Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-10-28

enthusiastic meeting than was held last
night in the Opera House under the au-
spices of the Bryan, Sewall and Rixey
Club. The hall auditorium and GAL
lery) was literally packed-not with
curiosity seekers, but with simon-pure
democrats, determined at all hazards to
cast their solid vote for the democratic
nominees. Many ladies occupied seats
in the gallery, and their presence both
inspired the speakers and enthused the
audience, and when Mr.. Hathaway IN
his speech asked the audience II they
ever saw ladies at republican meeting
cries of mo" and deateninS yells lol-
lowed. Before the assembling of the
audience in the hall the Third Regi-
ment Drum Corps enlivened the streets
with stirring music, while wagon,
which had been improvised into trl-
umphal car or mammoth transparency
on wheels, moved through the streets
amid a blaze of red light. About eight
o'clock, when the meeting was called to
order. every seat in the hall had an oc-
cupant. Mr.. John 7. Sweeney, chair
man of the city democratic committee,
called the assemblage to order and III
few fitting remarks introduced
Hon. John F. Rixey, democratic
uominee for Congress from this
district. Tremendous applause greet
ed Mr.. RiXey as he arose and ed-
vanced, and when order had been re-
stored, ne began his remarks by saying
! his speech would of necessity be brief,
| as his throat was out of order by reason
of the labors of the past week in this
Congressional district. Most of the
time, he said, he had made addresses in
the open air, and the effect was appar-
ent to his audience Mr.. RiXey said he
could not 90 into discussion of the
monetary issue involved in the present
canvass, but would leave that to those
who were to follow him, but he would
say that if elected to Congress, and ne
expected to be, (Voice-'You will") he
would exert himself early and late to
further the interests of the district he
represented. During the course of his
speech Mr.. Rixey alluded to Hon.
Elisha Meredith, who for the past six
wears has been our representative in
Congress. He said Mr. Meredith had
been assidious in his labors for the ad
vancement of the interests of the dis
trict, and it was the speakers determi-
nation to take up the work and push 1t
on with all the powers and resources at
his command. He referred to Alexan-
dria as being the only city in the district
and the material aid she should receive
from the general government, He par
ticularly urged the memorial bridge
should be built as we'll as Mount Yer
non Avenue, and pledged himself 10
devote especial attention to these pro
posed improvements. Mr.. Rixey closed
by giving cheering description OF the
| prospects in the district, and admon-
ished Alexandrians not to be led away
by the false gods of the republican aud
socalled sound money people. (Cries
of "No."0 He had been all over it
and had found democratic ardor in no
wise ahated, and he was confident the
old Eighth district would roll up
very satisfactory vote for the NOM
inees of the party. When Mr.
Rixey mentioned the name OF
Mark Hanna misses followed, and ref
erence to his money brought forth the
exclamation from many Threats, 1--WE
don't want it," Tremendous applause,
lasting for some time, followed as Mr..
Rixey took his seat.
Mr.. Sweeney then introduced Mr.. l..
P. MacheD, of Fairfax. The speaker
is young man, but he proceeded but
few seconds when it was manifest to his
hearers that he was an Elihu among his
elders. He gave rapid review of the
present condition of the country, es-
pecially the financial aspect, and vivid
ly portrayed the dire results which
have followed the decentralization OF
silver, and drew logical conclusions of
what would follow should MIR. Bryan
be elected. Mr.. Machen kept his audi
ence in good humor during all the
time he spoke by numerous apt anec
dotes and happy filings, producing tre-
mendous outbursts of laughter At
times, however, his pathos and elo
quence were striking. He said, among
other things, in referring to Palmer,
the leader of the gold democrats, that
he had been in all parties and had be-
trayed them ali. In olden times, when
the Israelites offered sacrifice, they
were told to select a lamb without
blemish. The boilers from the demo-
cratic party when they desired TO sacri
fee upon their altar OF gold had picked
out the oldest and most disreputable
buck which could be found in the 20.
litical arena. Mr.. Machen declared
that Messrs. Cleveland and Carlisle
were no more democrats than were
they prohibitionists. He said his
structures were upon the leaders
of the gold democrats who had caused
some of the rank and file of the old
party to wander off. Voice-"We
don't miss them. Let them gol"
These leaders, he declared, no longer
able to domineer the democratic party
were endeavoring to wreck it, and
were putting old Palmer out as de-
coy duck. But, said he, he will be a
very dead duck after the election.
Every time he mentioned Mr.. Bryan's
name the audience went off in spasms
of applause.
MIR. Howard Hathaway, member of
the House of Delegates from Lancaster,
followed Mr.. Machen. He, too, is a
young man. but he soon proved him
self youthful patriarch of no ordi.
nary calibre. He entertained the audi.
ence for about an hour, taking up
every issue involved in the contest and