The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-09-19
Enthusiastic Thousands Meet Him at the
Station and Listen to His EIoquenCe.
SEVEN THOUSAND PEOPLE HEAR HIM.
He Could Hardly Speak for the
Thunders OF Applause from ELS
Audience-At the Station on His
Departure tho crowd Was so Dense
He Could Scarcely Get Away.

Petersburg, Va, Sept. 1s.-(Special)-
Hon. William Jennings Bryan arriv-
ed here this afternoon from Rocky
Mount, N. c., where he was met
by large delegation of citizens of Pc
tersburg, headed by Mayor Charles f.
Collier.
On his arrival here Mr.. Bryan found a
crowd estimated at 1000 people to whom
he spoke from stand erected in front
OF the Albemarle Hotel. The porticoes
and windows of the hotel were crowded
with ladies, while the great crowd gave
tion
People came a distance of over fifty
miles 10 see and hear the Democratic
Presidential nominee discuss the issues
of the campaign.
Major Francis r. Lassiter, introduced
Mr.. Bryan.
Mr.. Bryan spoke as follows:
Ladies and Conference.-The Demo-
cratic party at Chicago adopted a plat
form. That platform has driven from
the party many who formerly acted with
the party. ca voice, Let them go" APP
plau<e0 l am not going to say a word
TO try to prevent any Democrat from
voting IS he pleases. l have never
heretofore asked any Democrat to vio-
late his conscience or to act contrary to
ms best Judgment and young as l am
1 am too old TO commence now. (Ap-
plause.) The Democratic party has
spoken. The Democrat tic party has writ
ten It's platform. The Democratic vot-
ers In convention assembled had n right
10 write the platform. and any man
who does not like the platform can get
out of the party and call himself some
thing else. (Applause) What 1 mean
10 say Is this, that man who objects to
what the Democratic party did has a
right to object, but he has no right to
call himself Democrat. Either the
name Democrat belongs to a majority
OF the party or 10 the minority. | have
always said that the name belonged No
the majority. and the majority had
a right TO determine what the policy of
the party should be. (Applause.)
simply want 10 say this that if there is
democrat who Is going to vote for Nc
hinley this year. L want him TO do II.
Knowing what il means don't want
MN TO say II Is merely a temporary de-
Tarture from the Democratic party. I
want him to know that when the Demo-
cratic party is engaged in the struggle
as II Is now. that any man who deserts
II III the race of the enemy will never
get back unless he comes in sackcloth
and ashes. Great applause0
we ask no quarter from those who
are ashamed to say they are going 10
vote the Republican ticket. and yet in
tend 10 vote the Republican ticket
lGreat applause) ! say we ask no quar-
ter of them; and we expect to give them
no quarter either"
Mr.. Biyan's speech was punctuated
throughout by the most deafening ap-
plause.
When he concluded and started to
come down from the stage the great
crowd surged around the stand anxious
to shake hands with him. Mr.. BRYAN
with uplifted hands told the great mul-
tltude that he could not shake hands
with all of them. and that If he shook
hands with one and not with another
he would be monopolist. and he did
not want that title applied to him.
Mr.. Bryan was driven from the place
OF speaking TO the Union depot in a
carriage In which were seated United
States District Attorney Francis Rives
Lassiter and Mr.. Bryan's two stenogra-
piers.
The driver was Captain w. S. Nc
Cahce, a member of the City Council
several thousand people followed Mr.
BRYAN to the depot, and a lady threw
MN large bouquet.
Quite large crowd was waiting there
anu anu Mr. Bryan was again surrounded.
thiS tlne by many women young and old
ana more men. all clamorng for a flow
er from bouquet which he held in his
nand. For few minutes there was a
hVeiy scene. When the last bud had
Deen distributed Mr.. Bryan went aboard
ms car and waited there until 629.
when regular train came along. The
car was attached. and the candidate
started for Richmond.
Manchester. across the river from
Richmond. turned out about 5000 people,
10 whom Mr.. Bryan made a short
speech.
Is Probably Fake.