The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-10-20
John Wise AT OXFORD HALL.
Large and Orderly Crowd Hears
Him.

Oxford Hall was densa.y packed last
night with an audience composed of Re-.
pubhcans and Democrats to hear Hon.
John S. Wise speak upon the issues of
the day.
The meeting was called TO order by
Judge Z. w. Murdough. who nominated
Mr.. w. II. Fairless as chairman of the
meeting a vote being taken he was
elected unanimously.
Mr.. Fairless, in assuming charge said
That he was proud of the honor con-
lerred on HIM, but was glad that he was
not expected to speak. as he had spoken
during the day in that old historic town
OF Yorktown to n large and interested
audience. who were eager TO hear the
truth from 4 Republican speaker. He
further said that he had been refused
by the Democrats in that town the use
OF the Courthouse, and that he had to
provide place elsewhere. He said that
he had made overtures to the Demo-
Gratis for division of time on any terms.
but he had been refused, and that was
the case in seven out of the ten Con-
Sressional districts where he had spoken.
He claimed that the Democrats did not
want the people to hear the truth from
both sides and never were people more
anxious to do 50. He closed his re-
marks by saying that Virginia would
say TO Maine. I'VE join hands with you
and Will give Mckinley and Hobart a
majority Of $4,000 on the Sd of Novem-
II. -.
Wise as the speaker of the evening
MIR. Wise arose and apoligiZcd for not
having on his store clothes, but said ne
had good suit over in Norfolk, but
did not have time Ia put them on. He
next apoligizcd for his hoarsencss and
said he lad been speaking and was
broken down. He spoke OF the Demo-
cracy four years ago. of defeating the
Republicans and how unexpected Ii was
and how sore 1t made them fell, but said
they are whooping themselves. and that
seymour Randall or Tildcn was not half
so dead in their graves rs the party was
now. He compared them as leaders of
the party to the present leaders.
He spoke OF how dead Cleveland. Car
isle and Whitney were now and said
that n little yellow dog that passed
across the stage about that time with
his tail coiled up was Of more consc-
quence than these men were.
lie then spoke of the Democratic plat
form. taking every portion of it and
commenting on the same. lie gave a
description of Bryan's visit to New York
and how he expected to set il on fire a
he had done the West. but that the
Shrewd monoymakers, who knew moth
ing hut business and ask what have you
got. what 10 YOU want and what is
there in it. wanted To know what he had.
ana before he had spoken fifteen min
utes they knew what he had and saw
that lie was trying to array the masses
against CLASSES He took his speech and
criticised every portion Of 1t. and npol-
oEiZed for not having it with him. as
he usually kept. it, and when M. was
nervous anu tired he read about fifteen
pages of ii and went To sleep and slept
sound. and so would his hearers if they
undertook TO read il, and that on No
vcmbcr I'd Bryan would also 70 to
sleep, never TO rise any more. He de-
nounced Bryan as q dcmagoEue and said
he was trying to bring about strife more
serious than the civil war. He warned
his hearers against him or his teachings
He clasSed him among the asses and not
the classes. He then took up the plat
form in reference IL the Supreme Court
and culosizcd it in the highest terms and
SAID that it was looked upon 10y all ma
lions as The highest tribunal of the
world. ana that its decisions were quot
Ell by all Governments and that Lord
Salisbury. OF England. had said that it
WAS what England needed. He con-
demned the Democratic platform for
cundcMning the Court and said that
Bryan and his followers wanted to break
~ The Court. After he had concluded
with that he took up the question of l6
- !. ana dwelt upon the free and UNI
limited coinage of silver 70. some time,
showing from a Republican standpoint
IN. injury it would bring Ia this coun-
Try lie spoke for nearly three hours
and was loudly applaudcd At times.
ile claimed that scarcity of money
WAS not the cause II hard times. but il
was one Of those things that comes to
every country one" in Il while. and that
these hard times had been coming for
several years. He said that three years
ago he was in England and that every
body was crying hard times, ana that
farmers were receiving nothing for
their crops, but now cveryohly was
pro.perinr. and that il would lie so
with us. but not under free silver. He
said ne really believed that some of the
silver men thought that if Bryan was
elected that money would be dumped
At their doors like GOA, TIN audience
was attentive ana there were no irter-
runtions ut all.