Newspaper Page Text
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THE ATHENS GEORGIAN NOVEMBER 27, 1877.
Col. Yancey-—His Card and
|M|ens deorjpt.
W. F. COMBS, - Editor.
The Primary Election.
A primary election to determine a
candidate to represent our county in
the next House of Representatives
was held on Saturday last, which re
sulted largely in favor of Col. J. II.
Huggins. In this election it was tally
demonstrated that the people of our
county are still fully alive to the im
portance of adhering to party organi
zation. While the full retu n» have
not yet reached us, still, sufficient
is known to satisfy us that a majority
of the Democratic voters of the coun
ty rendered their Verdict in favor of
party organization in said election.
Then the Democrats having, in a
fair, just and equitable manner, signi
fied their preference for Col. Huggins,
■his name is planted at our mast head,
and the Georgian will proceed to
advocate his election, and believing
that the interest of our people, and
♦of the whede State, as well as the in
ter., st of good, honest and constitu
tional government demands it, will
spare no pains or efforts to make his
election a certainty. In the last issue ot
the /Southern Watchman, Mr. Emory
Speer who, we learn from undoubted
authority is the j olitical editor of
that paper, borrowing his theme from
ail editorial i:i the Georgian of the
8th inst., and in answer to our iuqui-
iy as to “ w hat do the* people mean ”
in not into: eating themselves upon
questions and issues pertaining to the
party and i:s organization, says:
“ This is the reason the people of
Claike county are tired of that
hackneyed engine of the modem pol
itician, improperly called a Conven
tion. They know that this govern
ment is popular in its character..
They reflect that it is the theory of
our government that the people
should elect their representatives
They know that the law fixes the day
for the election, and they mean to
vote in the conscientious discharge of
their duties as freemen for a suitable
Representative and a .-unable Senator
on the day fixed.*’
Now we submit that the gentle-
man’s partisan purposes have led him
not only into' rror, but into a most
unjust, unfair and not to be sustained
accusation against the organized De
mocracy ot Clarke couuty, with which
he and his friends claim that he had
so much to do. In the editorial re
ferred to, and, fromjwhich the above
extract is made, occur the following
paragraphs:
“We do not suppose there will be
any contest about the election of our
present Senator, Finn. Henry D.
McDaniel. A large majority of our
topic will vote for him, not because
e is said to be a nominee, but be
cause of his character, his ability, and
his experience, he is eminently tilted
for the responsible office for which he
is a candidate. Nothing that we say,
therefore, in criticism of a system or
method of politicians, is intended in
any way to reflect upon him. We
cite the abortive effort to hold a
meeting in Clarke county, as an ar
gument, that the people are not rep
resented in those so-called conven
tions, that they take no interest in
them, that they wholly deny the ne
cessity of any such gathering.”
I-Wo desire just here to re-quote
one expression from the above para
graph: “Nothing that we may say,
therefore, in criticism of a system or
method of politicians, is intended in
any way to reflect upon him ”
Well, what in the name of common
sense does this astute lawyer mean
by such an assertion ? Does he not
recollect that last February, even
when he had accepted a call to run
as an independent candidate for
Congress, at the instance ,of seven
teen signers of the “ declaration of
independence,” at least one-. alf dozen
of which say their names were there
upon without their knowledge or
consent; that he, as a politician in his
own interest, went into a conventi-vi
of the Democratic party, called for
the purpose of selecting delegates to
a Congressional Nominating Conven
tion, and introduced the only trickery
and unfair means which has ever been
known in a political convention within
the history of Clarke county ?
Another extract from the flaming
and most extraordinary editorial of
the Watchman, of the 13th iust,:
the same journal, we find an address
to the Democrats of Clarke county in
this language : “ You are again re
quested to meet at the Town Halt,
this afternoon, for the purpose, etc.**
This was printed on Thursday. The
urgent character of this second ad
dress, together with the energetic
appeal of the editorial in the same
issue, it seems would have had the
desired effect. The editorial con
tained such appeals as this : “ Demo
crats, arouse and look to your inter
est ;” “ Let not our people be caught
by the deceptive, insidious and ruin
ous presentation of the bolters, disor-
ganiz rs and ambitious independeuts.”
Notwithstanding all of this, the second
call and vehement solicitation, to
gether with ringing of the tocsin on
the watch tower of Liberty, the
Town Hall steeple, resulted in getting
together fourteen unterrified voters
in a city of six thousand inhabitants.”
