Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-10-14
A DEMOCRATIC RALLY.
Speeches by Hon. T.. r. Meredith and
eS-State Senator Z. W. Moore.

this district, and ex-State Senator R.
Walton Moore. Considering the fact
that the public had had but few hours
notice of the meeting, the gathering
was phenomenal. There was no brass
band nor any other adjunct to a politi-
cal meeting, and people entered the
hall and sought seats in the same or
DERBY manner observed in theatres.
About eight o'clock Mr.. l.. C. Barley,
chairman of the city democratic COM
mittee, advanced to the footlights Of
the stage and in few well-timed re-
marks introduced Mr.. Meredith to the
audience. He said, in substance, that
the country was now III the throes of a
mighty political issue, a time when it
was the prerogative and duty of the
people to say who should frame the
laws to govern this great and growing
nation, and to say who can best meet
the momentous issues involved and en-
act laws for the good of the greatest
number. The attention, he said, OF all
patriotic citizens should be enlisted in
the questions now prominently brought
before the country. AT the conclusion
of Mr.. Barley's words Of introduction,
in which he said the men to speak were
of the type always found in the fore
front of the battle, Mr.. Meredith adj
vanced amid uproarious applause,a dog
which had followed some patri-
otto democrat in the house evinc-
ing its enthusiasm, too, in Sc
ries of short barks The speaker
began by saying he felt gratilied TO OBJ
serve the evidences OF old AieXandria's
growing prosperity, and TO be able to
note the fact that she was surely torg-
ing ahead in every point Of view, and
made special mention of the electric
railway and other enterprises which
are the outgrowth ofthe city's increas-
ING Importance. He said ii would be
supertluous to 20 into all the details
of the political issues now confronting
us before such an intelligent democrat
ic audience, as it was to be supposed
those composing it read the newspapers
and new as much Of the vital matters
at stake as,he. The speaker said I'VE
are here to win the fight" and he pro-
ceeded to give his hearers his reasons
for being sanguinc of success. He re-
e. rcd to the overwhelming democratic
majority rolled up in Georgia which
had proven to be the death knell of the
third party in that section, and drew
cheering pictures of what all good dem
ocrats believe will he the result of the
election next month. He spoke AT
length of the iniquitous tariff laws sad
died on the country by the republican
party. and said some of the members Of
that party themselves acknowledged
the consumers paid these unjust inn
posts. IN short, the unfairness of such
laws was SO patent that it would be an
insult to most mems intelligence 10 un-
dertake to prove it. He spoke of the
republican bargain and sale game in
federal elections, the buying up of
States and all the dark ways and tricks
of the party now seeking to continue
the little man under his grandtather's
hat in the Presidential chair. The in
famous force bill was exposed
and shown up in its most glazing
light, and the horrors portrayed which
would be foisted on the South should
that dctestable measure ever become
law. Mr.. Meredith next turned his
guns on what is known as the third
party, and in Il humorous and forcible
manner dessicated tho candidates fer
President and Vice President and the
would-bc Congressman from this dis
trict on that ticket He said this mon
grel faction was headed by the mean
est of the meanest-men who had been
politoa! tramps and who had been dis
appointed in other parties in their cx-
travagant ambitions. Gen. Weaver,
for instance, had been ''all things to all
men," He had been republican, Il
democrat greenbacker, Il follower of
Belva Lockwood and was now figure
head for third party of Missionaries
with the most impractical notions re-
gardipg political economy that had
ever been set forth by sensible men.
Weaver was ready to ride any hobby
or run on any platform to be Presi-
Dental candidate, which, however, was
all he ever would be- Mr. Meredith
next proceeded to analyze this aspir-
ants war record, and showed that his
military power was cXertcd over South
ern people as vigorously as that alleged
of Butler at Baltimore and New Or
leans. He had taken property from
our people and when asked for vouchers
had replied that instead Of vouchers
halters should be provided with which
to hang each of them. How any ljT-
qiniaa could be so low as to vote for
such man the speaker couldn't under
stand. General Field, who, accord
ing to Mr.. Meredith, was major in the
qaatermasier's department during the
war, and who by sheer accident was
once Attorney General of Virginia by
the support of the party he has since
betrayed, was the next target for the
speakers guns. He called attention to
the $l,500 he uniustly took from
the people of the State and
which he never refunded, although the
Court of Appeals rendered judgment
against him, and produced proof which
went to show that this individual now
seeking votes in Virginia is in faror Of
the force bill. After letting go this as
pirant for the honor of presiding over
the United States Senate, he switched
off on s. b. Turner, who has the Con-
gressional bee in his bonnet. Mr..
Meredith in his opening remarks on
Mr.. Turner said the latter reminded
him of an anecdote about a little boy
who wanted his head felt by an anna
teur phrenologist, when the latter told
the urchin he was at the time too
drunk to read small print by candle
!