The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1892-12-08
GEN'L R. A. AYERS.
His Friends Warm in
His Support for
Governor.
Enthusiastic Meeting.


On the night of November the nine.
teenth, il. Big Stone Gap,.was inausuratet
a movement the result Of which will more
than likely place Hon. r. A. Ayers in the
Gubanatorial chair of Virginia.
For more than a year past this distin-
guished citizen of Big Stone Gap has
been prominently mentioned throughout
the State of Virginia as an available can
didate for the Govcrnorship, but nothing
definite from himself or any one close TO
him had ever been published signifying
that Gen. Ayers would become a candi-
date.
So great, however, is his popularity at
home and so high does he stand in es-
TEEN Of his fellow citizens in his own
town and county, that a large popular
meeting was held in the city hall, OIL the
night of the nineteenth ofNoycmber last,
for the purpose Of pressing his name be-
fore the people of Virginia ms the proper
ton for Governor at the convention to he
held in 1893. This meeting was called
without consulting Gen. Ayers, and was
held while he was absent from the coun-
ty and state. Ii was the result of Il spOn
taneonS impulse on the part of his neigh
b0rs and friends who felt that their fell
low citizen was worthy of the highest Of
fee within the gift of the people of the
Old Dominion, and that his services 10
his state, at a critical period IN her histo-
ry, were worthy OF that recognition and
the groatful reward that could be render
ed by bestowing upon him the Chief Ma
gistracy of the State.
The meeting had been called by the
Ayers Democratic Cuban organization
that done most effective work in the
Presidential campaign--and was called to
order by A. ". Irvine, President of the
oluh. After calling the meeting to order
Mr.. Irvine asked DR.. c. D. kunkel TO take
the chair, and i'm few well chosen
remarks, resigned his position, stating
that the purpose for which the club had
been organized, in tho beginning having
been accomplished he wished to retire from
tho active duties that would now devolvc
upon the President. \ unanimous vote
of thanks was rendered Mr. Irvine for tho
able and efficient manner in which he had
discharged the duties Of President and
the resignation was accepted.
A motion was made, and carried with
rush, that tho Club he rcorgnufsed With
the avowcd purpose al promoting the
nomination ana election of e1-Attorney
General Rufus A. Ayers as Governor of
Virginia. II. T. Irvine was elected Prcsi-
dent of the rcorganizcd club and w 7,
Kennedy Secretary,
A cemmittea on resolutions was appoint
ed which committee repOrted'a series OF
resolutions endorsing the candidacy Of
Gen. Ayers and recommending him to
the people Of Virginia.
An executive committee, consisting of
r. T. Irvine, J. F. Bullitt, Jy., Iaa. l., kcl-
", F.. II, Fulton anu L. .. Petit, was APP
pointed lur the purpose of pressing the
claims of Gen. Ayers before the people
and we're given charge of the active CAM
paicn to be made on behalf Of Gen. Ayers
by the Ayers Democratic Club:
An advisory Cs@Ei''oe, composed prln-
cipally Of leading Democrats from other
counties, was appointed for the purpose of
counscling with and advising the exccu-
tive as to the campaign. The gentlemen
composing this committee were Edwin Bar
hour, Walter Z. Addison, ". 7. Miller
and T. G. Wells, of Wise county; j. B.
Richmond and H. S. Kane of Scott coun-
ty; c. Il. Duncan of Lee county; Wm, +.
Burns and Y. 3. Gilmev of Russell county.
This committee to bo Increased by ad-
ding the names of prominent Democrat
from every county and city in Virginia
The meeting was enthusiastic from be-
ginning to end After the routine busi-
ness was over the crowd called on several
gentlemen present and tipe speeches wore
made by J.F. Kullitt, Jr., Walter +. Addi-
son and r. 7. Irvine.