Well, we have but one answer to
the above, the answer and reason
given by the people, to-wit: Mr.
Speer is the gallant and patriotic
champion of the independent move
ment, and we propose not to submit
ourselves again to the bull-dozers
Furthermore still, appears this
statement from the political editorial
of the Watchman:
“ There are twelve hundred voters
in the county of Clarke; of these,
about seven hundred are Democrats.
Is it not absurd to maintain that four
teen gentlemen, assembled on the
notice of half a day, should dictate
to these hundre ’s how they should
vote.”
Alas, how strange and unexpected
an announcement from him who, an
an ex-President of the Democratic
Executive Committee of Clarke
County, and who, over the signatures
of seventeen signers of the immortal
“declaration of independence,” half
dozen of whose names were there
without their knowledge or consent,
sought and did, by trickery, cutting
and drying and packing the conven
tion, override the will of the people
on the 17th day of last February,
that lie should now offer an objection
to the same honest purpose of four-
t eon honest gentlemen and Democrats,
who, for no partisan purposes, Biinply
assembled to appoint delegates to a
convention to nominate the gentle
man who the political editor of the
Watchman thinks is so justly entitled
to a seat in the Senate and so einini-
nently qualified to represent the peo-
of the Twenty-Seventh Senatorial
District.
The conclusion of this editorial,
which is more noted for its character
istics ns a political summersault than
for its consistency, its soundness of
judgment, its correctness of state
ment or its political fealty, ends
thiisly:
“ We trust these reflections will
not ho considered as the “ ruinous
presentations of ambitious independ
ents.” We are just as sincere in our
opposition to these conventions, as is
the editor of the Georgian in their
advocacy. Nor do we think that all
the ambition in this world is exclu
sively possessed by the so-called inde
pendents.”
Ah, we dare say, this is an honest
and hcart-fult expression. Since
the gentleman’s innovation upon
conventions, on the 17th day of last
February, failed of its purpose, it is
nothing hut natural that he should
oppose conventions. “ He is just as
sincere in Ins opposition to these con
ventions, ns is the editor of the
Georgian in their advocacy.’’ We
do not doubt this statement in the
least. “ Nor do we think that all
the ambition in this world is exclu
sively possessed by the so-called inde
pendents.” f Correct. The Democratic
party still possess a large degree of it
and in view of the fact that the hon
ored, deceased editor and proprietor
of the Southern Watchman was an
honest, patriotic and devoted adhe
rent to his party and party organiza
tion, the honest, Democratic party of
this county have an abundant ambi
tion to fight on the line of right,
notwithstanding the astuteness of am
bitious politicians have caught that
time-honored journal iu the snares of
“an artisan of political ruin.”
When you come to Athens don’t
forget to bring your Kerosene cans
and jugs with you and have them
filled at Barry’s Corner Hood &
Stephens are soiling the best Kero
sene Oil in the city at 25 cents per
gallon.
His Independent Can
didacy.
We propose in this connection to
address a few plain facl3 to the peo
ple of Claivc county and to which we
invite their most respectful attention.
Col. Yancey, in response to a petition
signed by a number of our citizens
requesting him to become a candidate
for the legislature, a number of whom
now declare, that they signed
the petition supposing that Col.
