Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1889 — ONE ON MAHONE. [ARTICLE]

ONE ON MAHONE.

M essrs. Cheadle, of Indiana, and Brumm, of Pennsylvania, were invited by General Mahone to stump the State of Virginia in his interest. They had an appointment at Cumberland Court H >use, in Cumberland county, which has a very hnavy negro majority; and the Democrats made no attempt to meet them, supposing it would be a hopeless cas- to make any contest there. So the two Republicans, alone, addressed a very large negro assembly, discussing at length the intricacies of the tariff and other questions of national importanc?, and went on to speak in the highest terms of General Mahone, nis Republicanism, his friendship for the negro and i ow much he had d ne to elevate them and help them assert their rights. A negro in the audience, by the name of Hughes, before thd meeting adjourned, requested that he might be permitted to reply to the two gem’len Jfrom the North, and referred to Mr. Cheadle rts Mr. Beadle, and Mr. Brumm as Mr. Bruen, sarcastically likening them to the animals those names repre seated. After discussing other matters agitated in the campaign, he Qnajly took u the question of General Mahone’s love for the negro, saying he would illustrate how much the General loved the negro by repeating a dream he bad had the night before. T dreamed,’ said he, “that I had done gone and died, and after I was dead 1 found out 1 didn’t have no wings, and I Towed I’d walk to Hekven, and when I fetched up at the golden gate I knocked, and the gate keeper, he came out and axed me how I got way up th ire to the golden gate, and I ’lswed to him pintedly that I com 6 all the way on foot. The gate keeper he say: ‘You caint come in here to-da ,r , for 1 ain’t admitting nobody cept they is on hossback.’ bo I was turned away from the golden gate. When 1 was coming back to you all again, 1 met General Mahone tight en that same road, and I says, says J: ‘Whar you gwine, Mars’ Billy?’ and he says, says he: ‘l’m gwine to Heaven, stand aside.' I tole him ‘you caint get in thar, Mars’ Bil.y, 'cause they ain’t taking nobody in, ’less they is m< unted .on hossback.’ Then General Mahone said: ‘You get down on your knees, you bli.ck rasca , and I’ll get or your back, and w>’]l ride in together.’ Mars’ Billy he climbed up a stump and got onto my back and we cantered up to the gate, ind I ’lowed I’d knock again The gatekeeper, he come out and he says: ‘Who’s that?’ I says: ‘Mars’ Billy Mahone.’ The gatekeeper, he says gain: ‘ls he mounted or on foot?’ I tole him ‘He’s on hossback, of couse, for he’s Mars’ Billy Mahon?, of Petersburg, the friend of the cudud Then the gatekeeper he hollored out loud, he did: ‘General Mahone, tie yo’ hobs on the outside, and come inl’ And I jesk laid back and ’lbwed to self: ‘Niggah, sold again!” And that’s the way Mars’ Billy Mahone

wants to ride you into the Republican party.” The sequel was th tthis county of Cumberland, which nad previously given 800 Republican ma jority, was carried by the Demo crats by about 150, and the first time they had carried it in 20 ve.,rs.