arisen 50 high and Def the
bees Of Office had swarmed ont ard he
gun TO buzz in the bonnets OF 50 many
candidates.
Now the battle had already
opened-the bugles Of the various
clans had called Ito arms and the
rough.riders were in the saddle-Mar-
shall G.. had stood for many weeks
with ears erect, eager to cafch every
cry to set 'em up.
Tucker a. had on his war paint, and,
like Horatio at the bridge. was holding
the pass at Hannah's Gap. The two
doctor candidates stood with knife IN
hand. each reaching for the other 5
scalp. and needless of the lion in their
path at Oomorn, or the stealthy tread
of the Republican wolf coming down
on the Democratic fold from his lair at
Mount CHEN. At this stage of the
fight no good general would halt his
troops TO dress the line or readjust the
ranks.
There may have been many able
speeches made in the meeting, but they
came in such heavy punches we are I'M
able to report them. We set our phono-
graph to catch it all, bnt 1t collapsed
early in the fray, and now lies COM
plete wreck. From the ruins, we gather
a few lines from a speech delivered by
one Of the leaders from the province OF
North Hannah "tRally to your
colors, boys You hear the drums
beat and the hfes' shrill call to duty.
Press on, and we will clip the claws
of cliaues and rings, and throttle the
greedy, growing giant of monopoly "
Applause in the gallery This inter
ruption. coming from colored Republi
can, s, was promptly rebuked and the
offenders sternly admonished that "this
is Democratic meeting, and no dlsor-
der will be allowed. II the offense Is
repeated. our marshal will clear the
gallery" During the Exercises, one
who had not been long citizen of the
county, and labored under some impedi.
ment Of speech, arose and timidly in
ouired: lis this a D-d-democratiC
MN. ass meeting?" Being assured by
several that it was, he hoisted his ears,
came to the front and seemed to be
perfectly lat home. "
When the forty and four orators had
all delivered themselves, and the secre-
tary announced there was no unfinished
business before the meeting, Bro g., OF
Mari Swamp, the Republican Asaph,
was requested TO close the exercises by
singing the Sweet Bye and Bye.
This he did in fine style, and then the
meeting bolted.
During the remaining hours Of the
afternoon the swarm CT candidates
fitted about like bees in clover field