The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-09-30
A Richmond MAN in Ohio.
Correspondence OF the Richmond Disnatch.]
DAYTON. O.. SfDtpmber 81. 1879.


The political cunyaSs here is becoming
more fierce every dsy, andsboth parties are
yet confident, but nothing has occurred to
force me to change the opinion expressed in
my letter Of the 23d instant. Fourteen
days more have the friends OF each ticket to
advocate 1t, and no tine will be lost. have
been in Hamilton, MldGletown, Springfield.
and Columbus since my last, and find in all
these places the greatest possible activity.
Every night there were meetings, and poll
ticians are predicting. preaching, and teach
ing great and wonderful things.
THE IRISH CATHOLIC BENEVOLENT UNION
closed its eleventh annual Convention here
on Yesterday. 1t was the largest and most
enthusiastic one ever held. The delegates
were warmly welcomed by bis Honor
Mayor Butz, and rendered the freedom OF
the city OF Dayton. The City Council
placed the City Hall at the disposal OF the
delegates, and there the Convention was
held. 1t may not be out OF place here to
say that the object Of the Union is TO foster
feeling OF friendship among Irish and
Catholic beneficial societies, and toalieviate
bers who are unable to pursue their usual
avocatons, and TO assist, as far as practca-
| bic, all Catholic endeayors.
There were about one hundred delegates
present, representing some eighteen States.
| The Convention was one OF great harmony,
no changes of any importance being made.
On Thursday night
GRAND BANQUET
was rendered to the delegates at the Phil.
lips House, which the people Of Dayton say
far surpassed any public banquet ever given
in this city before. OF course there were
toasts, and the Virginia delegates, being
noted for t@eir gifts, were drafted to re-
spond TO the first and last one on the list.
The first toast" Dayton, the birthplace
Of the j. &. Is. U."-waS responded 10 by
Hon. A. NJ. Kelley. The speech of Mr..
Kelley. based upon the keen, sharp wit and
courage OF an 1rishman, was perfect gem,
and the impetuous yet graceful eloquence
OF President Kelley carried away his
audience. He gracefully pointed out that
from Virginia sprang Ohio, and Ohio
is the oldest child OF the venerable
thirteen States. Indeed, throughout the
Convention Mr.. Kelley has shone conspicu-
Gus for tact, for gallant and refined spirit,
amid all his surroundings. Mr.. j. Y. Red
dy, Of Richmond, responded to the toast
"The Ladies'" In commenting on Mr..
Reddy's speech the Dayton Daily Demo-
crat says: Mr.. Reddy, OF Richmond, Va :,
paid as beautiful and as glowing tribute
to woman as we ever listened to. No alb
stract of it would do it justice, and we
therefore do not even attempt to give one. 1t
should be read or heard in full to be appre-
ciatcd." On Friday
The FOLLOWING OFFICERS
were elected for the ensuing year: Prcsi-
dent, Hon. A. NJ. Kelley; First Nice-Presi-
dent, Hon. Dennis Dwyer, Dayton, Ohio !;
Second Vice President, Judge Patrick Mon
aghan, st. Louis, Mo-: Secretary, N. |. j.
Griffin, Philadelphia, Pa; Treasurer, Rev.
James Henry, st. Louis, Mo. Executive
Committee: Jabn NJ. Higgins, Richmond,
Va; Hon, 81. E. Mooney, Baltimore, Md,
and j. c. Sullivan, Esq, GAINESVILLE, Ohio.
Board OF Colonization: Rev. Fathe" Fan
ming, of Peoria, III. lpresideut; j.. '.
Reddy. OF Richmond, Va. Secretary; Rev.
Thomas 4. Butler, OF st. Louis, Mo. Urea
surer); Patrick McFaddcn, OF Harrisburg,
Pa, and j. o. Mulcahy, OF Iowa.
The next Convention will he held i'll VIII
mington, Del. Thus you see that Virginia
is pretty strongly represented in the ma
tional officers.
By-the-by, F. A. c. Handy, Esq, former
Washington correspondent Of the Dispatch,
was here yesterday. Heis, think, writing
| up the campaign in Ohio for some paper.
Indeed, wherever you go you VIII ma IT.
| giniuns. There are three or four young
men from Richmond living 10 Dayton, and
I doing we'll. 49,.
/ visited the famous
SOLDIERS HOME
| in this place, and must say that it is one OF
the grandest and most extensive institutions
| OF that kind in the world. 1t would take
more than the. bounds OF an ordinary letter
to describe it. There are l25 large build
ings on the grounds, any one OF which is as
large as the Exchange Hotel OF your city.
About 600 acres of land are owned by the
institution, and some 1000 pensioners are
cared for therein. Indeed, had the writer
who said that "Republics are ungrateful' .
seen the Soldiers Home at Dayton, Ohio,
he would never have penned them. In this
institution we met General John Gleason,
formerly well known in your city. lie
stands about six feet six, and has command
OF one OF the buildings. / am told that the
homes similar to this located in Maine and
virginia are about to be abolished and the
inmates brought to this place; but cannot
positively say that this viii actually take
place, as have not consulted the Hon. Ben
iauiin Butler on the matter. lie is the
trro,t aGyocata of these i'm stitlltiOuS. TX.