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The Weakly Democrat
BEN E RUSSELL, Editor.
Bainbridye. Georgia Sept. 28, 76
The -National Democratic Ticket.
TOR PRESIDENT ;
SAMUEL J. TILDEN,
OF NEW YORK.
TOR VICE-PRESIDENT :
THOMAS A. HENDRICKS,
OF INDIANA.
The State Democratic Ticket.
TOR GOVERNOR:
ALFRED H. COLQ 'J I T T.
OF FULTON.
FOR CONGRESS :
WILLIAM E. SMITH,
OF DyUGHERTY.
Tor Senator, 8th District,
HON. ISAAC A. BUSH, of Miller.
A. A.
For hie Legislature i
ALLEN, R. T. PARKER.
ABUSE IN POLITICS
There is no more good end to be
subserved by abusing a rival in Politics,
than in his eh arch relations, or any
•tber of the positions he may take
against our own convictious oi right
and wrong. If a ma n differs from us
upon any quettion wherein principle is
involved, it is the principle that should
be attacked and not the exponent there
of. If the principle is made odious,
its advocate must also be covered with
obloquy.
It is by no means necessary for one
ta show his zeal for a cause, if be is
truly a zealot, bv bitter personal abuse.
Such a course, on the other hand, must
necessarily detract from the zeal, the
honesty and the pure intentions of the
man, and show instead ‘‘tne si .undine
brass and the tinkling cymbols,” in the
estimation of the clear, cool-headed,
closely-discerning portion of the sector
party to which he may belong, Rea-
■OD, argument, eloquence, persuasion,
etc., are the proper weapons, and if they
cannot be used effectively, a resort to
personal abuse, intimidation, and bil
lingsgate only serves to draw sympathy
to the object of at'ack, and materially
weakens the cause we strive to uphold.
Now the principles enunciated and
which have been upheld by the Radicil
Party for many years are bad enough,
Heaven knows. They are reeking with
corruption, steeped in infamy and rot
ting in putrefaction. They stink in
the nostrils of the human race. Yes,
theso principles are bad euough—they
are advocated by the Butlers, the Mor
tons, the Blaines, the Babcocks, the
Belknaps, and in fact we believe the
Devil himself. And there are to be
found great numbers of men throughout
the land persistently advocating these
principles, some of them no doubt hon
estly. Now with the records of this
party before us—all of its past history
of the past twenty years fauialiar—with
some of its leaders in the penitentiaries,
and others in the highest places brought
before the courts to answer for their
crimes—it3 pet President the receiver
of bribes and the aidei of thieves—we
say in God’s name, people, what’s the
use to abuse an individual of this party
■whose record is so damning.
We are led to write this article in
answer to some few of our friends who
“don’t think The Democrat is bitter
enough—is not as severe upon this man
or that man a? it ought to be.” Before
this campaign fairly opened we laid
down our platform, and upon that line
we expect to fight. We shall fight to
the bitter end the principles of Radi
calism—we shall try to show it. up in
all its hideous enormity—but upon in
dividuals we have no war to make. The
Democrat is the people’s paper—the
champion of a great party, and as such
it will act in every emergency. When
an individual becomes a disturber of
the public peace, and particularly noto
rious in fomenting discord, then rest
assured he will commend himself to
personal publicity through these col
umns.
The man, white or colored, who goes
upon the street on election day in a
State of intoxication, is no friend of
peace and good order. L.t every man
on that day forswear himself to keep
cool and saber, no matter whether he
be Democrat or Republican. We ven
ture the remark that the cause of every
political disturbance that has ever oc
curred was directly traceable to whis
key!
The October election will have a tel
ling effect on the November election,
when a President and Congressman are
t* b« elected.
HARRELL AND BROCKETT,
In tiiis article we are to consider,lastly,
the personal claims of the individmds
composing the above proposed Legislative
firm, on the people of the county lor their
support.
These gentlemen, we say. can possibly
have no personal claims on any man who
believes in the principles now being ad
vocated and supported by the Democratic
and Conservative party in opposition to
the principles of the R -dical party.
What is a personal claim? It is the
right of one party to call upon another to
compensate for a kindness, or return a
favor bestowed in the past, or perhaps to
requite a friendship. But how? Cer
tainly never at the cost of our principles
or honor. A generous favor should not
be forgotten, for ingratitude is one of the
basest sins, but there is no code of morals,
human or divine,that demands that a man
should forsake his principles lor favor or
friendship, or would brand him
as ungrateful for refusing so to do. A
man who for favor or fric-nd-hip would
sacrifice hi> principles, has in eed done
not only what the moral code does not
require, but what it unqualifiedly con
demns.
