The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-11-29


Zeb Vance. When he c.osed his speecn
there was a painful pause; for In hA
that great assemblage there was no1
a decent republican to introduce hs
! champion hesitated bGt n momenk
before / briefly introduced Settle M
F.! The leader OF his party. man OF com
manding ability. distinguished public
| service. &c.
! Party feeling was intensely bitter
then and well remember that hun
dreds OF up turned democratic faces
! slared at me in anger for having como
| t. the rescue OF the enemy. OnU
Vance smiled and looked approNinEV
at ne. Settle bowed TO me in c.
knlwIedgement. but after the meeting
w.s over he left without my making
l his acquaintance. But ! was casting
bread on the waters" though did not
know IL at the time.
In ISSS ] moved 10 Greensboro I'D
become associated with Z. w. White
head. now OF Wilmington, In the pub
!cation OF the Daily and Weekly Pa
triot.
| \
in that pleasant town its people were
kind enough To invite me TO deltv-
CT an address in Benbow Hall. In the
morning OF that day Col John \. Rar-
ringer Il thing II was he)informed mn
that would be introduced by mem
beI OF the bar. l forget the name.
Tut a man or no prominence But Mt
!
gathering in the hall. col. BarrinEer,
evidently somewhat late. told me that
Judge Settle had especially requested
tnat he bc allowed 10 introduce me =
too. felt elation at the request. bur
failed to see any significance In
il
The political leader of 1876 was
about TO pay a debt With his wonder
ful winning and attractive personality
his choice speech and his graceful
delivery. he told how, tweleve years
before in the days that tried mems
political souls, |, an uncompromisinS
party foe had gone 10 his rescue NJ
crisis when there was not one or
his own following TO raise his voice
! in his behalf. 1t WAS gratifying in
cidcnt-gratifyiny to the audience. who
claIped and cheered; gratifying to me;
and il seemed TO be particularly graf
.....g to the speaker.
Henceforth Judge Settle and were
warm friends. until he was stricken
: with apoplexy in the office at Green's
Eoro Of the late Mr.. Payne, clerk OF
tho {, ,leral court, and died few hours
: afterwards.
, IL =
} On one occasion in the seventies. the
4 democratic and republican parties had
< meetings in Fayetteville on the same
0 day Their gathering was uptown IN
g the lodge room Of the Union League,
G and our assemblage was around
G street and under market house, where
: the orator of the day, II my memory
= serves me was Hon. A. NJ. Vi addell.
n of Wilmington, candidate for congress
e against Mckay an able. slippery re-
s publican Of Harnett county.
n Mr. Waddell was in all
n the fervor of his speech, when the re-
J. rublicans marched down Hay street
e in a ragged motley, bowling process
S, sion, with a big bass drum and two
in Of three hideOus horns at the head All
le led by Bill Webb, a notorious mulatto.
sl about six and d half feet in height
le So manifest was the malicious intent
to disturb our meeting and annoy Col
e. WaddelI. that indignation was at once
lie aroused.
at Sitting on the platform was the latf
C Alfred A. McKethan, then past thre'
N. score years, one of the most infiuen
re tial and public-spirited citizens OF th'
o. town and county, who had filled man!
positions in the gift of the people an
V" unswerving democrat. a man absolute
5" lv without fear At the babel OF dis
,u- cordant sounds on Hay street he rear
M cd his liOn-like head, his eyes glove
cir under the shaggy eye brows, and h
,as bent forward, hardly believing that
could have seen and heard ar1Bn
Then with the activity OF boy, h
76. jumped down from the stage, and ra
tile through the market, opening cias
ar knife. and planted himself squarely
re / the head OF the procession
the Beat that drum another time.
ity, cried TO the negro brandishing q
nee drumstick," and I'll cut the head out
the it" Things looked ugly for few m
lese ments The republicans crowd
ear around angrily; there were yells a
sm threats; the old man stood ike
ters sonewall" in his tracks; his fearl'
om- and resolute character Was well kno
and and besides there were by this I'll
re- hundreds OF his democratic friends
e of | his back
de- TWO white republicans, John c. c