Yancey would submit his candidacy
to a primary election or such plan of
nomination ;is might be determined
upon, comes out in a pronunciamcuto
defining his position and in so doing
unjustly, as we think, attacks the
Democratic party. Col. Yancey in
his simple response to this petition as
published iu the Watchman of the
20th inst., is brief and in full accord
with that courtesy and spirit of jus
tice which we in common- wi’h our
people generally have always accred
ited to him. But, unfortunately, he
stops not here. Following in the
same publication is an address “ To
the voters of Clarke county,” between
which and his card of acceptance is
sandwiched an article attacking the
Democratic Executive Committee, of
the county, and in which address is
to be found the injustice visited upon
the Democratic organization, as well
as the Democratic voters of our
county. Before presenting this in
justice and to <lisjKjse <>( the “ sand
wiched article ” permit ns to say,
that the Seen tary of the meeting
therein attacked, has already an-wered
the seeming irregularity to the satis-
1 action doubtless of every just, fair
and impartial mind. But even grant
ing that there was an informality so
far as signing the names of the differ
ent members of the Executive Com
mittee, it was at last only a courtesy,
and as these gentlemen hud accepted
positions upon that ubmmiltee and
previously acted with it, no one
could or had any light to doubt their
full and free acquicseuc * in the usual
proceedings of the conunitteg relative
to party action. Furilicrrmnce it can
be billy substantiated that every
member ef the committee acquiesces
in and fully endorses the call for a
primary election, as well as the ap
peal to the voters of Clarke county
to turn out on the occasion of said
primary election save perhaps one or
two, whose names appear in the sand
wiched article. But as before said,
the full list of names was but a cour
tesy aud the absence of every other
name but that of the Chairman
would not have in the slightest inval
idated ihccall. It is a fact well known
to every body that the Chairman of
the Executive Committee according
to all party usage and custom was f ul-
.’y empowered to make the call. Such
U the case with the State Democratic
Executive Committee, and why should
on exception be made in the case of
Clarke couuty? In practice it never
has. But again : Even granting tha 1
this is irregular, was not the call re-
spondsd to by over three hundred vo
ters iu in our county ? Does not this
evidence on the part of our people
give full sanction to the action of the
Ex. Com., although the number in at
tendance was small, and only objected
to by those who had declared them
selves out of the party and, therefore,
can have no legitimate right to seek
to control or even dictate what the par
ty or Ex. Com. should do ? The
names of some ot these complainauts,
it is true, still remain upon the list of
the Executive Committee. Then,
why did they not attend and make
known their objections? They were
duly notified to be in attendance, and
some of them promised to be present.
But enough on this point; and now
to the injustice of Col. Yancey’s dec
laration,
“ TO THE VOTER8 OF CLARKE COUNTY:’’
“ In addition to my letter of ac
ceptance, I have a word to say:
I have been a Democrat for forty
years. The old Whigs and Democrats,
in years gone by, though they differed
on the questions of National Bank,
Tariff and Internal Improvements by
thu Federal Government, were equally
true, in their hearts, to the principles
of local self-government and the Con
stitution. Those particular issues
passed away several years ago, and
the Whigs of the South united with
the Democrats, on the. principal of
local self-government and strict ad
herence to the Constitution. I
adhere still to these principles. I
am still a Democrat.”
How, we ask, is it possible for Col.
Yancey to still remain a Democrat,
when he is fighting the party and
doing everything he can to break it
down, even affiliating with or calling
upon the Radical voters of our county
to assist him? He cannot jusr.ly his
position by saying the Democrat* are
likewise seeking to obtain Radical
votes. For, when the Republican
voters are iuduced to vote with the
Democratic party, it is not for the
purpose of breaking down the organ
ization.
Upon this point, hear what Mr.
Speer, the champion of the independ
ent movement in Clarke county, and
then the honored President of the
Democratic Club of Athens, said iu.
an address to the Democratic voters
of the county, in June, 1872, when
Mr. Robert Lumpkin, with perhaps
quite as good, if not more plausible
reasons than induces the candidacy
of Col. Yancey, opposed Dr. Durham,
the regular nominee of the Democratic
parly at that time. This address
was presented for adoption by Mr.
A. T. Lnckieto the Democratic Club,
and being una.iiinously approved,
300 copies were ordered to be printed
for distribution:
“The Democratic Club of Athens,”
in view of the fact that they are an
organized body of Democrats, deem it
right and proper that they express
their earnest wish that no man who
claims to be a Democrat will cast his
vote in the coming election for any
man save the nominee of the party.
Such ill-advised voting has defeated
the Democracy of the county hereto
fore, and that man, who, contrary to
the wishes of the people, will insist on
opposing the nominee, is a disorganizes
and no friend to the success of Dem
ocratic principles. There are but
two parties, the Democrats and Radi
cals- -and one Who opposes the Demo
crats, furthers the cause of Radicalism.
It does not matter whether this he in
tentional or not. the disastrous result is
n one the less r ■••'ain. We then would
most respectfully beg that the Democ
racy will on toe day of election, come
to the polls en masse, and by a solid
vote for Durham, the nominee, elect a
Representative of the people’s choice
and rebuke the presumption of those
who, while they call themselves Demo
crats, act against our every interest.}
Ah, gentle shepherd, 'what a
change has come over the spirit of
thy lamb-like dreams! Will you tel[
us why, and what has wrought so
mighty a change? Has sonic one
taken him upon a high mountain and
shown hint all the kingdoms of the
earth ?
Col- Yancey continues:
In times of opposition parties in the
field, Democratic caucuses and nomi
nations were resorted to and tolerated,
us a necessity, though an evil. An
evil, because they rarely reflected the
wishes of the musses of the Democratic
voters of the country or even in town.
