The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-18
F. D. WINSTON FOR JUDGE.
An Open Letter to the White People of the
Second Judicial District.

To the Editor: On the ninth of
Jul, 1902, at Weldon, North
Carolina, judge of this district
is to be named. Shall it be Francis d.
Winston, the present judge, or shall he
be turned down? If I had but one
tenth the ability to put before you in
proper light what Frank Winston did
for us and for our homes in the revolu-
ton of 1898 and 1900, in those bloody
campaigns; how he left his office for
months; how he helped to organize the
white supremacy forces in North Caro-
lima; how he gave largely of his slender
means to the cause, when rich men re-
fused to respond to the call Of Chairman
Simmons there would be no opposition
to this true, warm hearted and brave
tribune of the people and of justice and
right. Did not Simmons and Aycock
rely upon Winston in the work by night
and by day, when the day seemed lost?
When the great east seemed given over
to negro rule forever, when Halifax and
BERTHE and Warren and HEREFORD and
Northampton were in the turmoil of ex-
citement, and when women trembled at
the approach of night when little chill
dren caught the fear of their parents,
and aroused men stood guard over
things most sacred; while blood flowed
like water in the streets of Wilmington,
it was the hand and brain and nerve of
Winston, which in these counties where
the fight was hottest and abuse of him
the cruellest, brought order out of
chaos organized the white forces into
one solid mass, and, more than any other
man in North Carolina, under Aycock
and Simmons, brought victory and peace
to our people and our State. r
The very farms we cultivate are made
habitable largely by these men, Aycock
Winston and Simmons. And when the
day was won. who was the man whom
Butler and the Caucasian abused most
violently? Who was it that his paper,
in season and out of season, poured out
the walls of its wrath upon? 1t was
Winston and Simmons; read the Caucas
ian and see for yourselves.
If Winston is defeated no other fighter
will have the nerve to strike such blows
as he has struck or to do such work as
he has done for white supremacy. Will
a sense of gratitude suffer us to let him
go down? His worthy opponents can
we'll afford under these circumstances to
forego for a while their opposition to
him; but whether they do or not, let the
white people of the Second Judicial Dis
tfict see to it that Judge Winston is
nominated. How stands the natter
The great upheaval and mighty revolu
tion of 1898 and 1900 was caused by
negro rule in Halifax, Warren. BERTHE
and other eastern counties. The man
whoEled the revolution was Winstoa
(praised for it by his friends and abused
for ii by his foes); and yet, when the
action of the Governor who appointed
Winston judge is up for review, Hall
fax, Warren and Hartford, the one
cause of the revolution, are called upon
to defeat Winston and Governor Aycock!
Will the people of historic old Halifax
be wanting in that sense of appreciation
which has always characterized them?
The people of North Carolina will not
So believe until the votes are counted
1T is not necessary to recount the great
praise and honor which has been ac-
corded to Judge Winston by people,
bench and bar since he has been judge.
The wisdom of Governor Aycock in that
appointment has been fully justified. He
is fair, patient, honorable, learned and
just officer of the law. White men and
women of Halifax, of Warren of Hertz
ford, of Northampton, of BERTHE! This
man must not be defeated; in his de-
feat you, too, will suffer. If Horatius,
who went to glorious death that Rome
might be freed, is not honored in the act,
4o1y l. Sc 60
in his hands for you and for me? With
charity for all, but that the grand old
Second District may be put right before
the world / subscribe myself.
MARION NEWSOM.
Littleton, n. c., June, 1902.