The morning news., 1888-05-17
vIRGINIA,s DEMOCRATS.
President Cleveland's denomination
Favored

ton, which mot here to-day, was the cleo
tion of presidential electors and delegates
to tho st. Louis convention. Those promi-
nentlylmontioned for delegates-at-large we're
Senator-elect Johu S. Barbour, Senator
John w, Daniel, John Goode, Philip w. Nc
Kinney, Congressman c. T. O'Ferrall,
George C. Cabell, r. C. Marshall,
Holmes Conrad, and Horny Heaton.
Richard t. Beirne, editor Of the Richmond
State, and prominent candidate for the
gubernatorial nomination of next year, and
John T. Harris, of Rockingham, seemed to
DO the choice Of the majority of the dele
gates for electors at largo. Tho reason
given by Mr.. Barhour's friends for his de-
string TO so to st. Louis was that if he is TO
accept again the craftsmanship Of the party
in the State, he wished to be at the National
convention to confer with the leaders of the
party there. IL was understood that if Mr..
Barbour was elected as a delegate-at-arge,
Senator Daniel would be also.
CALLED TO ORDER.
At 12:45 O'Clock when Chairman Barbour
called the convention to order, the Academy
Of Music was filled with one of the largest
and most representative delegations sent to
Il Virginia convention for years. Mr..
Barbour was received with great applause
w. w. Berry, of Nelson, was made tenn
porary chairman.
Mr. Barbour, in calling the convention to
order, spoke briefly. He said the conven-
ton had been called together, not to con-
slider State affairs, but to nominate Presi-
Dental electors and send delegates to the
St Louis national convention. As TO the
question of the candidate to be nominated
at that convention, he said, fortunately for
the harmony of the party, there seemed to
be no division of sentiment in the country.
The administration of President Cleveland,
as a whole, has commanded the appreciation
of the Democrats throughout the country,
and his denomination at St Louis has
virtually been made already. Touching the
question OF platform, Mr.. Barbour did not
see why the convention should worry itself
about the declaration Of the distractions
commonly called a platform. 1t is a ma
tional election, and the national convention
is the proper forum to discuss and decide
upon the platform Of principles The plat
form adopted by the Democratic party in
1884 at Chicago, which refers to the internal
revenue system as war tax and calls for a
reduction of revenue, ought to be sufficient.
GOV. LEE ON THE FLOOR.
While the convention was waiting for the
report of the committee on permanent
organization, Gov. Fitzhugh Lee, who was
in the city, was invited to the convention
lllo JlCocilC6 was GObou WlUn EItdb up
plause In addressing the convention, Gov.
Lee said, in reference to the State debt: at
is true, that one of the great questions !
have had to deal with as Governor of the
State-the problem of the State debts
not yet settled. One of the difficulties we
have labored under is that creditors holding
obligations of the State, known as
the bonds of 1871, are sepa-
rated from us by the Atlantic ocean
The affairs of the foreign bondholders
have been committed to syndicate of
gentlemen who reside in London, and
whose business it is to make settlements be-
tween the different countries and their
creditors. The Virginia committee of that
council has had charge of the branch called
the Virginia bonds, and some Of the MEM
bers of that committee have themselves
been purchasers of coupons and have sent
them over TO this country by an agent for
the purpose of giving them to our tax pay
ers upon such conditions as will net them n
handsome profit. 1t can therefore be readily
comprehended that their advice to holders
of bonds of that description would be
against funding them into bonds of other
descriptions so long as they can make
money by handling the coupons. The
State Of Virginia demands that her public
schools shall receive all they are entitled to
by the laws and constitution, that her in
sane and those who are not able to main
tain themselves shall be provided for and
cared for, and that her State Government
shall be carried on. After that is done,
whatever represents the balance will be,
think it may be safely stated, used in some
form Of settlement for tho purpose of ex-
tinguishing the State debt"
Senator Daniel and John Goode also ad-
dressed the convention.
Every reference to President Cleveland
was received with warm applause.
The convention permanently organized
with R. II. Caldwell, Of Hanover, as chair
man.
THE DISTRICT DELEGATES.
The following were elected as district cleo
tors: T. r. b. Wright D. Gardner Tyler,
Tazewell Elicit, William r. Mckinney, H.
G. Peters, w. W. Berry, Micajah Woods,
John A. Buchanan, Il. B. Poor and +. E.
Meredith.
The district delegates to st. Louis are: j
J. Gunter and Charles Wallace, James L.
Heath and G. Fenton Day, James D. Pat
ton and w. r. Aylett, L. c. Venable and
r. G.. Southall, M. p. Jordan and d. w. Boil
den, w. +. Green and p. A. Krlse, b. B.
Gordon and James Hay, A. NJ. Bowman
and L. NJ Fulton, William M. Callister
and c. F. Smith, Gen. Eppa Hunton and
Thomas L. Wallace.
After the recess, the convention elected
Richard F. Reirne, editor of the Richmond
State, and John r. Harris, Of stanton,
electors at large, and John s. Barbour, John
w. Daniels, Phil w. McKenney, Of Farm
vile, and X. c. Marshall, Of Portsmouth,
delegates at large.
THE PLATFORM.
The committee on resolutions made a re-
port in substance AS follows, which was
unanimously adopted
The simple and plain duty Of the people is,
IN the language of President Cleveland, TO
reduce taxation 20 the necessary expenses Of an
economical operation OF the government and TO
restore to the business OF the country the
money which we hold in the treasury through
the perversiou Of governmental powers, These
thing, can aud should be done with safety TO all
our Industries, without danger 20 the opportu-
mites for rcmunerative labor which our
wOrkngnen need, and with benefit to
them aud all our people by
cheapcning their means Of subsistence and In
creasiug the measures Of their comforts; that
ventiOn, about to assemble at st. Louis, the
formation Of the issue between the Democratic
and Republican parties, we rcaiiirm the time
honored principles Of the Democratic faith
upon which Grover Cleveland was nominated
and elected President ~ the United States; in
dorse bis wise. conservative, honest, fearless
and economical administration, ana pledge our
hearty support 20 his denomination and re-
election Tho administration Of the State gov
ernment by Gov. Lee and his associates has
been iudicious conservative and polite, and
entities them 10 the lasting gratitude OF the
people Of Vrginia.
Senator elect John s. Barbour accepted
his reelection TO the craftsmanship in
speech In which he predicted Democratic
Z. l.. a. T.. l.