They are managed principally by pro
fessional politicians of the towns, who
have everything “ cut and dried,’’ to
put out one of the ring upon the large
mass of the farmers and industrious
men in the mercantile, foundry aud
manufacturing business.
At this time there is no organized
opposition to the Democracy in State
or county, and, therefore, no necessity
for party machinery and party nomi
nations. Lee every citizen, who is a
voter, have a voice on the day of elec
tion appointed by the Governor, to say
who he wants nominated and elected
to serve ns his representati re.
This is the true theory of govern
ment, and the mode of election pointed
out by the law. The clique and ring
masters howl and crack their slander
ous whips! They ciy aloud that the
country is to be injured if their dicta
tion is not obeyed ; but they know that
is not the case There is a cat in the
meal tub. They cover up the fact, that
they have another purpose to subserve
—the interest and ambition of some
man, or more, of the clique.
When the people of Clarke county
full well remember that alone through
party organization and party nomina
tions we wei e enabled to defeat the
Republican party and secured a white
man to represent ns in the legisla
ture, are they prepared to bear the
statement that even then, they were
an evil ? Democrats, can yon afford
to vote for a man wiib such convic
tions and who makes such statements?
These things, Col. Yancey tells us,
“ arc managed principally by pro
fessional politicians of the towns, who
have everything “cut and dried” to
put out one of the ring upou the
large mass of the formers and indus
trious men in the mercantile, foundry
and manufacturing business.”
To disprove this statement, and at
the same time to show that it is only
a clap trap argument for the purpose
of catching the innocent and unsus
pecting voter, let us lookrfo the facts
in the case. After having been rep
resented by colored men in the legis
lature from the close of the war up
to 1872, Dr. M. S. Durham, now of
Oconee (then of Clarke) county, was
nominated unanimously upon motion
of Mr. Emory 5-pecr, if wo mistake
not, bv one of the largest Democratic
meetings that ever assembled in the
county. Was there any “cutting
aud drying’’ or trick of “ professional
politicians of the towns” about this
nomination ? If so, the person nomi
nating Dr. Durham must have been
responsible for it, for certainly that
large mass meeting of Democrats
were not.
In the latter part of 1872, another
mass meeting of the Democrats of
Clarke eoutiiy was called to nominate
a candidate for ttie legislature, and
the writer, after working very ac
tively to secure the nomination of
Dr. R. M. Sm'tli, was never more
surprised than when that large meet
ing of the Democratic party an
nounced him (the writer) as the nomi
nee. Was this “ patting out one of
the ring upon the large mass of the
farmers and industrious men in the
mere iu ilc*, foundry and manufac
turing hu.-iucss?
“ Gentle shepherd, tell as how.”
In the fall of 1874, another, and
perhaps the largest mass meeting of
the Democratic party ever assembled
in the county again nominated the
writer for the legislature, and this
time,unanimously aud by acclimation.
Pray tell us, where the “ professional
politicians,” ring, clique or “ cutting
and drying ” come in at, on this oc
casion ? The nominee of that meet
ing was not present, had not asked
even his most intimate friend to vote
for him or advocate his claim- for the
nomination, nor did he ever on any
previous or subsequent occasion.
Again in the fall of 1876 quite- a large
meeting of the Democratic party was
held in the new Court House, for the
purpose of providirtg a plan of nomi
nating a candidate for the legislature,
and the usual method being objected
to, by Col. Yancey or his friends, a
primal y election was by them insisted
upon aud by the meeting ordered.
Upon inquiry at this meeting as to
furthermore if the resolutions of the
Radical party on last Monday night
did not prove that, that party was
ready to unite with the independent
movement in this county, and all over
the State and country, in organized op
position to the Democracy, then we
will agree to throw up the sponge.
Col. Yancey, doubtless fatigued with
these most extraordinary utterances
coming a* they do from “a Democrat
of forty years standing,” and against
the party which his position and his*
caudidacy now so much antagonize,
concludes with the following beautiful
corollaiy, to which he has the b(,ldnes>s
to si?n his name:
“ They know that I cannot he flat
tered or cajoled or bribed to do such
work. They know that my services
can only be had to study and legislate
for the best inter* sts of all industries
and enterprises of the people and the
county and the State Hence I am
not the man for the clique But I am
the man for the people. 1 hope the
people will say so at the ballot box on
Wednesday, the 5th day of December
next. Ben. C. Yancey.
Ah, “ Gentle Shepherd,’’ again to
the front and interpret for the benefit
of those who have been “ flattered or
cajoled or bri' ed to do such work.”
