The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-21
AND WHO WILL HELP HIM
THE END OF HIS LEADERSHIP
OF THE POPULIST PARTY.
HIS FINAL ATTEMPT TO BETRAY IT FUTILE
Hereafter His Lot Lies With the Negroes and
Renegade Whites Whose Senator He Has
Bargained to be if He Can Help
Defeat the Amendment.

To the Hon. Marion Butler:
Sir:-I was not present at the meeting
of the Populist State Executive Com
mittee i'm Raleigh, but | have read an
ing, and your speech particularly, with
surprise, chagrin and disInay.
| went into the Populist party from
principle, believing that tnere was dis
tinct work for that party to do in the
State and Nation. / have remained in
the party for the same reason though
conscious that it has often made serious
blUnders and that it has laid itself open
10 severe but justifable criticism. | was
content to believe that its faults were
such as with growing age and strength
would be overcome. faults grounded in
circumstance rather than in deliberate
intention With this reflection l have
comfolted myself in the past. have stuck
10 the party organization and have con
scientiously StIiyGn to hold it to the aims
and erds conceived ard embodied in its
declaration of principles. believing that
whatever issue of grave import might
arise the Pcpuist party would be found
favoriilg the right.
Now. sir. the people of North Carolina
are confronted by the most serious crisis
in their history, since the time when
the States intelligence and worth
Scourgcd ignorance. vice and debauchery
from its high places, a quarter of cen
tury ago. 1t is proposed to right
wrong done the State through force,
fraud and fanaticism, at Il time when
her worthy citizenship was inpotent and
when her protest was considered good
cause for fresh indignfties and mere
high-handed outrageS by the aliers and
renegades who held bayCnet to- her
throat while they despoiled her For thir-
ty years the State has Worm the fetters
liveted upon her limbs in her hoar OF
weakness and has done it patiently, hop
ing in the end that they would drop away
of their own weight or would be struck
off when the arim0sities cngendered Of
war and blood had PASSED away. and
when new generation in the union
should see conditions in perspective not
distol ted by passion and hate. The hcpe
has been vain, and the State mas now
taken up for herself the work of remov-
ing the incubus that has delayed her
progress and menaced her peace and
safety. In this undertaking she has q
right to- expect that every som who has
rgrsed at her breast will stand shoulder
to shoulder in her defense.
Under such conditions what do | ind
is the attitude of the Populist ors;ni2d
ton Il do not say nafty) Of which YOU
Mr. Butler. are the Acknowledged leader!
/ find that ut your instance that ocgaIliza
ton has adopted a resolution placing i
in irreconcilabe antagonsim to those Wbt
would right this wrong of thirty years
standing. In your speech to tho commit
tee YOU tell them that you viii viii
this gang from the State What gang,
Mr. Butler, is it that yOu prOnose tc
whip from the State? Y < The men
whose fOrebears have maAe The State
great in peace and terrible IL war from
the day that it was carved from The viii
deruess and claimed frlam seragery Dis
it occur to You when y0u were utte7inc
this jaunty threat that these men have
never been whipped i'm all the'r his
tory? They are mortal and na.5 BE- killed;
they can not he cowed III sir rImb bor
is Emitted and they may be overp9wercd;
they can not lie whipped
And who, sir, compose yeLc cohorts
that are to go gaily forth 20 5ship the
men and the sons Of the men wa1
marched up to the redoutlts at Gettrs-
burg? Not the rank and ijle u the
Populist party. They are white men and
Will stand with their bralllrcu for Z
white MANS rights and :, white man :
State. They are honorable mell ard will
stand for the States good name. They
are intelligent men and will stand with
the men who make UP % per cent of the
States intelligence. They are free men
and therefore, sin. are rct to be made
the chattels of petty cabal that bargain
10 sell the State to infany TO got offices
for themselves: TO enlSch themselves with
the price of her prostitut1n. They arc
chivaIrous men and. there. lce. will hoht
with those who. have al
ways protected the virtue Of
our women Your army is made
up of 10000 negroes lsiicered by TIE
few white men who have lived by trad
ing ON their votes ami who are naturally
enraged that amy one Should be about TO
end that traffic. Negroes and renegade
whites. Mr.. Butler. may do what British
veterans failed to do and what the battal-
ions of Grant never did-but j doubt It,.
You are at liberty, sir, to sell yourself
If you can find Il purchaser. There are
some who believe YOUR search i'll that
particular has been rewarded it is no