And this is true if he conscientiously
believes that his friend is personally all
right, if by voting f r him, liis principles
are collaterally effected by the triumph of
his friend’s party. In this light, then,we
say that neither of the firm of Harrell and
Brociifdt have any personal claims an
those who* incert-ly oppose the principles
of the Radical party.
Ir> the last election for county officers,
there being no national issues or principles
at stake, Mr. Harrell,by the lavorof many
Democrats and Conservatives, though the
Radical candidate, received a large ma
jority over any on his ticket. W'ould it
not have been graceful in him now, in
this trying campaign, in which such vital
principles to the well-being and prosperi
ty of the country and District and county
are involved, to have requited the favor
and friendship of liis Democratic and
Conservative friends by remaining out of
this canvass. How can he expect that
these friends will feel that he lias any
further claims on them.
Mr. Brockett could hardly pretend
himself to any personal claims on the
people of the county. One thing is eer
tain, that under his management the
financial affairs of the county have gotten
no better in the four years of his ad
ministration. He will find it hard too to
clear up one patent wrong that he has
cominitte-i against the people of the coun
ty. The Whitaker property upon which
is now situated one of the free ferries of
the county, he bought for the sum of
1500,0(1. He sold simply the ferry privi
lege to the county, that is to himself as
the Representative of the county, for the
sum of $1-100,00. To pay himself this sum
he took 1500,00 dollars of the bonds of
the county, issued by law, for another
purpose. The deed express * 1 ,y reserves the
reversion to himself of the ferry whenever
it should cease to be used as a free ferry
for the county. In this way it will be seen
Mr. Brockett has made the lands,
composing a valuable plantation clear
for himself, with the prospect of one day
getting back the ferry privilege. It is a
fact that too,worthy of note that the pur
chase and sale occurred together.
Is this a creditable showing for a man
who proposes to legislate for the county?
We think not. Let the people answer at
the polls in October.
We have now concluded our task. If
there are any who have not read the two
previous articles, intended to show why'
llarrell and Brockett should not compose
our next Legislative firm, we invite them
to get them ana weigh the arguments
used. We should be .prepared as men
and patriots to vote intelligently at the
election in October, in view of its effect
on the great November elections, and we
should lose no opportunity of informing
ourselves. x x x
COLLOQUY B-t.TWEEN R- H.
WKITELEY, CANDIDATE FOR
C0NGRES-AN OLD LINE WHIG
AND ONE GT HIS COLORED CON
STITUENCY.
Scene—R. jff m Whiteley sitting in his
office, his head bowed down and gazing
abstractedly about ten paces to the front,
when Old Line Whig enters.
THINGS TO BE REMEMBERED-
1f you are in favor of the election of
Tilden for President and Wui. E. Smith
for Congress you cannot afford to sup
port the Radical ticket in October.
The 2nd Congressional District ho ds
the county of Decatur to a strict ac
count in November. We had better
begin in October to fix up for Novem
ber.
The only active men in the Radical
party are the white office seekers and
paid colored leaders, the rank and file
of the colored race, are declaring for
another freedom, freedom from their
white political masters and the colored
loya. league.
The threats by the Radical leaders to
whip colored men for daring to inter-
tain their own-political sentiments has at
last opened the eyes of many intelligent
colored men aud they say they wil! die
before they will suffmit to such a slave
ry-
A colored methodist’ writes from
Chattahoochee river that he has been
turned out of the church for being a
democrat. He has concluded not to
get mad. but wait for his brethren to
return to reason, which he thinks they
will do after Tild-n and Hendricks
have been elected.
The numbe - of civil employers under
President Lincoln in 1S61 was 40.040.
Under Grant in 1876 102.350.
Lyman Trumbull for eighteen years
Republican Senator from Illinois, has
taken the stump for Tiiden and Hen
dricks.
There are many Republicans in onr
county a few whites and many colored
—that are honestly deceived. Let all
come up on next Friday to hear Geor
gia’s Ben Hill.
O. W.—Good morning Major.
Major W'.—(Startled.) Why, to be sure !
Take a seat—you didn’t come up last
week—BDy of my friends with you ?
O. W.—No, Major—too powerful busy
picking cotton. You see we have talked
the whole thing over and they say I can
report.
Major W.—Well, what now—out with
it. T am sure I can satisfy you.
