Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-05-03
Democracy Has a Grand Night.


A large and intelligent audience as
sembled in the courthouse last FRI
day evening to hear the eminent gen
tlemen who were announced to speak
under the auspices of the Cleveland
and Wilson Club. Quite number of
ladies of the town and vicinity graced
the occasion by their presence. The
Hon. VIM. L. Wilson, accompanied
by the Hon. Henry st. George Tucker
and the Hon. Paul Edmunds of Vir-
ginia, came up from Washington on
an afternoon train and were escorted
to the courthouse at eight o'clock.
Upon their appearance they were
greeted with that hearty old-time well
come which a Jefferson audience
knows so well how to give, and when
the President of the Club, Julius c.
Holmes, in few but well chosen re-
marks, introduced the visiting states
men, they were greeted with tnmul-
tuous applause.
The first speaker was the Hon.
Henry St.George Tucker, member
of Congress from the Staunton dis
trict of Virginia. He is the son of
the Hon. John Randolph Tucker, so
we'll known to our people and to the
country at large, and seems to inherit
many of the qualities of that distin-
guished statesman. His theme was the
tariff, and he discussed il, as dry
subject as it is, with ability and in
the most attractive manner. His at
tack upon the Mckinley Bill, its in
equalities and cnormities, was logical
and conclusive. In the elaboration of
his subject not even the dry facts of
percentages and the comparison of
| figures were permitted for moment
to tire the audience, for he has the
rare talant of tavoring his remarks
with the salt of satire and with the
humor of anecdote. Our limited
time and space dos not permit us to
give even the outlines of his speech,
but we think all who heard it were
not only delighted but convinced,
and many of his hearers have pro-
nounced it one of the best exposition
of the tariff question they have heard
on the hastings.
When Mr.. Tucker had concluded
the president of the Club introduced
Mr.. Edmunds, who is Familiarity
known it seems, among his Congress
sional brethcLn by the name of sold
Paul Edmunds," 4 nam for which it
seems that he himself was sponsor.
He spoke of himself as a farmer by
profession, who had stumbled into
politics and had been honored by his
people. No one who saw his manly
features and sincere manner could
doubt that the trust reposcd in him
by his constituents was faithfully ex-
ecuted. In the outset of his remarks
he announced his intention of not
making tariff speech and that he
had come only for the purpose of
hearing others and enjoying himself
among the hills of old Jefferson.-
For more than half hour, however,
he convulscd the audience with nu-
merous anecdotes and what seemed
to be an ineXhaustible fund of humor,
and closed his remarks amidst the re-
greet of the audience that they could
not hear more.
The Honorable VIM. L. Wilson
was then called forth, and though de-
string not to speak, on account of the
lateness of the hour, was compelled
to do so by the cheers and calls of
his constituents present, and he con-
Guided the evening with an eloquent
and able address on the important
issues of the present campaign.
The Charles Town Cornet Band
enlivened the occasion with good
music, and Prof. Walsh and the
Band boys rendered their campaign
song with vim and received appropri-
ate applause. 4