Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-05-19
MAJOR HOGE TYLER.
RICHMOND, May IS.

lu0 u0LuOCTdIlC SbdI0 COmultICO Whi
meet in Richmond Thursday night to
fix the basis of representation in the
next gubernatorial convention, and to
select a place where the convention
shall be held. The city that is accord
ed the honor of having the convention
in her bailiwick will have to pro-
vide accommodations for at least two
thousand visitors, as reduced railroad
rates which will no doubt be given at
that time will induce many enthusiast
| tic democrats from all sections of the
State to attend the convention. The
near approach of the convention recalls
echoes of the n held four years ago.
Then O'Ferrall walked off with the
| honor, defeating Hoge Tyler from the
Southwest. In defeat Tyler proved
great, and to-day his star is verify in
the ascendant even in Richmond city,
the home of his most prominent com.
| petitor. CHANGING over some of my
| old shorthand notes of the convention
held here four years ago l find many
| splendid u~tterances made by promi-
nent Virginia democrats on that mem
orable occasion. O'Ferrall, flushed
with the nomination, gave expression
to this sentiment: "Oh, Virginia {!
With no wrinkle wrought by time on
thy majestic brow, with every laurel
leaf with which generations have be-
decked in it's place, rich in the lineage
and loyalty of thy sons, radiant in thu
beauty and virtue OF thy daughters,
thou has entrusted thy rights, liberties
and welfare into our hands, and we
swear to maintain, promote, defend
and preserve her." This seemed to be
the finest period O'Ferrall made, or
rather it evoked more applause than
any thing else he said. Hardly had the
echo of O'Ferrall's voice reached the
end of the big convention hall than the
delegates from all parts of the room
started the cry "Tyler, Tyler" and it
seemed that the convention would not
he satisfied unless they heard a speech
from Tyler.
He was presented and made a capital
speech. He kept the convention in IN
uproar of laughter, mingled with tre-
mendous applause, until he reached his
conclusion, when he became serious and
spoke beautifully ofdemocracy. When
he stepped upon the platform and in
his most inimitable manner said ut
seems to m that q democratic CONVEX
ton when it assemblies in the city Of
Richmond in the hot month of August
is the stubbornest thing l ever saw-it
wont take a good thing when it can get
1t for nothing" The convention here
broke forth in great laughter. The cry
went up from different parts Of the hall
"We will give it to you next time Major
Tyler" Continuing he said ZIP the
next place l will remark that this thing
is getting rather monotonous. General
Nye said that the generality of man.
kind in general are disposed to exercise
oppression on the generality humankind
in general Somebody caught him at
this point and said "You had better
stop, General; it seems to me that you
are coming out of the very anne hole
you went in at" This is the case with
me" he said"Ihave about come out at the
same hole l went in at. Will somebody
tell me Where / am at" cloud ap.
plause and laughter followed by cries
of "You will be the next GOVERNOR
Then summing up the situation from a
philosophic standpoint he continued {:
well, the only way l car account for
this state of affairs is on the hypothesis
as Brother Baxter once said '"Phe other
man must have gotten the most votes
Why am I here again? Why am l
again escorted before q democratic con
yention under these embarrassing cir
cumstances? To endorse. your nominee
you say? Yes; l will do that. ] would
endorse your nominee even had he been
myself" This was another signal for
another tremendous outburst of APP.
plause, and when the applause had sub
| sided he evoked much laughter by this
sentiment Endorsing the nominee is
not such a hard thing to dot is saying
80 when you don't want to-"
And here is how he paid his respects
| to his successful competitor: "This
| thing of endorsing a man all of a sud-
den that you nave been trying to down
| with all your might is, as l have before
| remarked, the refinement of cruelty.
| (Laughter). But here it goes. If no.
| body else will endorse him 1 reckon l
| will have to do it. (Renewed laughter.)
! I am ready to give him my endorse
ment, but 1 tell you l would rather give
| him anything else. cloud %laughter.)
[ would rather give him the Asiatic
| cholera, or the hydrophobia, or the
brain fever" At this point the risibili-
| ties of the convention seemed to know
| no bounds, and when the speaker ad-
| ded land 1 believe if I had had a little
! longer time to run after him I would
| have given all these and many other
/ Diseases" there was loud applause.
| Getting down to the subject again he
| added II had him (O'FerralD so bad.
ly scared l am afraid 1 have disqualified
! him for the duties of the high Office to
which you have nominated him, and l
believe you had better reconsider and
nominate me yet" Voices, "We will
nominate you next time" "You will
be our next Governor, Msjor.") Con-
tinuing Major Tyler said as the crowd
continued to applaud him ga man was
! once being whipped by order of q court
martial, and all during the whipping
he was in the greatest glee and laughed
az if his sides would split. On being ask
ed why he was laughing so he said" 1t
was because he was playing such a
good joke on them. They were whip
ping the wrong man. I think you have
beaten the wrong man." Continued