Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-10-06
EN-PRESIDENT HARRISON IN
RICHMOND.
Ex-President BENJAMIN Harrison

Ex-Presldent Benjamin Harrison ad-
dressed 5000 people at Richmond last
night at the Auditorium building.
Judge Lewis, who presided over the
meeting, presented the speaker.
Virginia" said Mr.. Harrison, sis
not the enemy's country to me. 1t is
my ancestral home and its citizens are
my fellow citizens. The time when the
North and the South were arrayed
against each other is to us now only
memory. We are again one united,
loyal people, and Virginia stands to-
day, believe, as firmly and united for
the flag as any State in the federal union.
II any foreign power tramples upon
that flag, or invades our shores, Indiana
and Virginia will charge together
against the enemy, and then what shall
stay the onslaught? Iregret to notice
in this campaign an assault is made
upon the just constitutional power Of
the national government. The incident
out of which this grows is known as the
great Chicago riot. There was defiance
of law in the great organized bodies
who went through the streets of Chi
cago with fire and sword destroying
property, interrupting all railroad COM
munication, stopping the passage of the
United States mail, and the progress Of
commerce between the States. Does
Virginia mean to express her consent
this fall that the mails in Virginia may
be stopped by mob in any city? Does
Virginia mean to say that she is content
that the products of her State on the
way to another State may be stopped
By an irresponsible mob in any city in
the land? The courts OF the United
States were appealed to and the right
OF injunction, by which the courts re
strain lawless conspiracies to oppose
the laws, was used, and yet the Presi-
dent who executed the law and the
courts that used their powers to prevent
violation Of law, are both denounced in
the Chicago platform
The speaker then declared that Sena-
tor Daniel had introduced and had
passed resolution in the Senate in.
dorsing the act of President Cleveland
and yet he had presided over q conven-
ton which denounced that very act.
Continuing Mr.. Harrison said: The
candidate of the Chicago convention
mas accepted every word and sentence
of the Chicago convention and is there
fore in effect pledged that if ne should
be President aud mob should lift the
red flag Of anarchy and stay the pro-
gress of your mails, he would not inter-
iere until the Governor of the State
ssked him to. Citizens of Virginia,
whatever may have teen your party
affiliations, are you prepared for that -
The remainder of Mr.. Harrison's
speech was devoted to the discussion
OF the financial question.
The rival applause for Mckinley and
Bryan interrupted Mr.. Harrison several
times. There were a few disorderly
persons present, and the police arrested
some Of them and took them from the
hall. Once the lights went out, and
the building was in darkness for FIVE
minutes. during which Mr.. Harrison
suspended his remarks. The going out
of the lights was accidental, however.
The Dispatch says: General Harri-
son did not begin to answer the argu-
ments of the democratic speakers who
preceded him here. The e1-President's
audience was cold and unresponsive,
and but little applause was given the
speaker"
Mr.. Harrison left the city last night
for West Virginia,