Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-11
SPEECH OF HON. w. A. JONES.
He Is Called Upon and Comments
the Work of the Body.


After Mr.. Hunton had concluded. Mr..
J. c. Parker called attention TO the pres
| ence of Hon. w. 4. Jones in the hear OF
the hall, and responding to loud calls,
Mr.. Jones ascended 10 the stage, and
after the applause with which he was
greeted had subsidized, he said:
Fclow-Democrats of the State of Vir-
ginia,--I thank you from the bottom of
my heart Tor this cordial greeting which
you give me this evening / do not feel
that it is necessary that | should say TO
you that / am a Democrat. and that l
believe in the great principle that the
people ought TO be allowed to select their
representatives in the United States Sen
ate. App.ause) If | were TO talk to you
for an hour, 1 could not say more 10 you
than that.
This. my countrymen. is the first great
assemblage OF the Democrats of the entire
State Of Virginia that | have ever had
the pleasure of attending where there
was not one member actuated by any sell
fish purpose, or who had in his heart
any motive that was not of the purest
description. (Applause) The Democrats
who have assembled here to-day have not
come for the purpose of promoting selfish
ambition. but they have assembled for
the purpose Of promulgating great prin-
ciple that is dear TO the hearts of the
people of this Commonwealth, and every
Commonwealth in this great republic OF
ours We not only believe In these prin-
ciples, but, as Democrats. we believe and
we know that the principle is Democratic
from its very inception. Everything that
has come down 10 us through the ages
from that great man beneath whose pic
ture we gtand this evening Jefferson,
IL cf oil ms
that. as Democrats, this is a Democratic
principle (applause). and the greatest
Democrat living to-day, William Jennings
Bryan Goud applause), not only advo-
Gated this principle In the Congress Of
the United States, but / have from him
a letter in which he says that he APP
proves and endorses this movement in
Virginia. loud applause.) And James x.
Jones, the chairman of the national
Democratic party, has come out in pub
lie letter and declared that he favors this
great reform (Applause) And when we
follow in the footsteps of the chairman
of the National Democratic Committee
and the greatest living champion of popu-
lar rights. the man who is recognized as
the most brilliant and most democratic OF
our feIlow-citZens, we cannot be said
IN be advocating principle that is not
Democratic (Applause)
THE WORK MUST GO ON.
Rut my countrymen, I did not come
here for the purpose OF making you
sneech | came here for the purpose SIM
ply of acknowledging the great courtesy
and distinction which you have shown 10
me by calling me here 10 speak TO you
upon this great subject. We are not here
only for the purpose of promugating'
this great principle. We are here Tor the
purpose of starting a movement that VIII
90 on until 1t finally triumphs In every
state In this Union. (Applause) aye.
my countrymen, the movement We nave
inaugurated here to-day places virginia
in the forefront, where she ought 10
stand. in one of the greatest movements
mat was ever started in this Union. zap
n,ause) Virginia gave TO this country
The constitution under which we I'VE
hecause II was the action OF virginia
which made that union possible, and VIZ
oinia by this movement inaueurateu
here to-day, will help TO bring Demo-
crat,c principles closer 10 the people Oh
thts country, and to entrench the Demo
e o,a ,oarty In the hearts OF the masses
., sbe people of this country. (Applause)
80 we are here not only to forward this
movement, but 10 prove to the worid
thai there are no better Democrats tnan
th~sA who have assembled In this hall
this evening. We are here Tor the pur-