Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1892 — WEAVER WILL NOT SPEAK. [ARTICLE]

WEAVER WILL NOT SPEAK.

He Says There Is No Such Thing as Free Speech in Georgia. An Atlanta, Ga., special says: J. B. Weaver will not fill any more of his appointments in Georgia. This conclusion he makes known in the following letter after naming his appointments; I find the spirit of organized rowdyism at some of the points visited within the State so great as to render it unadvlsable for me to attempt to fill the engagements at the points not already reached. personal indignity was threatened at Way Cross, bnt was suppressed by the attendance of a large number of our friends. at Albany we met with a howling mob, which refused to accord us a respectful and uninterrupted hearing. Onr meeting at Columbus was a grand success. At Macon the conduct of the mob was simply disgraceful beyond description. Rotten eggs were thrown, prior to the introduction of the speaker, one of which struck Mrs. Weavei upon the bead. Eggs were thrown repeatedly daring the oontinnance of the meeting. Turbulent crowds continued to howl and hoot until past midnight. At Atlanta a slmllai crowd of rowdies gathered at the point of meeting, bent on tnmnlt and disorder. Learning of this Mrs. Lease and myself refused to appear either in the forenoon or evening. 1 am convinced that similar treatment awaits us at the points not yet visited. I decline to meet said appointments. In conclusion Gen. Weaver says the noise comes fiom young roughs, and not from ex-Confederate soldiers. He says little effort is made to protect his meetings. Five thousand persons gathers 1 at the State Capitol to hear Weaver. After an address by Gov. Northen urging good order, a committee was sent to Mr. Weaver to come, but he declined, saying: “I have been treated with too much indignity already.” He declared that there was no free speech in the South, notwithstanding the fact that the audience assured him a respectful hearing. To this was added assurance of Gov. Northen and Chairman Atkins, of the State Demo ratio Committee, that he would have a fair hearing.