The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-10-15
MIR. Pou's Speech.
Beautiful Tribute Paid to the
Venerable and Beloved DR..
Huffman.

| We did not hear the speech OF hon.
Edward w. Pou, delivered in the
! court house here last week, and ref
erence to it was necessarily brief.
| We take pleasure therefore in publish
ing the following which appeared III
the Henderson correspondence OF the
News and Observer:
Henderson, n. e., Oct 9th, Tile
speech of Congressman POu IN the
court house Yesterday made deep
| impression on all who heard it. 1t
was very original and some OF the
Congressman flights were exquis-
itely beautiful. Ore gentleman who
came sixteen miles to hear Mr.. Pou
! expressed the opinion that the speech
was the strongest, most original
presentation of Democratic princi-
pies heard by him in this campaign.
In commencing, Mr.. Pou alluded
| to the Joint debate with Mr.. Briggs
in Louisburg last Saturday. He de-
clared that the Democratic party
was not appealing to preiudices OF
any man. "a political party" said
he, (Which has no higher mission
than appeal to sectional pegudice
does not deserve to live. And right
here, | wish to correct what L am
informed was an error in my reply
to Mr.. Briggs last Saturday. My
| opponent charged that Mr.. Bryan
entertained negro delegation by
providing them with lunch on the
lawn at his home near Lincoln, Ne
| braska. SO far as | can recOllect,
had said nothing to provoke such Il
charge which has been emphatical-
ly denied. | replied that the differ
ence between the Democratic candi-
date for president assuming the
charge to be true) and the Republi-
can President, was that the Demo-
cratic candidate provided his cOlored
visitors with lunch on his lawn while
the Republican President provided
his colored visitor with lunch in the
White House dining room as his
guest and social equal. | also stated
in further reply, that | had been in
formed by reputable authority that
Mr.. Taft proposed to entertain some
OF his colored friends in q railroad
dining car, but was prevented by
| the law OF the State through which
he was travelling All this was not
argument and | regretted that my
young friend made the charge
against Mr. Bryan but in Joint de-
| bate, one who makes such charges
must not complain if we retaliate in
kind
But since the debate, | have been
informed that Judge Taft has denied
the charge of inviting colored men to
dine with him though | have never
seen his denial. Now | cheerfulIy
bear witness to the high personal
character Of the Republican candi-
date for President. | make public
his reported denial and take pleasure
i'll announcing the same as publicly
us | made the charge
| Mr.. Pou's tribute to the venera BILE
DR.. Hufham touched every one pres
ent and was followed by an ovation
to this beloved North Carolinian.
"Our Republican friends" said the
Congressman, "would have youbelieve
there is something vicious, and moral
ly wrOngin Democratic principles. If
| this be true, then every man should
vote the Republican, ticket, but is it
true? You have seen a Republican
President accept our principles. You
have seen the Republican candidate
for President do likewise Never,
never, in the history of this nation
has any man lived to see such vindi-
cation as our candidate for President.
This morning upon your streets, [
met one whose name is dear to YOU
all-One whose friendship | am proud
to claim, one whose example we are
proud to emulate. For seventy-fve
wears, he has trOd gentle pathway,
lit up by the mellow light of the
Star of Bethlehem For tifty-th rec
years, he has voted the Democratic
| ticket without an erasure of a single
name. Ii | knew nothing else the
course followed by this beloved citi-
zen would be enough for me.
"FOr more than half century. he
has been pointing his fellowman to
a higher and better life. Long has
been his good career, great his use
fulness, far reaching his influence,
yet | know | can echo the quick heart
throbs of thousands who have been
touched by his ministrations, when [
voice the hope that even yet. even
now, far, o very far distant, be the
day when any monument shall bear
his inscription, or tongue pronounce
his eulogy."
This beautiful tribute of Mr.. Pou
was greeted by prolonged applause,
which attested the keen appreciation
OF the sentiment and the deep abiding
love in which this strong, good man
| Is held NV a II our poopla