Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-02-23
THE BANQUET LAST NIGHT.


Democratic Association was held last
night at the National Rifles Armory,
Washington. Nearly five hun
bred guests were present. The
room was hung with American flags
and the walls decorated with southern
smilax. The table, at which Hon. w.
]. BRYAN and the other speakers were
seated bore a magnificent basket OF
white carnations, roses and orchids,
presented to Mr.. Bryan, with an en-
crossed inscription, when read in part
as follows:
"May God, the Giver of all good gifts,
bless you and give you strength to lead
the American people through the trou
blous times that are now upon our ma.
ton: that the words of the immortal
Lincoln, government of the people,
for the people and by the people may
not perish from the EARTH"
While the. banquet was in progress an
orchestra rendered patriotic and popu'
lar airs. The gallery was crowded with
ladies.
Among the guests were Elliott J.
Danforth, of New York; Representa-.
tive DeArmond, Senator Daniel, Rep
resentatve Bailey, Governor Tyler OF
Virginia, Representatives Greene, Dins-
more, Lewis. w. c. Jones, ]. f. LsntZ
and Sulzsr, Senator Stewart, RepTcaen-
tive Fitzgerald, o. II. p. Belmont and
Arthur Henry Lewis, OF New York:
Representatives Todd, McRae, Jet,
Lamb, Rixey, Claude a. Swanson, SEN
ator Martin, J.. II. Machen, A. A. LipF-
comb, K. w. Moore, G. c. Carlin, L. c.
Pitcher, D. r. otansbury, ]. +. Swee-
ney, B. f. Stallings, NJ. B. Harlow, 5
H. Lunt, S. IG. Brent, George G.
Gorham, L. T. Downham, G. K. Pick
EFT, J. A. Marshall, Chas. B. Marshall
George Drewry, Chas. Cuvilier and 9TH
er.
President Harper, of the association
made an address of welcome, and then
introduced Senator Daniel, of Virginia,
who responded to the toast, George
Washington; We Celebrate His Birth
day Anniversary for His Worth as
Warrior, Statesman and Patriot"
Washington" said Senator Daniel,
Twas democrat in the basic, generic
sense of the word. Behind him stood
the fundamental idea of right-that no
people could be taxed without repre-
sentative to speak for them" He be-
lieved if Washington were still alive he
would be present attending banquet
of the Virginia Democratic Associs-
lion.
Representative Bailey, of Texas,
spoke of Democracy mission"
"They tell us if we will surrender the
principles of democracy they will help
us to win q victory" he said 1--WE tell
them with courage worthy OF Andrew
Jackson, we despise the bride. a prin-
ciple is worth more than triumph,
and if a principle is supported tri-
umph will follow. We can survive q
defeat; but not cowardly surrender Of
our principles. We tell them now and
here that we intend to go into the next
canvass with no apology on our lips
for the last one. As certainly as the
years go by, and our great conventions
reassemble, we will adopt the platform
OF '96, and into our standard bearers
| nanus we give lHe DduueL IudI IL 10
stainless as his life"
Elliot ]. Danforth, OF New York,
spoke briefly on Virginia democracy,
with Jefferson as its particular star. He
said New York was anxious to give
democracy its electoral vote in 1900
and pledged it to the candidate, " 40
might be one of those present tonight
DIR. Howard S. Taylor, of Chicago,
read his poem, The Creed of the Flag"
and the orchestra played "The Star
Spangled Banner" while the audience
rose and remained standing.
Representative De Almond, of Ms
souri,, responded to the toast, "The
Democratic Party-It Cannot Die as
Long as the Republic Lives"
Hon. William J. Bryan then rose to
reply to the toast, Americas Mission"
MIR. Bryan wss given au ovation. When
quiet had been restored he said, among
other things
when the advocates of imperialism
find it impossible TO reconcile colonial
policy with the principles of our gov
ernment or with the canons of morality
when they are unable to defend it upon
the ground of religious duty or pecu-
mary profit, they fall back in helpless
despair upon the assertion that it is
destiny. Suppose it does violate the
constitution, they say; suppose it does
break all the commandments; suppose
it does entail upon the nation an meal
culeble expenditure of blood and mon
ey; it is destiny and we must submit
History is replete with predictions
which once wore tho hue of destiny.
but which failed of fulflment because
those who uttered them saw too small
an arc OF the circle of events When
Napoleon emerged victorious from Ma
rengo, from Ulm and from Austerlilz
he thought himself the child Of destiny,
but destiny was not revealed until Blu
cher's forces joined the army OF Well
ington and the vanquished Corsican be-
gan his melancholy march to St.Helena.
When the red-coats Of George the
Third routed the New EngIanders at
Lexington and Bunker Hill there rose
before the British sovereign visions OF
colonies taxed without representation
and drained of their wealth by foreign.
made laws, but destiny was not reveal
ed until the surrender of Cornw
completed the work begun at Indepen-
dence Hall and ushered into existence
government deriving its Just powers
from the consent of the governed
We have reached another crisis. The
ancient doctrine of imperialism, bauish-
ed from our land more than a century
ago, has recrossed the Atlantic and
challenged democracy to mortal com