O. W.—I hope so, Major, I declare to
gracious, but you mus’n’t be certain be
cause—
Major W — Because what ? Are things
any changed now from what they- used to
be ? Is not the Radical party just as good
as it ever was, and is not the Democratic
party the same old rotten, hot-headed,
disunion party that it ever was ? Why
what are you all thinking about ?
O. W.—Now Major, that question just
brings me straight to the point. We have
been thinking just this ; that we might
not be doing exactly right to vote accord
ing to our prejudices, and we have come
to the conclusion to blot out the past and
vote for principles. Don’t we find the
principles of a party in its platform ?
Major W. —Yes certainly.
O. W.—Then here are the principles of
the two parties. Here is the Radical plat
form made at Cincinnati and here-is the
Democratic platform made at St. Louis.
Now honestly Major, we don’t like this
Radical platform.
Major W.—What is the difficulty with
it ; Eh ?
O. W.—Difficu ty ! Why, Major, it
don’t talk about anything a poor fellow
wants to hear. I can understand exactly
all it says, but 1 know it doesn’t tell us
what makes the times so hard, and what
is a going to happen to make them any
better, but it says all that the Radical par
ty' has done is right, and merits our thanks.
Now I don’t believe in no sich and I ain’t
agoing to swallow it neither. The coun
try has been in the hands of the Radical
party ever since ..he war, and things have
been getting worse and worse ; no mouey,
no confidence, no value to property and I
can’t help believing the Democrats are
right when they say in their platform the
Radical party is to blame for it.
Major W.—The Radical party lias not
maflaged the financial affairs of the gov
ernment well,but then its platform prom
ises Reform aid Retrenchment as well as
the Democratic p’atform.
O. W.—So you said in your address to
the people, but we took the platform and
looked lor it and we couldn’t find one
word like it. Hert is the platform Major,
show it tome.
Major W.—(Takes the platform, adjusts
his specks and examines several minutes).
To be sure, to be sure ; well how mistaken
I was ; I really thought it said so. Well,
I know they meant to say so anyhow.
O. W.—Oh, no! Major they coul in’t
have meant to say so, because you remem
ber when the Radical Convention was in
session, the President and Radical Senate
were fighting the Democratic House of
Representatives over reducing the expens
es of the Government. The Democrats
wanted to reduce expenses 50,000,000 this
year and the President and Senate said it
shouldn't done. I believe the fight,
ended by a saving of 30,000,000 to the
country. Ain’t 1 right ?
Major W.—Yes, I believe that is so.
O. W.—Then you admit the Democrat
ic House of Representatives have saved the
people thirty millions this year in spite of
the Radio-1 President and Senate.
Major W—Well, what of that.
O W.—I was only thinking liow much
we would have saved by having the Dem
ocrats in power the past eleven years.
Fifty- millions in one year, I believe,
would make five hundred and fifty mil
lions in eleven years. Why, Major, the
national debt would have been almost
paid and money would be free and easy,
and whites and niggers all happy and
contented.
Major W.—(Excitedly.) You forget
the infernal white fools in the South
have been kicking up the devil ever since
the war, refusing to give the colored citi
zen his rights, defrauding him, intimida
ting him at elections etc., and thus forc
ing the government to large expense to
protect the freedman in his rights as a
citizen.
O. W.—I see the Radical platform talks
just that way. It says the Democratic
party is a party of “treason,” and calls
upon the government to exert “all its
powers for securing to every American
citizen complete liberty and exact equali
ty in the exercise of al< civil,political and
private rights.”' But Major, I didn’t
think you would back the Radical party-
in this. You live right here among us,
and you must know that the Democratic
party is not a party of treason. If it was
all of our good Old Line Whigs and Union
men would not be with them. You must
know too, Major, that the white people of
the South are wilbng for the colored man
to have all his legal and political rights ;
and it seems to me you are helping to heap
insult and injury-on the white people of
the South to talkas you do and support that
lie in the Radical plalfarm. I don’t think
I can go it myself—hut goodbye—I will
call again rest week.
Major W.—Good-bye.
(Exit old whig.)
Colored Voter.—Now, Major, dat is
talking. You has come back to my ’flee
tion agin. You is standing up to the nig
ger agin the white folks and we will stand
to y ou.
Major W—That is right, but good-by
—I have some business now.
(Colored voter leaves.)
Major W (Pacing bis room.) What
am I to do. I see my white friends are
leaving me and my- only- chance is to stand
bv the nigger—I will do it or die. If 1
am beat I can go where I am not so well
known.
