The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-05-25
TTEE FINAL RALLY.
Grand 'ru Meeting at Eord'. East Night.

SPEECHES BY MAYOR KELLEY, COLONEL
w. c. CARRINGTOS, JOHN ss. WISE, AND
oTHERs-oUR BEST CITIZENS oUT-aoLD-
TIME" ENTHUSIASM AROUSED, &C., &C.
Seldom in the history OF the Conservative
party has there been such an enthusiastic
demonstration as was witnessed at Ford's
Hotel last evening. There have been sew
eral demonstrations there upon occasions
which would seem more important than
this, but we have never seen one In which
the solid citizens of our community min
gled more largely and more earnestly than
they did last evening. s-. Z.
During the earlier part Of the day that
gallant and earnest band OF workers, the
konservatire kampaign Klub, were busily
engaged with their decorations, and by dark
they had completed them to the great salts
faction OF all who viewed them AS the
hour of meeting approached they had their
gun placed in position, and q lively salute
l ensued. -E,cg
At about a O'Clock Voelkers Band started
from the headquarters Of the Excelsior
Club and marched down Broad and Main
streets by way Of the rooms OF the h. K. K,
where the members OF that orgaization
| Joined In the procession and went to Ford's
Hotel. Here the scene was brilliant beyond
description. Our best people were gathered
there, and the cheers OF the crowd showed
that the enthusiasm of the Conservative
cause had not waned, and that our people
were sufficiently interested to turn out to-
day and roll up solid Conservative ma
jority for the regular Conservative ticket.
Mr.. B. G. Gray called the meeting to or
der, and bespoke the considerate attention
OF the crowd. -a,+.
The meeting was presided over by An
thony M. Kelley, the upright and efficient
present Mayor, who is about to retire from
office.
| MR.. KEILEY's ADDRESS.
He said: .......
Fellow Citizens, preside over this
large gathering of the Conservative people
of Richmond is an honor which merits the
Acknowledgement / here take pride in MAX
ing; but am not here tonight to make or
accept compliments. stand here address,
ing my friends of Richmond, probably for
the last time as the wearer OF municipal ho-
nors, to echo the summons OF my first pub
lie utterance in your hearing-a summons
which, without variation, have uttered,
feebly it may be but faithfully, on every bat
tle-field for seven eyentful years, in State
and national no less than municipal con-
ficts, and the summons which j expect to
utter in every exigency OF our public life
so long as my voice may be thought OF
value to this communicable summons, as
| fully believe, of patriotism and public
saiety-"Vote the full Conservative ticket"
There may be times and places when the
obligations which men assume when they
unite themselves in political parties may be
safely If not honorably ignored, but the
history Of the South for eleven years demon
strates that such conditions do not exist
among us. Virginia Conservatism is the
outgrowth OF that public safety which
is the supreme law-the foundation OF
the ultimate authority Of the State
that authority which commands the labor,
the property. even the life, Of the citizen
for the public good. The essential con-
dition is that every possible concession and
compromise must be freely made for the
common good, and in every hour Of its his
tory it has vindicated this principle. In its
very birth it accepted the fellowship of
party alien to it in name and principle, and
sacrificed some of its worthiest citizens,
sweeping into the highest office in the Com
monWealth with burst of patriotic entb1l-
siasm a stranger in birth and associations.
| 1t placed Republicans who entered its ranks
| in both branches Of Assembly. 1t gave Bit
ter Republican to the United States Senate.
1t sat dumb for peace sake in two National
Conventions. 1t supported for the presi-
dency the bitterest and most constant
political enemy Virginia ever knew. In
word, it crystalized, in abundant prac-
| tical forms, its purpose to merge every
consideration that could be merged in the
one aspiration and resolyc-to reSenerate
the State. In the interest OF that party ana
that purpose, and in no other interest, am
| here tonight. [ hold that we are bound IN
| this election, as in all, by compact OF as
| lofty an obligation as can ever attach 10
party bond to ask but one question: Has
| tbe Conservative party spoken its will? Ii
il has. that is our law. And If ever there
was time when personal disappointmentS
should yield to patriotism this is the time.
A Reorganization of the party in which disaf.
lection was willingly conceded the place OF
command, in which every criticism OF ail1or-
mer organizations was met and satisfied, was
followed by primary plan whose forms
were models Of fairness, and this by an eA-
preston of popular choice by the largest
Conservative vote ever cast at primary,
and ticket chosen representing the pub
| lie preference Of the people so decidedly
that our discouraged enemies have not
dared to offer formal opposition to it, and
this ticket stands before you. Not breath
! or reueCLlOQ on ono VI Iuc udlllCs lnsCl Auoo
on it was brought to the public ear in the
canvass which preceded the choice, and the
great Conservative jury OF the city pro-
nounced q verdict Of approval on the 5th OF
NAV, and endorsed the ticket, one and all,
and it stands before you with claims on
your support rarely equalled in our political
history. What is opposed to it? A party
No. Principless No. A past record?
No. What, then? The personal ambition
and lust Of Office OF a single man, and that
man the representative OF all you have de-
rided, denounced, and fought for seven tri-
umphant years. Having opposed you In
every canvass, having Disguised his own
friends, having been repudiated by his own
faction, without nomination even at the
hands Of the colored people, who once were
his sole support, he has the hardihood to ask
you to trample on your flag, to repudiate
your ticket, to dishonor your obligations, to
violate the pledge Of the primary election,
and to commit this Conservative city, more
Conservative to-day than at any previous
hour of its existence, into the custody Of a
repudiated Republican.
This is the banquet to which you are in
yited, and an especial effort is made to in
duce nv personal friends to lend themselves
TO this miserable assault on Conservatism.
| II I have friend in this audience, and it
| :. ipayprassihla tn know that