The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-18

man of the State RepuDllcan Executive
committee by using men to do his Dld-
ding in open disregard OF the law ana
using his responsible office OF united
States District Attorney to drag the cltl-
zens from their homes to distant places
on grave charges. affecting their lloertles
and to try them in court where ne mas
control of the criminal procedure, mas
committed a crime against the state ana
persisted in this outrage on justice, not
withstanding the facts and the sworn tes-
timony of witnesses that no man VINO
had a right to register has been deprived
of registration by the officers now under
prosecution and Notwithstanding the un-
contradicted testimony that hundreds of
negroes are employed in the factories of
Winston and live in other counties and
States who have notoriously and fraudu
lently voted in the past elections in this
county.
Resolved, that registrars acting under
the law, for the integrity of the ballot
box have been, at the request of the
cabal composing the prosecution, bound
over to the United States court for base
partisan ends, and the laws of North
Carolina degraded and insulted, and We
in this meeting assembled demand that
State officer acting under State law
shall be amenable only to the courts of
the State and sovereignty of State un-
der the constitution, respected and do
hereby appeal to the sovereign people for
a vindication of this just demand.
Resolved, that this miserable effort Of
Federal ice-holders and negroes to
in their lawful conduct in the discharge
of their duty will fail everywhere in the
State, as it has failed here.
That the duties of the registrar are
plain and they must follow the law and
in their lawful conduct in the dichrage
of their duty they will have the support
of every true citizen against every eff
fort, from whatever source it may come,
to intimidate and coerce them to register
illegal voters. They must and will have the
support of every white man in North Car
olina who loves his State and his home
more than office purchased at the price
of treason to his race.
The reading of these resolutions was
frequently interrupted by applause and
when Mr.. Ellen had finished reading, the
crowd, with a tremendous shout, adopt
ed them by rising vote.
The cheering lasted for nearly min
ute, then ended only to be renewed when
Mr.. Manly rose to introduce General
Ransom, the speaker of the day. I'm
de ads which have Iaade the history Of our
native State for the past fifty years. :"
said Mr.. Manly, ~he has been con-
spicuous factor, and inthose hevments
of war and of peace which have added to
the annals of her fame, he has borne
his part with honor and fidelity. Was
the call of his country the trumpet cry to
oIo wi. o0fn .fIa
his body in the thick. of many bloody
fray. winning by wisdom and courage the
right to command soldiers who fought
with Lee Was the call of his country,
the cry of its people trampled beneath the
iron heel of reconstruction, he offered all
he had to the State, with untiring zeal
devoting his life to her service and
with a voice eloquent and inspiring,
kindling in every section the fires of pa
triotism and giving the light of hope
and confidence again to her people. Was
the call of his country the demand of
the Stote to represent her in the coun
sells of the nation, he answered, twenty
| four years of life were spent in the Ma
| tional Senate serving his people, using
| his commanding influence in the read
| justment of the rights of the South, in
upholding the honor and dignity of his
| State and honorably restoring her to e.er
| place in the Union.
again comes the call of his country,
| and again he answers, now, full OF years
| and wisdom in the glory and splendor of
his manhood the first citizen of the COM
| monwealth, the mobiles Roman of them
| ALL (Applause.) His country calls in
| this crisis of the infant century hen the
|
| sented Shall we protect our civilization
and the honor and integrity of our race
Shall we permit the rights of sovereign
| State and the liberties of her citizens to
be trampled on by conspiracy of Federal
office-h holders? Ransom has come to an
| swer. Let us hear him.
General Ransom was accorded an ova-
tion that must have done his heart good.
When the applause had dwindled down
| to desultory capping, he thanked his
| hearers for the honor they had done him
referred with pleasure to the fact that the
| registrars, Thompson and Wall. who had
recently been arrested were sitting or
the platform by him, and spoke as above
| quoted of the action of the Radicals il
regard to them.
Il am glad he added that am here
today to unite with you in protesting
against such high handed measures
great wrong has been done these men. al
objectionable insult has been offered Il
these people. I'd like to be able to char.
acterize it as it deserves" (Applause).
Then he related the circumstances o
the arrest, described the mockery of {
trial that was held, showed how it wa:
all done through Federal officers, men wht
did not derive their power from the peo
| pie and who were in no wise responsible
To the people, or in sympathy with them
What has brought us here?" he cried
I'VE are here to stamp into the dust thi!
effort to destroy free government in Nortl
Carolina. These things that have beer
done here during the past week are
no trifies. 1t is an effort toInterfere will
the freedom of elections in North Caro-
lima, and they have interfered with then
as far as they are able. They have gone
to the very fountain head Of your gov
ernment; they have gone to the man WHIT
registers the voter and tried to dictate tt
him whom he shall register and whom NJ
shall not register"
| what is our government worth. VIVA
are your free institutions worth. II theI
can thus go to the custodian of your pal
lot and tell him his duty? Is that law