FOR GOVERNOR. ALFRED H COL
QUITT—FOR THE SENATE- I. A.
BUSH FOR REPRESENTA
TIVES. A A ALLEN AND R- T-
PARKER-
The above is the ticket of the Demo
cratic and Conservative party to be
voted for on Wednesday the 4th ot Octo
ber next, less than a week from to-day.
There-will not be another issue of this
paper giving us an opportunity to ex
hort our people to -do their-duty before
the die will fee cast at the ’polls. We
would therefore cry out from a full
heart to our citizens, iD view of the im
portance of the issues at- stake, to come
up to-the full measure of their duty in
this.jthe hour of their country ! s, their
State's aud their county’s need. Every
man, be he ever so humble in his own
estimation, has his influence and his
power. Let him exert himself-to the
fullest extent of all the power and in
fiuenee that is in him, Let every man
give-himself to the work in the few
days intervening between now and the
election to exhorting, one t-hD Other, to
stand by his country, ! his State, his
District and his county.
The State is safe, of course, for-the
hero, patriot and statesman, A. H. Col
quitt-, is against old man Norcross; but
Decatur must honor herself in helping
to roll up the tremendous unprecedent
ed majority that is sure.
For the Senate, the Hon.I. A. Bush,
than whom the District cannot boast a
more honest, energetic and worthy son,
a> d fit by his ability and experience to
represent its every interest, must have,
as he has a right to expect, a handsome
majority against the scallawag Brimber-
r y
As-to our candidates, Allen and Par
ker, for the Legislature, worthy, able
and true ns they are, if they are not
elected on the principles they pmfest
and advocate, then indeed will ou:
county have to blush far shame.
The vlutes are in a majority in our
county, and in addition to them there
are not a few noble and intelligent ?:.]
ored citizens who hove out ackmnvled .
ged a master, that wii-1 go with us to re
deem ony ’enmity; and. therefore if we
do .not succeed it will lie our own fault
Let every man feel, when the sun goes
down on the 3rd of October, feel that
he has dune his duty.
The last papers bring the news that
in South Cor"lina the -Republicans are
declaring fast fur Tilden and Reform
and crowding under the Democratic
banner.
^E3=6KzawagBESKH®5QaBE»DaKffita
In Bainbridge, Decatur county, Ga.,
Sept. Gth, 1870, Mus. Em.wiline T.
Bowne, wife of Dr. A. T. Powne, in the
sixt3'-se.*md year of her age.
NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.
W. J. H- STOKES
Next door to Barnett & Son,
BAINBRIDGE, GA.,
HARNESS MAKER,
Work done Cheaper than anywhere else in
in the City, and
IN THE BEST STYLE
Give me a call before going elsewhere,
All that I ask is a trial.
JG-Sy” Work warranted. «ep28-3m
Bainbridge, Georgia,
bake!? and confectioner,
And Dealer in
Family Groceries
The best, freshest and cheapest gro
ceries, at the lowest prices. Call on Fred
Smith, in Sharon Block. sep28-6ra
SPECIAL NOTICE.
Savannah, September 16th, 1876,
Owing to the embargo placed upon the
shipment of Hides, &c., to this city, I have
established an agency at Jessup, Ga., where
I will pay Savannah prices in cash, less
freight and expenses. Mark your initials
on packages and forward at once, with let
ter advising shipment, to Jessup, No 6, A
& G. Railroad.
I will continue to receive cotton consign
ments and give them my personal attention.
Letters advising cotton shipments to be ad
dressed to me at Savannah.
M. Y. HENDERSON,
General Commission Merchant.
GEORGIA—Decatur County.
Epbram Bird has applied for exemption
and setting apart of Hemestead and I will
pass upon the same on the 7th day of Octo
ber 1876 at my office at 10 o’clock a. m.
HIRAM BROCKETT.
Ordinary D. C.
DEY GOODS,
RESTAURANT
BILLIARD SALOON.
The Restaurant is now open and will be
supplied with fresh fish and oysters, and in
fact all the delicacies of the market. Par
ties visiting the city will find to their inter
est to give us a call.
A. F. CLEMENTS & CO.
sep21-2m Proprietors,
We invite the attention of the trading p“&
lie to the inducements which we propose; to
offer during the incoming season. in-<
tend to sell goods at bottom figures, having
our motto ‘Quick sales and small profits.'
GIVE US A CALL
And be satisfied of tbetrutn otw
WEIL & L0E»,