Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-11-02
PALMER & BUCKNER MEETING
Speeches by Messrs. Morgan Beach OF
this city, and Henry II. Davis.
of Washington.

night by an audience, many of whom
were gold.standard democrats, with q
sprinkling of republicans, some free sill
yer democrats and few ladies. The
stage was decorated with flags and pic
lures of Palmer and Buckner. A drum
corps furnished music for the occasion.
Shortly after eight O'Clock Mr.. Thos.
Cockrell called the meeting to order
and made few remarks in which he
stated that the democratic party, mean.
ing the branch he represented, "had
kept the faitb;" that it had withstood
the storms of obstruction days, the
turmoils of readiustcrism and was des
tined to ride out the tempest Of popu-
liism. He then introduced MIR. Nor
gan Beach as the first speaker OF the
evening. Mr.. Beach had not proceed
ed far before it became apparent that
some of the audience were hostile to
the political principles he was enunci-
ating. Every time he mentioned
Grover Cleveland Kisses were heard in
the back part of the house and uproar.
ious applause followed when he referred
to William Jennings Bryan. The speak
er undertook to bring about concilia-
ton by saying the last time he attempt
ed to speak his audience were bent On
doing most of the talking in the way OF
interrogations, and he feared both had
left the hall misunderstood. He hoped
all would part on this occasion in good
humor and thoroughly understanding
each other. He had, he said, ever since
he reached his majority voted the dem
ocratic ticket, and he then proceeded to
give his reasons why he could not vote
for the ticket and platform proclaimed
at Chicago. Mr.. Beach said he was in
favor of civil service, free trade and
free speech. Some had said people
would vote for Palmer rather than in.
cur the odium of being republicans, but
he could not see why any odium should
attach to man who was an hon
est republican. The speaker then
went into an exhaustive history
of the issues now confronting the
people of the United States, and said
one question to be settled was whether
dTONtI SloSOIhuu was W NC L lCSiUCiit
of the nation or Eugene V. Debs; Or
was Mr.. Cleveland to be the execu
tive or Governor Altgeld. The speaker
then went into the details of the ques-
ton raised by the strike in Chicago two
years ago, and asked if the portrait OF
Chief Justice John Marshall was to be
taken from the Supreme Court room to
make room for that of Benjamin Till.
man. When Mr.. Beach referred to
free silver loud applause followed. The
crowd in the back part of the hall had
materially increased and Bryan and
Sew all emblems were to be seen in pro-
fusion. The speakers concluding re-
marks, though uttered in concllia-
tory spirit, were not we'll received by
the element alluded to, which was be-
coming more aggressive every minute,
and Kisses emanated from them.
After the drum corps in attendance
had discoursed some music, Mr.. Cock
rell again advanced to the foot lights.
After congratulations as to the repre-
sentative audience present, he intro
duced Mr.. Henry e. Davis, of Wash
ington. He began by abiding to the
Kisses which had gone up when Mr..
Cleveland's name had been mentioned,
and said, presumably ironically, he had
not expected to hear discordant note.
He had great faith in the future, and
hoped and prayed for America. If any
man, said he, doesn't like Grover Cleve
land, God help him. Kisses, Of course,
followed, as the speaker expected, his
manner being defiant from the first
He said he was just from Maryland,
and could dodge eggs as we'll as hisses
No one threw eggs, however, if the
speaker anticipated any such thing and
came here in hope Of meeting such re-
ception. He kept referring to Mr..
Cleveland, knowing the effect his name
would produce on part of his audience
and said his name would 60 down
in history as a hero. Kisses follow
ed this prediction. Mr.. Davis said he
had right to come to Virginia. His
mother first saw the light in the Old
Dominion. Interruptions and confu-
sion finally caused him to proclaim
that all who did not desire to hear him
could leave the hall. No one left. how
ever, and the speaker proceeded. He
said he had always been a democrat,
and hoped he would never be anything
else. He finally reached point in his
speech when it was necessary to mon
ton MIR. Bryan's name. He had an.
ticipated the result, and tremendous
applause Immediately followed. Order
was finally restored and MIR. Davis pro-
ceeded. He affirmed that Mr.. Bryan
was populist, and this precipitated
what had been apprehended all the
evening" decided interruption and
an intermission in his speech lasting
several minutes. A fish horn was
loudly blown. A Bryan democrat
who had taken his stand in the orches-
ira challenged the statement rather alb.
ruptly and was taken out of the hall
by one of the two officers on duty.
Considerable disorder had followed,
the man who had been elected return
ing to the head of the steps and having,
it was alleged, renewed the disorder. He
was pushed down the stairs by one of
the gentlemen who had helped to get
up the meeting. Another member OF
the audience got into colloquy with
policeman and ne, too, was taken out.
AT this juncture it was apparent that
further and more serious trouble was
inevitable if some decided measures
were not adopted, and Mayor Thomp-
son, who was present, endeavored and
succeeded for time, or as long as he
remained. in preserving order. He