Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1900-09-06
MR.. BRYAN IN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..


nesday. 1t was an occasion of pleas
ure to him and one Of great gratifica
ton to the people of this community
Mr.. Bryan came on special trair
which reached here before six O'Clock
in the morning. On board the trair
with him were number Of prominent
Democrats from Maryland and West
Virginia who were with him on hi'
trip through this State and who went
with him to Morgan's Grove. Among
these were Hon. John T. McGraw
Col. Thos. B. Davis, candidate fol
Congress from this district; James FL
Miller, chairman of the State COM
mittee Gen. ]. w. st. Clair, W. B.
Cornwell, I. G. Ralphsnyder, of this
State. Col. Buchanan Schley, Col. L,
V. Baughman, Geo. H. Hager, T. A,
Poflinberger and James T. Briscoe, OF
Maryland. At seven o'clock a COM
mittee Of reception composed Of DIR.
A. S. Reynolds, e. H. Reinhart, Geo.
R. Vending, John NJ. Daniel, H. L.
Snyder, DR.. c, T. V. S. Butler and c.
D. Wysong, waited upon Mr.. Bryan S
party. AS the party entered at the
car an alert, smiling, strong and Wig
orous man of fine build and pleasing
appearance stepped briskly out, and
the idol Of the Democracy made his
first appearance in Shepherdstown.
Mr.. Bryan and his friends and most
Of the newspaper correspondents who
were with him were taken in carriages
to Bellevue, the beautiful home Of
Mrs. Minnie Shepherd on the bluffs
overlooking the Potomac river just
north of town. Here they were cor
daily received by the fair hostess,
Mrs. A. S. Reynolds and a bevy of
pretty girls who were with Mrs. Shep-
herd for this occasion. A breakfast
with the inimitable Virginia flavor was
served at Bellevue-fresh Potomac
bass, fried chicken, Virginia ham and
trimmings-and the pretty girls made
such charming mattresses that the
party fingered long at table. 9th
ers who joined the party at Bellevue
were Senator Daniel of Virginia, Col.
R. P. Chew, Col. Forrest W. Brown,
Col. A. w. Mcdonald, of Charles
town, Geo. NJ. Stonebraker, ESQ, of
Hagerstown.
At half-past nine o'clock Mr.. Bry-
an and the other visitors started for
Morgan's Grove fair grounds. The
Hagerstown Democratic Club, COM
manded by Major Chas. A. Little, and
the Tri-State Democratic club of this
place, in charge of VIM. H. Kearfott, es-
corted the party. headed by the Ha-
gerstown band. When the carriages
reached the ground the gates were
thrown open and a way was made
through the great crowd to the speak
er's stand, around which surged null
titude Of people, who greeted the pres
idential candidate with cheers. Mr..
Bryan could readily imagine that
Democrats grew on trees in Jefferson
county, for every tree near the stand
had its cluster of human fruit, men who
had climbed to these points of van
tage, like Zaccheus of old, that they
might the better see and hear.
Col. R. P. Chew was the presiding
officer, and he introduced Hon. George
R. Vending, of Charlestown, who
read the following letter from the
Hon. William L. Wilson, former Dem
ocratic Congressman from this district
and Postmaster-General under Presi-
dent Cleveland's last administration,
now president of Washington and
Lee University:
IL am very grateful for the invitation
which you extend to me in the name OF
the committee in charge Of the inter
state political gathering at Morgan's
Grove to attend and to address the peo-
pie on the issues of the day on either
September or 6. 1t would give me
much pleasure personally to accept this
invitation, but it is impossible for me
to do so. The condition of my health
is, | regret to say, such as to make even
journey to Jefferson inadvisable and
public speaking beyond my physical
capacity.
Long before it became an issue divid-
ing political parties | took strong
grounds in addresses before students of
this university and in set speech be-
fore the Legislature of Georgia against
any colonial or imperial policy on the
part of our Government as result OF
our war with Spain. My views are
stronger than ever against such policies,
and, did opportunity permit, | should
be glad to express my views on the plat
form at Morgan's Grove.
At the conclusion of the letter, Mr..
Wilson's name was greeted by hearty
cheers that showed that our people
have still warm place in their hearts
for their former Congressman although
he has been away from US so long
Mr.. Vending, who has been a life