. . . When Locke Craig entered the house earlier in the evening he was given a storm of cheering, but when Mr. Murphy proposed, when it came Mr. Craig’s time to speak, three cheers for the gallant young leader there was a scene that would make the heart of any man swell with pride. The vast audience rose to its feet, shouting and waving hats and handkerchiefs, and only when it was threatened with loss of voice would it cease the ovation. When the applause had died away Chairman VanWinkle introduced “our next representative,” and Mr. Craig began his speech. He was a trifle hoarse, but he had not proceeded far before it was known that the orator was at his best. He swayed his audience as only an orator can, and many times was compelled to stop in his speech while the audience voiced its approval in thunderous acclaim. Mr. Craig began with a reference to the presence of so many ladies. “We honor our women and thank them for their presence—it is a watchword of victory and an inspiration of hope.” 

Time and time again the Republican party has been tried and found untrue. It was in power years ago, and those days passed into history as dark days. The desolating hand of war had left smoking ruins everywhere. But Zeb Vance, the lion of the tribe of Democracy, had cleaned out the Augean stable; taxes were lowered, and capital came here, because it was not afraid of us, because the law was administered in justice to the great and in mercy to the poor. And Democracy did not forget the black man; every time it built a school house for white children it built one for the colored; and when it built an asylum for the poor helpless and insane whites it built one for the colored. Not a scandal disgraced our annals. 

“But some said they could not stand that kind of government. So we put them into power; it was the same old story of ’68 and ’69. They promised us reform. What did they bring us? Nothing but scandal and outrage after outrage. What have they brought into this house of ours? They have brought D. L. Russell, Cousin Caney, Prof. Ellis and Bob McCall. 

— 

“White Republicans, if, as the Republicans claim, a negro be a renegade when he votes the Democratic ticket, what are you when you vote the Republican ticket? The only party that can govern North Carolina is the Democratic party, because it constitues the intelligence and the white people of the State. It was the Anglo-Saxon who reclaimed the new world and drove back the savage. It was the Anglo-Saxon who at Santiago stretched out his hand to help the suffering black man; who sent the bombshells crashing through the battleships at Manila, burning up with hellfire the ships in oriental seas. Wherever you find him he is the ruling and controlling spirit—except here in North Carolina, a State consecrated by the blood of Guilford Court House and of King’s Mountain, a land bought and consecrated by the most costly blood ever shed upon this earth. In the shadow of Vance’s monument, inspired by 160,000 men and backed by 160,000 women, I say that North Carolina shall be ruled by the Anglo-Saxon race. The Republicans connot stem the great tidal wave, because it is just and right. We will do justice to all men. We will meet the race question with the conscience of the Anglo-Saxon, and we will settle it and settle it right. We will disfranchise no man who ought not to be disfranchised. The right of suffrage is a great privilege and all who should have that right shall have it. But we say that no army of negroes from South Carolina shall overrun the State. 

“No, Senator Pritchard, not all the Federal troops sent here could make us submit to this. When I heard that the sending of troops was contemplated, I thought that 160,000 men would get ready to meet that army manfully, and they would have so met it. The Anglo-Saxon is determined that, this being his land, he will rule it. The day of deliverance is at hand. The hills are shouting for joy and Democracy is clapping its hands in gladness. The time now is when this misrule will be shaken off in North Carolina. The great Democratic avalanche is moving, coming with the voice of the whirlwind, “This is a white man’s State and a white man’s government.’” 

Mr. Craig alluded to the dissection law, promising that if sent to the legislature he would repeal it. “It is a great honor to represent a county that has been represented by Vance, Coleman, the Merrimons and Theodore Davidson. I have my eye set on the heights, and I am going there. The battles have been won by the manhood of Buncombe, because they heard the cry from the east and have felt the insidious hand of the corruptionists themselves. And the brave men of the North are with their Anglo-Saxon brothers of the South. There is nothing left but the charge of the onset. Fall in, men; close up! We are marching on to the great victory, and when the sun rises on the 9th of November it will rise on a glorified, redeemed and Democratic State!” 

In closing, Mr. Craig called on every one who would work for the deliverance of Buncombe and North Carolina to rise. The response was instantaneous, and there went up a shout that meant victory. 

The orchestra played “Dixie,” and Chairman Van Winkle declared the meeting adjourned. The gathering will go down in history as one of the most notable Asheville has seen.