Something of Men I Have Known: With Some Papers of a General Nature, Political, Historical, and RetrospectiveStevenson, Adlai E. (Adlai Ewing)
History
Something of Men I Have Known: With Some Papers of a General Nature, Political, Historical, and Retrospective
Stevenson, Adlai E. (Adlai Ewing)
United States -- Biography; United States -- Politics and government -- 1865-1933
In order, if possible, to counteract the evil effect of his speech,
the Republican State Committee requested General Fry to attend the
barbecue, and engage Colonel Woolford in public debate. In compliance
with this request, General Fry, after a horseback ride of many
hours, put in an appearance at the appointed time and place.
The attendance was general; the people of the entire county, of
both sexes and of all ages and conditions, were there. The barbecue
was well under way when General Fry arrived. A table of rough
boards and of sufficient length had been constructed, and was
literally covered with savory shote and mutton just from the pit
where barbecued. These viands were abundantly supplemented with
fried chicken, salt-rising bread, beaten biscuit, "corn dodgers," and
cucumber pickles. To this add several representatives of the highly
respectable pie family, and possibly an occasional pound cake, and
the typical barbecue is before you.
General Fry, upon his arrival, was warmly greeted by Colonel
Woolford, whose hearty invitation _to partake_ was not limited
to the viands mentioned. The feast being at length happily concluded,
and the crowd assembled around the speaker's stand, Colonel Woolford
said to his old-time comrade; "Now, General Fry, you just go ahead
and speak just as long as you want to. The boys have all heard me
time and again, and I have nothing new to tell them, but they will
be glad to hear you. When you get through, of course, if there is
a little time left, I may say 'howdy' to the boys, and talk a little
while, but you just go ahead."
After formal introduction by the Colonel, General Fry did "go
ahead," and discuss the financial question, the tariff, reconstruction,
and dwelt earnestly and at length upon the magnanimity of the
Republican party toward the men lately in rebellion against the
Government. Since the surrender at Appomattox, no life had been
taken, no one punished, no man ever put on his trial. It was
without a parallel in history, and as a matter of simple gratitude,
the Republican party was entitled to the support of the entire
Southern people for such magnanimity.
The speech at length concluded, Colonel Woolford arose and without
even the formality of saying "howdy," or honoring finance or tariff
with the briefest mention, proceeded:
"General Fry has dwelt long and loud upon the magnanimity of the
Republican party. He has told you that when the war was over
and the last rebel had laid down his arms, a hand-shaking took
place all around, everybody was forgiven, and the peace of heaven came
down like a dove upon the whole Southern people. Yes--a hell of
a magnanimity it was! How did they show the magnanimity that
General Fry talks so much about? You all remember Stonewall Jackson,
one of the grandest men God ever made. This same magnanimous
Republican party took him prisoner, tried him by a drumhead
court-martial, and shot him down like a mad dog after he had
surrendered up his sword."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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