The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-03-04

Virginia what are called Readjuster
Democrats and Debtpaying Democrats, or
something of that kind, but as / under
stand they are all Democrats. We have
nothing to do with that issue. We are
not TO settle the debt OF Virginia in the
Senate Chamber: but l ask the Senator
again, was he not elected TO this body as
a member Of the National Democratic
party2
Mr. Mahone.-I will answer YOU. sir.
no. You have got the answer now.
Mr.. Hill.-Then l conceive that the
gentleman spoke truly when be said that
| do not know what he is. What is heo
everybody has understood that he voted
with the Democrats. Did he not sup
port Hancock for the Presidency? Did
not the Senator support Hancock for the
Presidency, l ask him? a pause.)
Dumb Did he not act with the Demo
cratic party in the national election. and
vas not the Senator from Virginia him
self a Democrat? That is the question
Why attempt to evade? Gentlemen, |
commend him TO you. Is there a man
on that side of the Chamber who doubts
mat the Senator was sent to this bodv
as a Democrat? Is there a man in this
whole body who doubts it, Is there a
man in Virginia who doubts it? The
gentleman viii not deny it. Up to this
very hour it was not known on this side
OF the Chamber or in the country how he
would vote in this case. or whether he
was still a Democrat or not. | maintain
mat ne IS. The Senator from New York
seemed TO have information that some
body who was elected as a Democrat was
not, and | went to work to find out who
II was. 1t seems l have uncovered him.
For nlOntGc tho $50 - $500.
nave been discussing and debating how
TIE Senator would vote. Nobody could
know, nobody could tell, nobody could
guess. | have been q truer friend to the
senator than he has been to himself. |
nave maintained always that when it
came to the test the Senator would be
true to his commission: that the Senator
would be true to the Democratic profess
Sions he made when he was elected. He
will not rise in this presence and say he
could have been elected to the Senate as
a Republican. He will not rise in the
Senate and say he could have been elected
to the Senate if he had given notice that
or the organization of this body he
would vote with the Republicans. He
will not say it.
The gentleman make some remarks
about the caucus. ! have no objection to
a StltlSllldu REMAINING out OF a caucus.
That is not the question. | have no OBJ
lection to a gentleman being indepen
dent. hat is not the question. I have
no objection to a gentleman being a re-
adjustcr in local politics. That is not
the question. l have no objection to a
man lodging from one side to another
On such a question. With that I have
nothing to do. That is a matter of taste
with him; but | do object to any man
cCming into this high council, sent here
by one sentiment, commissioned by one
party. protesting to be a Democrat, and
after he gets here acting with the other
Y party. If the gentleman wants to be
what he SO proudly said, a man, when he
i changes opinions as he had a right to do,
when he changes party affiliations as he
ihad a right to do, he should have gone
to the people of Virginia and said, You
believed me to be a Democrat when you
gave me this commission; while l differed
with many of you on the local question
of the debt, l was with you cordially in
national politics.; l belonged to the Ma
tional Democratic party; but l feel that
it is my duty now to cooperate with the
1 Republican party. ard | return you the
commission which you gave to me- If
the gentleman had done that and then
gone before the people OF Virginia and
asked them to renew his commission upon
His change of opinion. he would have becn
entitled to the culoey of manhood he
pronounced upon himself here in such
theatrical style. | like manhood.
1 say once more, it is very far from me
to desire to do the Senator injury. |
have nothing but the kiEdest feeling for
him. He is very much mistaken if he
suppOSes | had any personal enmity
against him.. / have not the slightest. AS
| said before, ! have never spoken TO the
gentleman in my life until | met him 4
few days ago: but l have done what the
newspapers could not do, both sides hay
ing been engaged in the effort for months;
| have done what both parties could not
do, what the whole country could not
dol have brought out the Senator from
Virginia.
But now, in Tho kindcst spirit. knowing
the country from which the honorable
Senator comes. identified as | am with
its fame and its character, loving as | do
every line of its history, reyering as |
do it's long list of great names, l perform
the friendly office, unaSkcd, OF making a
last appeal to the honorable Senator,
whatever other fates befall him., to be
true to the trust which the proud people
Of Virginia gave him, and whoever else
may be disappointed, whoever else may
be deceived, whoever else may be offend
ed at the organization of the Senate, |
appeal to the gentleman to be true to
the people. to the sentiment, to the
party which he knows commissioned him
tc a seat in this body.
There is an anecdote told in the life
OF the great minister, Whitfield. When
he was speaking one day in the country
to an audience, he described the enormlty
OF sin and the characteristics of sin; he
did it with wonderful power. When ne
came out he was assailcd by a gentleman
for having made q personal assault on
him. why" said Whitfield, 4 never
heard of you before; l did not intend any
assault upon you."He replied, well, sir,
you told me everything | have been doing
all my life | frankly confess am not
a man to dodge. The papers have Justl-
Gl y n va INK