The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-05
COL. GORDON MGCABE
PRESENTS SPEAKER
Distinguished Men and Womcr;t
Gather and Cheer Beautiful D
Historical Grafton by
Talented Brother Of
Paul Leicester
Ford.

Washington's writings and chief Of thoA
division OF manuscripts in the Congress
sionaI Library. delivered q most inter.
estng and scholarly address in the halN
Of the House OF Delegates last night.l
under the auspices of the Virginia His
torical Society. 1ns the absence Of the
president Mr.. Joseph Bryan, who is slcs
at his home Mr.. Ford was presentedi
In a most feicitotis manner by ColorAt
w Gordon McCabe, and when he came
forth he was greeted by q. most brillianh
and enthusiasts audience. His subjects
was. Virginia in 1929. at the Parting
of the Ways" and he handled 1t in as
most eloquent and entertaining manners
often provoking prolonged applause.
When he had concluded he was cons
graduated warmly by many OF those irtt
attendance.
Beautiful Picture.
After wildly sketching the events that
led up to the campaign of 1898, ths'
speaker said
"The campaign of 1925, apparently
fought between Jackson and Adams, WIS
really fought between jackson and Clay.
And what a campaign 1t was. One pt
personalities. involving the hinging ot
mud leaving needless and lasting stains
on characters. sowing lifelong bitterness
and hatreds. To Jackson, Clay's name
was abhorrent. for to him he attributed
his failure OF election In 1924 The agents
of jackson were not scrupulous as to tha
means of advancing the interests OF their
candidate. and We would err In attrib-
uting to him the methods that astonish
by their meanness. His hatreds weres
unfortunately. apt to he implacable, but
the men who shouted for him, the froth
and scum OF the political brew, exercised
.f,,f1t jo
easily aroused opposition y
There was not a little curiosity, not
very difficult toaexplain, about Jackson.
He was known as q soldier. and his real
popularity rested upon his military SER
vice. AS a statesman he was all un-
known factor. His repute as a politi-
clan was entirely due to the leaders of
discomfort, who saw in the peaceful era
of Monroes administration the end OF
existing parties. and who could not fol-
low John Quincy Adams In his policy OF
Internal improvements. To constitute ;r
new party resting upon the growing de-
mocracy OF the West and South. was the
aim of thosa leaders. and as a period OF
party transition is fruitful of personal
ambition, it was enlinently useful to find
candidate like Jackson. who possessed
possibilities. a wide popularity and "a
quick and unshaken decision. followed by
immediate and often ruthless action. lie
Jackson represented a military hero to.
the people. to the old Republicans hsi
represented political martyr. who had
been cheated of his rights In 1924. II me-
was much of a bugbear- to his opponents.
to his supporters he was an instrument
OF power. potent for their advantage, III
properly managed. ENen those who be-
lieved in him were obliged to make thes
most OF the good they saw in him. Does
the old gentleman have prayers in hiss
own house?' asked Van Buren,. IL su,
mention 1t modestly.' was his advice to i
one about to write an account of the gem
erals character. 1t must be conceded
that, in view Of past lndiscrctons pts
act and speech, family prayers woulds
weigh heavily in his favor.
1.-THE candidate was named. but whati
was the platform on which he was r,in-l
ming. In that day no convention turneei3
out those well-balanced. meaningless sens
tences which serve to befog issues for thed
campaign. only to be thrown aside ifa
convenient by the men who had roaretiss
themselves hoarse In pledslng their inviol-}
able adherence The plank of a politically
platform Is too often sfnglllarly shorts
lived No man could have soberly frametti
a list of specific grievances against thaf
Adams administration, The trivial ma, ],
ture OF the charges and the known tal-i
sity of many of them denoted n povarty3
of real issues to be fought over.
Refuge was taken In general phrases.j
Judge White. of Tennessee, writing In 1891.
said he worked for Jackson's election 't0
see the good old democratic doctrine prac.i
tically restored to the Federal govern
I,ment, and the modern doctrine of con-
structive powers abolished That was
sufficiently vague to find O. place in a.
party platform, Van Buren, was little
more specific.
'''The only chance for the perpetuity
of existing institutions consists In tha
preserved yigor and perpetual watchftll-
ness Of the State goveininent---that there
is not sufficient honesty at the present
moment In the administration OF the Fed
eral government to keep decent men In
continuance. and that wa ara altogether
Indebted for the little which Is left to
apprehension of rebuke and resistance
from the States
Lewis. who stood very close 10 Jackson. IL
and whom no ore ever charged With being
a theorIst In politics or squeamish In pos
littcal methods, pictured rosy future
should Jackson be elected. "A new order
OF things will succeed ECONOMY will be \
practiced and Republican simplicity be-
come once more fashionable. The govern
ment Will be administered by patriots and
Republicans, who will serve their country
for their country's sake \ sinister
shadow was already thrown across tha
course OF events--the shadow Of office for
spoils. abuses of official patronage. which
made Jackson's administration n turning
point i,l the history OF the civil service.'s
The address was quite lengthy ones
and dealt In a most entertaining rnannes
with tho subject chosen by the speaker.
ii was greatly enjoyed by all who att
tended.