The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-15
RUSSELL ROASTS RICHMOND
PEARSON.

Russell on Pearson is rich reading
for the royterers. 1t fills a place in
black-radical history and has the fra
grancy of a nosegay. It hits the Bun
combe monarch between wind n
water and makes a sort of ship
wreck of the sailor who has sailed I'M
der many colors in the p~ast-radical,
then democrat, then hide and seek,
then radical again-a black radical in
love with the negro and using him,
and next a fusion monger and so on.
Hear Russell hurting out facts with
out fear or favor or pity:
'sPearson's attempt to steal the ninth
district Ices not hurt his reputation
1t only sustains it. But the late re-
publican convention in permitting
Pearson to smuggle through a reSolu-
tion commencing himself and his con-
test, but for the fact, perhaps, that
most of the convention did no know
that it was in. the platform, WOULD
have disgraced the republican party
of North Carolina. Here we are in
North Carolina charging truthfully
that the democrats are Weeping
things by force n fraud, that they
have put upon us an election Iaw that
is meaner than the Goebel deviltry.
lit Sldle SOhNSIllOh lllCCbo- - NP
points a committee on resolutions and
platforms. Pearson schemes to get
himself at the head of the committee.
He fixes the resolutions-especially the
one which extols himself and condones
his contemplated larceny. And then
what a sight for the gods. A platform
d~enouncing fraud and demanding
honesty"
That is very funny reading for the
democrats with memories. They do
not care a fig how much of a lambast-
ing is administered to the political
acrobat of the mountains, but it p
pears really ridiculous to see Russell
abusing the democrats for an election
law when he himself is perhaps the
author or father of the most rascally
of elction laws. He is right in admin
istering a sharp rebuke to Pearson
about his contest, and it no u
strikes Russelrs as highly absurd foF
his party with it's ~disgraceful, corrupt,
even rascally history, to pirate OF
frauds and dishonesty in elections.
The truth is the radical gang carried
their elections when they did carry
them, by wholesale ball~ot-stuffing,
frauds and intimidation. Satan re-
buking sin is not more ridiculous and
impudent than for radicals to bring
railing charges against democrats for
frauds. ETC., when their party is cover
ed over with the most gigantic swim
dies, frauds, ETC., and from its forma-
ton until now. Hear Russell saying,
and he must grin a CHASTITY smile as
he utters it: "Oh yes, Of course.
| Party politics are coming to that, are
they? Stand up for any villiany. no
| matter what, If they call 1t a party
matter. Law. right. honesty, decency,
| equity, justice-all TO be ditched to put
| in a contestant because he promises to
be a republican. When did this man
get to be a republican,"
The worn out lines about the re-
pentance Of the devil who would play
the part of a saint would fit here, but
we forbear. Russell knows that Pear
son himself is a fraud and says so.
He says:
He Joined in close communion with
the politicians who hated his father,
pursued him with relentless rance
bounded him to his grave. But he did
not get his expected pay from the
democrats. They were strong enough
not to- need him and proud enough n
to want him.. Then he began to plot
against them and got into congress
by running as an independent.
1.-The truth is he was fairly heater
His real complaint is that he didn'
get votes enough. The plain men OF