Who, among the representatives that
have had the honor to represent Clark
county, both before and since the war,
that have been “ flattered or cajoled or
bribed ’’ to do other service, than “ to
study and legislate for the best inter
ests of all industries aud enterprises of
the people and the county and the
State?” Col Yancey says he is nut
such a man, and “ not the man for the
clique’’ Who then is it ? Is it Col.
Huggins ?
Well, the primary election of last
Saturday did not go to prove that the
people thought so, but rather that Col.
Huggins was “ the man of the peo
ple.” Who then can Co!. Yancey
possibly mean? Now Colonel, you
cannot say that you were speaking in
general terms, and that your reference
was broadcast throughout the land, for
your candidacy pertains alone to
Clarke county, and your speeches
therefore must necessarily pertain to
Clarke county and its 'people, its past
and its present political history, and
you prove this by asking the people of
Clarke county to say whether or not
you are the man to represent them,
“at the ballot box on Wednesday, the
5th of December next.” Well, they
will say it, and mark our prediction,
that if they ever say you are the man
for their representative, it will never lie
while you are an independent candi
date.
whether the colored citizens of the
comity would ho allowed to vote in
ibis election, Col. Yancey or his
friends objected, ami drawing the
“ color line” strong, said no, it was a
Democratic election, and nobody
but democrats would be allowed to
vote. The election was held, and the
writer, without ever seeking to influ
ence a single vote, was again notni-
a candidate for the legislature at the
primary election, which Col. Yancey
or his friends instituted. Where, were
your “ ring masters ” “ with their
howls and cracking of slanderous
whips,” your professional politicians
“ rings,’’ cliques, “ packing,’’ “ cut
ting and drying ” in this nomination.
We are again compelled to call upon
ye “ Gentle Shepherd, to tell us
where.’’
If there was any special “ injury
done the country” ; if there was any
“ cat in this meal tub ’’; if there was
any “ covering up the tacts, to sub
serve the interest and ambition of
some man, or more, of the clique,”
then let Col. Yancey produce the
proof, and let the people of Clarke
county, render the decisiou.
Mark, well fellow democrats of
Clarke county this expression in the
card of Col. Yancey. “ At this time
there is no organized opposition to
the Democracy in State or county,
and therefore, no necessity for party
machinery and party nominations.”
How the honorable gentleman could
have so far forgotten himselt as to
make this statement we are at a loss
to conceive. Why his very position
itself, is in in opposition to the De-
mocaacy. The independent move
ment has as its object, the breaking
up ot the Democratic party. And
J. R. CRAWFORD
HAS OPENED A COMMGDIOU8
Wagon Yard,
One Mile from Athens,
On tie Daniel.-ville road, wltoro Cora and
Fodder can be had on Reasonable Terms. Also,
Dealers in Dry Goods, Groceries, etc. Bedding
Furnished at Fifteen cents per head. u27-l«n
KILGORE & STANTON
COLLEGE AVENUE,
ATHENS, - GEORGIA.
Third door from the Newton House,
Hare just opened a select stoek of Dry Goods,
Boots and Shoes, Fancy Crockery, etc , where
they will de pleased to exhibit their goods to the
CITIZENS OF ATHENS
And their country frsends in the Counties of
dark, Jackson and Walton.
GOODS EXCHANGED FOR COUNTRY
PRODUCE.
Also, Tobacco, Cigars and Candy. Give us a
call ana secure bargains. * nov27-lt»
ITo'bice.
All persons having claims against the late firm
of BEUSSE & MOON, must present them for
settlement at once, and all persons who are in-
| debted to said firm, cither by note, open account
I or otherwise, tnost make immediate payment.
I am compelled to close up the firm’s business
in order to settle with administrator of I S.
Moon, deceased partner, and will be constrained
to sue all notes and accounts of the firm winch
remain unpaid the first day of January, 1878.
J. H. D. BEUSSE,
surviving partner of Beusse & Moon.
nov27-*t
EORGIA, CLARKE COUNTY.-Whereas,
William A Gilleland, administrator ot Hen
derson Gilleland. deceased, petitions in terms
of the law to be discharged from said adminis
tration—
These are, therefore, to cite and admonish ait
concerned, to show cause at my office, on or
before the first Monday iu March next, against
the granting of said discharge. . . ,
Given under my hand, at office, this 16th da)
of November, 1877.
ASA M. JACKSON, Ordinary.
nov20-3m.