Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1896-10-13
Big Day in Charles Town.

Thursday last was a regular Dem
ocratic field day in Charles Town,
and the sovereigns were out in force
from all parts of the county. Many
of the houses were decorated with
hunting, and flags hung out from
doors and windows. A large Bryan
banner hung out over Washington
street, from Washington Hall to the
county Jail, bearing on one side the
inscriptions, Bryan and Sewall
Club of Charles Town." Free Silver
for free People," and on the other
side the names of the nominees for
Congress, Governor and State
Senator, and "Land and Labor Pro-
duce All Wealth." The Hotel
Watson also had a Bryan aud Sewall
banner hung across the street, as
likewise had Mr.. Henry DUNN
farther down. Between the Free
Press office and TrapnelI building
the gold Democrats had a banner
composed of a Union and Confeder-
ate flag, with the single inscription
"Palmer and Buckner" on each side,
swinging across the street. Being
unavoidably absent from most of the
speaking, we append the report of
the Baltimore Sun, as follows.
The crowd was composed chiefly
of sturdy farmers and laboring men,
although there were many business
and professional men among them.
| The courthouse, in which the speak
ing was held, was well decorated
with flags and bunting, and back of
the speakers stand a large portrait
of Bryan hung on the wall.
The large courtroom was filed with
earnest Democrats eager TO hear the
free-silver cause argued. The
speaking began at IL O'clock, When
Lieut.. B. C, Washington, presidr mt
of the Bryan and Sewall club of :his
place, called the meeting to order,
and in q few well-chosen remarks
introduced the first speaker, Mr..
w. b. Cornwell, chairman of the
Democratic congressional committee
for the second district of West Vir-
ginia> Mr.. Cornwell spoke for an
hour and q half, and in a very forci-
BILE presented the issue of
the campaign. He said his own
county, Hampshire, would give n
larger democratic majority ir. the
coming election than ever before.
He upheld the Chicago platform in
every particular, and devoted most
OF his speech to the situation of the
of the country with relation
to free silver.
AT 2:oe Q clock the crowd reas-
. am United States Senator
d. ING ey, of Mississippi, was in
troaae@. He spoke two hours, ano
gave = logical exposition of the free
shre r cause. He said the dollar was a
CIR AZURE of leg islation, and if the
republicans could legislate value
I into the gold dollar The Democrats
could legislate value into the silver
dollar. His speech is regarded as
one of the ablest made at this place
in the campaign, and he received
long and enthusiastic applause.
At z o'clock q grand torchlight
procession paraded the streets.
About five hundred horsemen and
several hundred on foot composed
the procession, which marched
through the principal streets with
widest enthusiasm, yelling forBryar
and free silver. The houses were il
Illuminated, and there was a grand dis
play of fireworks. Col. VIM. A
Morgan. deputy sh eriff, was chic
marshal, with the following aids: c,
B. WentzeIl, George w. MARROW.
Logan B. Shut, Robert L.. Withers,
VIM. G. Bates, Tomas Campbell,
Charles E. Jones, W. j. Melvin
Milton Burr, w. l.. Riuehart, G. L.
Rau, w. B. Cross, j.. H. Buckle;
and w. S. Merchant. Over three
thousand people thronged the streets
and the scene equalled the one which
greeted Postmaster-General Wilson
VIII en- he made his famous speech il
this place two years ago at the open
ing of his campaign then.
After the parade the courthouse
was entirely too small to accommo
date the crowd, and not more thar
half of the people could gain admit
lance. Speeches were made at nigh
by Hon. Charles 81. Turner, Exon
gresham from New York, and
member of Tammany Hall, and Mr.
w. r. Alexander, of Winchester
Va. Both gentlemen made splendid
speeches on the silver issue, ant
were greeted with applause. Thu
day was a very successful one TO
Democracy in Jefferson county.
4 Silver Democrats claim Michigan
l.. ~ nnO .oijtv