Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-08-30
THE poPULIST CONVENTION.

in this city this morning. Inc CONVEX
ton was but shiny attended and but
few spectators were present. When the
convention met there were not % del
egates in the hall.
B. B. Turner, of Fauquier, district
chairman, called the convention to Or
der and suggested that q recess be
taken until two O'Clock in order to give
the delegates from other counties time
to arrive. Robert Beverly, of Fauquier,
opposed this, saying that this was only
preparing to stay here two days, and
that all the delegates he had talked
with from Fauquier were going home
this evening. On his motion it was de-
cided to go on with the business OF the
convention.
A committee was appointed to select
permanent chairman and secretaries.
In the appointment of committees 1T
was found that but four counties out ct
the ten, Prince William, Fairfax, Lou
doun, and Fauquier, were represented.
The committee, composed OF J.
w. Bradshaw, of Loudoun; b. r.
Smith, of Fauquier; R. B. Smith,
of Prince William, and E. NJ.
Pitmap, of Fairfax, reported John
G. Herndon, of Loudoun, for per.
manent chairman and E. III. Pitman, OF
Fairfax, as permanent secretary. Mr.
Herndon thanked the convention and
stated that the convention was ready
to proceed to business.
On motion of ]. Brad. Beverly the
convention proceeded to select three
members of the State central commit
tee and 8 district chairman, as the
term of the present chairman had ex-
pired. The chairman then announced
the following appointments: Members
of the central committee, l. n. May, OF
Louisa; P. W. Carper, of Loudoun, and
J. NJ. Green, of Culpeper, and the ap-
pointments were confirmed by the con-
vention.
1t being deemed advisable to post
pone further business, hoping that
more delegates might arrive, MIR. r. S.
Tharen, of Washington, was called on
to speak. He addressed the meeting,
taking for his subject the misrule of
corporations and the necessity of more
money. He made no new points.
A committee on platform and resolu-
tons was then appointed as follows ::
]. B. Beverly, of Fauquier Robt. Ty-
Ter, Of Prince William j. W. Brad
shaw, of Loudoun I; E. M. Pitman, of
Fairfax, and E. II. Hawkins, of Alex
ardria, and they were directed to re-
port at o'clock. After some opposi-
ton had been made to recess on the
ground that some OF the. members
wished to 90 home this evening the
convention at 1890 recessed until 1:30
o'clock.
When the convention re-assembled
after o'clock the attendance was even
smaller than at the morning session.
Robert H. Tyler, of Prince William,
was elected district chairman.
Col. Beverly stated that he had re-
ceived letter from State Chairman
Hobson requesting that this convention
take steps for raising funds for cam
paign paper. Col. Beverly moved that
each county chairman in the district
should take steps to raise from S25 to
500 in aid of the establishment of an
organ, which motion was carried.
Mr.. J. Brad. Beverly, chairman of the
resolutions committee, then appeared
on the stage in his shirt sleeves
and slowly read the platform which
after an elaborate preamble de-
nouncing the administration of both
republicans and democrats and reciting
their shortcomings, contained resolu-
tions as follows:
1st. A free ballot and fair count i;
non-partizan election laws.
End. Denounces the contraction of
the currency, demands increased cur
rency, free silver coinage at the rates of
16 to 1, supplemented by non-interest
bearing treasury notes.
Ord. Equal and uniform taxation
levied according to production and
conservative values.
4th. Fostering of the public school
system.
After considerable debate relative to
the preamble the renort was adopted.
A discussion on The preamble arose
from the fact of its recognition of "God
aud His wondrous works." This clause
was Objectionable to some and after
considerable debate the convention ap'
parently concluded that as the commit
tee had put God there it would be dis.
tasteful to the committee and insulting
to God to take Him away, therefore
the preamble was allowed to stand.
Mr.. TYLER, who had been elected dis
trict chairman during his absence, en-
tered the convention and declined the
office and Mr.. j. Brad. Beverly was
then elected.
The convention then proceeded to
nominate candidate for Congress.
Mr.. Robert Tyler put in nomination
Mr.. John Stevens Mason, of Fauquier
county, and Mr.. J. N. Fields, of Eau.
quier, seconded the nomination, and
Mr.. Mason was unanimously nomi-
mated.
A committee consisting of Messrs.
Bradshaw, Shackelford and Glasscock
were then appointed to conduct MIR.
Mason to the hall.
The committee soon returned with
Mr.. Mason, whom the chairman intro
duced, and he then proceeded to read
written address to the convention.
He denounced the administration of the
democratic party as one of "perfidy
and dishonor;n he accepted the nomi-
nation which had been rendered him
and pledged that if elected he would
faithfully represent the people; he
spoke of the 9th congressional district
as the noblest and best in the State;
declared that up to this hour he had
been democrat, but saw more demo-