Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-18
CAN'T COME.
SAYS he WILL NOT BE ABLE TO At
TEND THE RICHMOND BANQUET.
rairehiid and Others from New York May
Come-Lamont wants More
Plum Pudding.

York Yesterday. where he, IN company
with other newspaper men, had been look
inc after important business relating to the
telegraphic press service OF the SOUTH ana
in looking over his mail he found the ioi-
lowing letter; ,ooo
New YoRK. December ID. 1872
Hy. William Ryan, Richmond;
NV Dear Mr.. Ryan, have received your
letter of the 1ltr instant. inviting me 20
be nresent at Democratic oanquet 10 po
Given IN your city next month. AS Iuo
original invitation seems TO nave Deeh
mislaid will ask YOU 10 say TO the CoIh-
mittee on Invitations that IL WIN w I,l'
possible tor me TO be present, on account
of the number aud urgency OF inc calIs ue-
mandinc my time and attention.
lam sure if ] could go 20 klchmonh
tbere would be no moro agreeable feature
Of theltrip than the privilege OF paying you
a visit at your home. regret exceedingly,
therefore. that must forego this pleasure
as well. Very sincerely yours,
Mr.. RYAN wrote his letter. TO winch the
above is a reply. after the official invita-
tion signed by Chairman Joseph Bryan
and Secretary Thomas Elicit, and IN 1t eX-
nlained az some length the broad scope OF
The projected banquet set for January 18th.
He also invited Mr.. Cleveland to be his
guest nj his sisters. Mrs. W. X. Quarles,
on west Grace street.
HIS FORMAL DEcLISLTIoN.
Mr.. Joseph Bryan, chairman Of the lnvi-
tation Committee for the banquet, re-
ceived the following letter from the Presi-
dent-elect yesterday:
Your favor of recent date, inviting me
TO attend the banquet in your city on the
25th of January, has been received. In
reply TO a letter from Mr.. Ryan, which
came 10 hand day or two before Your
own, | have already expressed my regrets
that the care and duties now pressing upon
me are such as to make acceptance of the
invitation impossible. / desire TO assure
You. however, that nothing would give me
greater pleasure than an opportunity 10
meet the steadfast Democrats of the Old
Dominion were 1t in my power to do So"
AGAIN URGED TO COME.
Mr. Bryan is still hopeful that the Presi-
dent-elect will be able to be with us on
that occasion, and has sent him the toi-
loving:
Il have your favor OF the 14th. and
deeply regret TO learn your inability 10 at
tend the Democratic banquet here on the
25th Of January. The fight made in VIZ
gina was distinctly upon the lines of prln-
tlIlt anu IOlANN beHCNtilif - liAI7NilhNH -
yourself, and was triumph of the people
which deserves very especial notice, and
your presence on the occasion would give
an encouragement TO the friends of tarlf
reform and sound money such as would DO
felt throughout the South. | shall enter
tam the hope that IN view OF the slEnlh-
canoe of the occasion you may find 1t, al
though now unexpected, IN your power to
honor US with your presence.
Preparations for the great banquet are
assuming definite shane, and 1t IS certain
TO be magnificent affair. The gentlemen
interested in the scheme have been quite
busy raising guarantee fund, and have
met with marked success III their efforts,
while the Supper Committee have held
several sessions and are getting their WORK
well under way. A meeting of the Invita-
ton Committee will be held at the Com
monwealth Club tomorrow night at $3.50
o'clock.
PROMINENT MEN TO COME.
While in New York last week Mr. Bryan
met the Hon. Charles >. Fairchlld, ex-Sec-
rotary of the Treasury, whom he knows
personally well, and told him that he must
not fail to attend the banquet. The dis
tlnguIshed New Yorker said 1t would give
hlm great pleasure to como, and intimated
that he could be counted on to put in an
Of the Southern Society, in conversation
with Mr. BRYAN and other Richmond gen.
tlemen, signifed their desire TO attend the
entertainment, and all spoke of the ban
quet scheme as en- excellent idea, viewed
both from a patriotic and an industrial
standpoint.
LAMONT LIED THE PUDDING.
Mr.. Ryan, in response to question
from a DISPATCH reporter last night, SAID
that he did NOT call Oh Mr.. Cleveland on
this trip; that he was too busy with news
paper matters. He did, however, meet
MIR. Cleveland's close friend and former
private secretary. Colonel Daniel ). La
mont. casually. and the first thing Lamont
SAID to him was. Have you all got any OF
that plum-pudding left. Several OF US who
received hunks of 1t feasted on 1t, aud
Mr.. Cleveland alto 50 much OF 1t that
it made HIM very sick; IN fact. he came
very near dying" Colonel Lamont further
informed Mr. Ryan that Mr.. Cleveland had
not settled upon single Cabinet man
that was last Thursday.