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4 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.