Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-09-19
MR.. BRYAN IN VIRGINIA.

Richmond last night. Mr.. Bryan's greet
ing at the railroad station when he
reached Richmond at 7 o'clock was
fattering enough, but it was as nothing
beside his other and more formal appear
ance.
How many thousand people were at
the station it is impossible TO say but
there were enough at hand to fill the
surrounding streets. They shouted
with an energy inconsistent with the
heat and thronged around MIR. Bryan's
crariage yelling frantically.
MIR. Bryan was whirled away to the
residence of ]. Taylor Ellyson, chair
man of the State democracy, where he
took lunch and was allowed to recover
little from the effects of the heat.
Then he was driven TO the place where
he made his principal address.
The great auditorium of the State
Exposition building was the scene of
the meeting addressed by Mr.. Bryan:
1t is said that there are ten thousand
seats on the floor; several thousand
more in the galleries, and that the
grand capacity with every seat occupl-
ed, every bit of aisle space filled, is
fully ,000 But last night the bases
for these estimates were not available.
Women in cool, summary dresses,
crowded the boxes. Back behind the
seats in the galleries people were pack
ed with uncomfortable closeness.
Even the roof Of the building had its
quota, and through the ventilative tran
SONS was poked line Of faces that
showed the interest their owners felt.
Mr.. Bryan came on the stage leaning
on the arm of ]. Taylor Ellyson: he
was known in an instant and one
mighty shout went up. 1t grew in vol
ume and kept growing until things be-
gan to get uncomfortable with those OF
sensitive ears.
Senator Daniel arose to introduce Mr.
Bryan but at the sight of his we'll
known countenance, the crowd went
wild-wilder even than it had when
Mr.. Bryan came upon the scene. The
Senator waited for the tumult to cease,
but it kept on. Finally, at 8 o'clock he
started to speak. AS he talked the
cheering continued and very few heard
his words. He ended by mentioning
the name of Mr.. Bryan, and as the
young Nebraskan stepped forward the
widest enthusiasm again broke forth.
At last the crowd became quiet enough
Tor the presidential nominee to be
heard, but all though his address there
were shouts of approval, partly sup
pressed cheering and much disor.
der that made it hard for his words
to reach all in the hall. He was in
good voice and his delivery was excel
lent. After the speech Mr.. Bryan was
hurried out a private door to his car
riage just in time to escape the on.rusf
| of the more enthusiastic from the stage
He was taken to the Jefferson Hote
and made an address from the hote
balcony toIaboutl10 900 people gathered
in the street below. Mr.. Bryan spen
the night at the Jefferson.
At the Auditorium Mr.. Bryan said:
"It gratifes me much to find in the
capital city OF this great State, so mark
ed an evidence of the interest which
people are taking in this campaign.
do not come to instruct you on the sub
ject of finance. 1t would be a useles;
task to add anything to that which ha:
already been said by the distinguished
Senator who has brought to the inves
tigation of the money question thai
ability which he has carried into oil hi;
work and who adds to ability elo
quence to present and to eloquence s
magnificent courage to defend democ
racy as it was taught by the fathers
Applause To such a State repre-
sented by John w. Daniel applause
no apostle of bimetallism need come tt
aid in the work Of education. | an
not here as campaigner. lam simply
passing through the State because
would never have come to Virginia
with any thought that my presence
here was necessary to secure the cleo
toral vote of this State. Applause.
II am the nominee Of three conven
tons, but do not appeal to the vote
of any man on the ground that am
nominated by his party. | have o
higher claim to your suflrages than
party ties can give me. | appeal
to you as the only candidate for
the presidency who believes that
the American people can have finan-
cial policy of their own. Applause.
If there is man who respects party
regularity he cannot complain of the
manner of my nomination. The demo
cratic convention which met at Chicago
represented the voters of the demo
cratic party more truly, more complete
| Iv than any convention which has been
held in recent years. That convention
was regularly called by the regular
authorities and delegates were chosen
in every State in the regular manner.
"Ard more than that the issue joined
between the friends of free coinage and
it's enemies was fought out before the
people themselves in the highest tribu-
nal known under our form of govern.
ment. Applause The voter, not the
bosses, ran the Chicago convention
Tapplause and am proud to be the
nominee OF the convention which gave
expression to the hope, the aspirations
of the common people ofthe democratic
party. Applause.
'But with all this claim to regularity,
I do not ask a single democrat 10 vote
for nv election if in his heart he be-
lieves that my election would injure his
country. To me party is but means
to an end, And shall not feel unkind-
" toward any democrat who honestly
and conscientiously puts his country
above his party and votes against me,
if he believes that the policy for which