The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-20
THE CAMPAIGN
OPENS GLORIOUSLY
TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE AT OLD
FORT YESTERDAY.
A MEMORABLE DAY FOR
THE MCDOWELL DEMOCRATS
Hon NJ. H. Justice, Maj. W. A. Guthrie, Ar.
John A. RoebIing, Of New Jersey, Hon.
Locke Craig, and Mr.. Ellis Gard
nor NaLo AhIa cnaachns
ner Make Able Speeches.

Old Fort, n. G., Aug. 10. (Speciall-
The fight is on.
Tie campaign is begun.
And it is due the Democracy of Nc
Dowell, the honor of beginning the fight
for white supremacy in North Carolina
We have started stone from the slopes
of the ridge toward the ocean and it
will, we trust gain in size ad velocity as
it rolls.
This has been memorable day in
North Carolina and especially in Nc
Dowel county and Old Fort. Memo
ra'ble for the fact that lit Is here the
fight commenced, memorable for the fact
that the Democracy OF the West Isl
alive to everything that concerns our
grand old State, memorable on account
of the people of North Carolina begin
ming n movement hat shall rewrite its
fundamental law. memorable ON account
Of the fact that the Immense crowd
present shows the interest Of this section
in the welfare Of our Sta.te.
This has indeed been gala day for
the usually quiet village of Old Eoit
From early morn the people commenced
coming in in crowds and continued ar
irving until after | o'clock. The beau
tiful and historic village was equal to
the occasion for the visitors were hand
sOmely entertained and although heavily
taxed her citizens were equal to tha
occasion The crowd was immense, TAX
ing into consideration the surrounding
territory; people from Burke. Yancey
Rutherford. and BuncGmbe helped t.
swell the throng from Mcdowell and a
very conservative estimate CT the crowd
wonld place the number at 1000. al
though good many old soldiers thought
twenty-five hundred not n very high
estimate.
At about eleven O'Clock this large crowd
assembled i'm a beautiful grove TO hear
the distinguished speakers OF the coca
sion. / never saw a crowd give closer
or mere earnest attention than did this.
There seemed TO be quiet defermrma-
tion written upon the faces as they lis
tened TO the words of the speakers.
a determination that was ulndoubtedlv
strengthened by the strong and eloquent
speeches of the occasion.
In an eloquent and appropriate al
dress of welcome Geo. w SandefIin
Mayor of Old Fort made every one vel
come, Republicans Democrats and Pop
ulists. He stated that the purpose of
setting apart this day was two fold-re-
creation and discussion of the proposed
amendment to the constitution.
After music dispensed by the Marion
Orchestra MIR. j. Il. C. Bird i'm few
appropriate remarks introduced the Hon.
NJ. H. Justice. of Rutherford. who is n
the race for Governor. lie prefaced his
remarks by saying that he felt Iris in
ability to cope with this great question
and that his only qualification 10 deal
with this great subject was that he was
n North Carolin.am. an Angl0ISaxnn ana
a Democrat His address was a very elo-
nnent. able and conservative argument
for the comstitutionality of the proposed
amendment and no doubt wen votes IN
the crowd
Hon. E. ]. Justice next introduced
Mai. W. A. Guthrie ms a patriot aild
d nom partisan. one who had as an able
lawyer given the question his attention.
Maj. Guthrie spoke at some length SNOW
ing By his able argument that ne mar
given the question his earnest and deep
est attention. He stated that he did not
come as a partisan but as North Car
Gilman to talk to North GarDlinians on
a alleSt10n tllat afIeclS the WI0le pf1-
pie. that he came as a Republican who
had to carry his six shooter WITH him
in 1868 to keep Democrats off him. lie
stated that be had started in TO the in.
yestigation Of this question with some
doubt MS to its eonstitutionality but thar
the more he studied the more he be
comes convicted Of its sonndness and
that ii il not in conflict with the Fiji
teenth amendment
It is with regret that ! am unable to
furnish a verbatim report of his able
speech Tt had its effect upon his hear
ers MS was shown by the close and earn.
est attention paid TO his words
The next speaker was Mr.. John a..
Roebling, of New Jersey, who in a few
words spoke of the amendment. and the
change Of public sentiment of the North
in regard to these questions. and that
the Supreme Court of the United States
would not decide the question against
rs on this account
Mr.. Ellis Gardiner Of Yancey. was
next introduced by d. f. Hndgins. or
Marion, y. c. Time and space forbid