Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-05-15
THE VIRGINIA DEMOCRACY.

most enthusiastic and harmonious that ever
assembled in Virginia.
In opening the proceedings Hon. John 5.
Barbour, chairman of the State executive
committe, said: La accordance TO the re-
commendation of the State Executive Com
mittee I have come forward to call this
meeting to order and to nominate for your
temporary chairman. Before
doing so, however, l hope | will be excused
in saying word or two to the representa-
tive men of the democratic party Of Virgin
ia assembled here to-day. l hope | may be
excused in referring 10 the improved cir
cumstances and better outlook which sur.
rounds us to-day than when we assembled
in July last ut Lynchburg. At that time
uncertainty as to the future and anxious
solicitude occupied our minds. We did not
know our own strength, because we had
been going along saying, we have lost cleo
tons, we have lost the Legislature, the cX-
ecutive, and that the judiciary had gone
from us. Grave doubts existed whether we
would be able to win. But am here To say
that under the efforts made BY the great
body Of tho people by the able assistance OF
your State executive committee, doubt dis
turbs us no longer We came through q
great battle, in which We recovered the
Legislature, and came through with our
colors flying. IApplause. a tairer, clean
er political fight was never made. Re-
newed applause. Our political opponents
had all the political machinery III their
hands, and the power of election officers,
courts and all the a'ijuucto necessary to
strengthen their position, but we route;:
them-horse, foot and dragoon. Loud APP
plause Now they have the uneXpressibe
meauness not to accept what was lcgiti-
mate action of the people, but set up the
whine that they have been bulidozrd. Not
only did they publish this 10 the country,
but they went TO Washington and invoked
the action of the republican party dominant
in the Senate of the United States and ask
ed their intcrposituu. Why, sirs, such q
thing would have disgraced the worst days
of the reconstruction period, when we had
military governors here to report what the
people were doing. Ny friends and gentle
men Of The convention rs far as the investi
CATION at Washington goes think lis result
was sort of fash in the pan. The gen
tleman who seemed to be at the head Of the
committee found that there was IA little riot
of his own at home. Laughter. He found
that there was some white blood split in
Cincinnati, and made up his mind that he
would stop further investigation in Our Cast
We are now about TO enter another canvas.
and it is your duty 10 prepare the machine
ry for that.
The following platform was adopted:
The democratic party OF Virginia in con
vention assembled declares as follows:
First. That we congratulate the people
upon the result of the election held in No
vember, 1889, by which the overthrow OF
bosssm was elfec,ua!y accomplished, and
the legislative power of the State was reg
cued from a corrupt and intriguing oigar-
civ, sustained by II pledge bound caucus,
and restored TO the hands Of the people.
Second That we rcafrm our adherence
to the national democratic party, the faith
full defender of the rights ofthe people and the
States, the upholder of the freedom OF cleo
tons, of honesty and economy in admins
tratiou, OF low taxes and equality nj public
burdens of the rights Of Individuals against
mouopoles, and of that cardinal doctrine
Of liberty that governments are made for the
people, not people for the governments.
Third. That we arraign the republican
party as the abettor OF ring rule i'll Virginia,
as the oppressor of oar section, and the
slanderer of our people; as the foe to
national concord and the promoter of race
and sectional strife; as the defender Of
every public corruption; as creating mon
opolies for brides, and Matchmaking them
for party profit; as the ally of corporations
in their war on the people rs the advocate
of high taxes; as plundering the treasury to
maintain an army of ocehoiders and using
the ofliceholdcrs to overcome the people ;
as the debauchees Of the Government in
every department, making even the highest
judicial station the reward Of party service
and of plant conscience. and as the perpe
TRAITOR of the highest public crimes of the
age-the theft of the chief magistracy.
Fourth. That we denounce the attempt
recently made by the republican leaders in
the Senate of the United States to make it
appear that the riot at DanvilIe on the 81
day of November last was instigated by
democrats with the deliberate purpose of
drawing the color line in politics and ex-
citing race antagonisms as 81 cruel wrong
upon the people of this State, which should
be Indignantly rcbuked by honest and fair
minded men of all parties and all sections.
Fifth. That we demand strict economy in
all departments Of the Government and the
subordination Of the military to the civil
powers.
Sixth. That we favor the unconditional
and immediate abolition Of the internal
revenue system a nursery OF spies and in
formers, a menace to the freedom reflections,
an ntolerable burden on the tax payers,
source of the greatest corruption init prac
tical operation, a special burden on this
State and her interests.
Seventh. That we favor tariff for rev.
enue limited to the necessities of a govern
ment economically administered, and so ad-
justed in its application as to prevent un.
equal burdens, encourage productive inter
ests at home and afford just compensation
to labor, but not to create or foster monop-
olies.
Eighth. That the fact that upon the set
Element of the debt question the democratic
party became reunited, and was thereby en-
abled TO defeat faction which had become
the exponent Of one mans will and the rep
resentative Of race conflict, and now that
faction openly proclaims itself republican,
the few democrats who still remain out of
their proper communion are earnestly in
vited and aficctionatey exhorted to follow