Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-24
THEY CHBERED EVERY TIME
Bryan's Name Was Mentioned at the Buck
ner Meeting in Richmond


ner Meeting in Richmond.
Richmond, Va, Sept. 23.-The meeting
in this city tonight under the auspices of
the gold democrats and at which General
Buckner, Col. John r. Fellows of New
York and Governor O'Ferral were an
nounced to speak, was a success in point
of numbers. The Academy of Music, in
which 1t was held was crowded to it's
utmost capacity, there being many la
dies in the audience and hundreds of per-
sons were turned away from the doors.
But before the speaking was over the
mingling of Kisses and cheers evidenced
that in it's financial views the audience
were greatly divided. Bryan's name was
cheered whenever mentioned Colonel
Fellows did not reach the city, but Gen
eral Buckner arrived this afternoon. He
was met at Ashland by Messrs. Peyton
Wise, M. T. Logan, Joseph Braun, Archer
Anderson. w. r. Meredith. Charles S.
Stringfellow, A. l.. Boulware and A. M.
Saddon, who accompanied him to Rich
mond.
Governor OFerrall presided over the
meeting tonight and was introduced by
General Peyton Wise. The governors
address was largely the event of the
evening, as he had but recently given his
adherence to the Palmer Buckner ticket,
and the public were on tip toe to hear
what he would say.
The governor opened by congratulate
ing the meeting on the presence of Sc
rious, thoughtful men who wanted some
thing better than appeals to passion. He
said he was democrat and that he had
never cast ballot for man who was
not democrat for any office from con-
stable to president. But he found now
that his party had fallen upon evil times
and it's accredited representatives had
forsaken true faith, departed from the
ways of the fathers and embraced the
Wild vagaries of populism and even more
dangerous heresies. With the conviction
that II the Chicago platform prevailed it
would bring ruin on the country he
would be the veriest slave IL he were to
allow the ties of party to bind him to
the support of such platform.
When well meaning men in a Whirlwind
of excitement cast democratic principles
aside 1t Is the duty of the calm and sober
to cling TO them and uphold them till rea-
son resumes It's sway. Democracy will
never perish while hearts beat in the bos-
oms of such men as Cleveland and Palm
er, Buckner, Wilson, Flower, Lamont and
others. Those of our brethren who have
been seduced from the faith and are wan
derfng in the wilderness of populism
when the scales fall from their eyes will
return and renew their allegiance to the
true principles enunciated by the immor-
tai founder of democracy.
The governor repudiated the charge of
being boiler. When delegates sent to
democratic convention adopted a plat
form not democratic there is no rule to
require democrat to vote for that plat
form. Suppose that he We're technically
a bolter from the party, the Chicago con-
vention has done worse, for 1t has bolted
democratic principles. Suppose during
the war a majority of the Confederate
army had deserted to the enemy, would
the minority who remained and stood by
the flag have been boilers? Populsm
was as much an enemy of democracy as
republicanism, and he shrank from the
one and detested the other. When Bryan
declared that he would not vote for a
gold nominee the cry of treason" was
not heard. Why should the cry of bolt
err be raised against democrats who
would not support a silver nominee?
The governor said that in taking his
present course he had done so with great
regret at parting with valued party
friends but he hoped 1t would not be long
before they would be together again,
fighting. as in the past, for real democrat
lie supremacy.
The governor then introduced General
Buckner in high terms of eulogy, and
closed with warm tribute to President
Cleveland