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

nIr. Worthington O. Ford. editor oai
Wasrinstons writings and chief Of thSR
division ~ manuscripts in the Congress
sionai Library. delivered "a most inter-
esting and scholarly address in the ham
~ the House ~ Delegates last night
under the auspices o. the Virginia His
torlcal Society. In the absence Of tho
president Mr. Joseph Bryan. who is sick
a. his home Mr. Ford was presented
in most felicitous manner hV C0lonar
W Gordon IcCahe. and when he came
forth he was greeted by most briIlianh
and enthusiasts audience His subjec6
was. Virginia in 1929. az the Parting,
Of the Ways and he handled it In a.
most eloquent and entertaining rnannery~
often provoking prolonged applause.
When ne had concluded he was cons
graduated warmly by many of those irR
attendance.
Beautiful Picture.
After vividly sketching the events thab
led up 20 the campaign Of 1S2S. the.
speaker said.
1.-THE carunaigu OF 1895 apna rently
fought between Jackson ard Adams. WAS
really fought between Jackson and Clay.
/ And what a campaign ft was. One ~
personalities. involving the finging of
mud leaving need iess and lasting stains
on characters. sowing lifelong bitterness
snd hatreds. To Jackson Clay's name
was ahhorront. for 70 him he attributed
his failure % election in 1924. The agents
of Jackson We're not scrupulous as 10 the
means 81 advancing the interests Of their
candidate. and W. would err In attrib-
utiug TO him the methods that astcnisr
hy their mesnness. His hatreds were.
unfortunately. apt to be implacabie. but
the men who shouted for nim. the froth
I and scum % the political brew. exercised
! an unfor tunste inf ence upon his too
I e-siiy aroused opposition.
/ There was not little curiosity reg
/ very difhcult 10 explain. about Jackson.
I lie was known as C. soldier. and his real
popularity rested upon his military SER
I vice. As statesman ne was an uu-
| known factor His repute as polite
clan was entirely due 20 the leaders ~
/ discor tent. who saw in the peaceful era
! OF Monroe administration the end of
I existing parties. and who could not fol-
! low John Quincy Adams I'm his policy og
internal improvements To constitute a
new party. resting upon the growing de-.
inocracy Or the West and South. was lhs
aim OF thosa leaders. and as period of
[ party transition Isl fruitful Of personal
am bition. IL was eminently useful 10 fnd
a candioate Ike Jackson. who possessed
possibilities. a wide popularity and a
/ quick and mistaken decision. followed hsr
Immediate and often ruthless action. If
/ Jackson represented a. military hero IA.
/ the people. 10 the old Republicans NJ
/ represented political martyr. who had
/ been cheated Of his rights IN 1928. II ne
was much 81 a bugbear TO his opponents.
I to his supporters he wa an fnstrllnnerr
! OF power. potent for their advantage. Il
/ properly managed. Oven those VINO be-
/ lteved in biri we're obliged TO make thss
most OF the s'Ood they saw in hira. Does
| the old gentleman have prayers IN his
/ own house? asked Van Buren. II -.
mention Sc modestiy' was mis- advice to
l one about 90 write an account of the gen
I erals cha racter. II must be conceded
J that. In view ~ past indiscretions otg
/ act and speech. family prayers would
weigh heavily IN his favor.
! The candidate was named but whetl
/ was the platform on which he was rum
/ ming. In that day no convention turned3
I ont those weli-balanccd meaningless sen -
tences which serve TO befog issues for shs.l
campaign. only 70 be- thrown aside III
convenient by tho men who had roarad5
/ themselves hoarse in pledEng their inviol-j
| able adherence, The plank Of a poIiticet(
platform is too often siugularly short
/ lived. No man could have soberiy framecsi
a list or specific grievances against thsss
/ Adams administration The trivial na-t
| ture of the charges and the known gsI-.
sitv Of many or them denoted a povorr,,l
I or real issues u be fought over.
| Refuge was taken I'm general nhrases
/ Judge White or Tennessee. writing In 1871
I said he worked Tor Jackson's election -
< see the good old democratic doctrine ursc..
/ ticaiiy restored 20 tho Federal govern
ment. and the modern doctrine oF ror-
structive powers abolished That was
sufficiently vague 20 ind a place in a
/ party platform. Van Buren, was litti,,
more specific.
" The only chance for the perpetilit,s
of visiting Institutions consists in tha,
preserved vigor and perpetual vvatrhf4li-
ness Of the State goveIument-that ther.
ia not sufficient honesty ~ the present
moment in the administration OF the Fed-
eral government 20 keep decent men ln
continuance, and thar wa ara altogether
Indebted f0~ tne little which IS left 10
apprehension 90 rcouka and rcsistance
from the States
Lewis. who stood very close 20 Jackson
and whom no one ever charged with being
q theorst in politics OF sQueamish in po-
lfucal methods. pictured a rosy future
should Jackson be elected a now order
OF things VIII succced. Economy Will %
pracuccd and Republican simplicity be-
como once more fashionable. The govern
nent will oe administered by patriots ana
Republicans. who viii serve thcir country
for their country g. sake a sinister
shadow was already thrown across tha
course OF eNents-the shadow of once FUR
snoils. abuses of oficiai patronage. which
made Jal kson's administrauon a turning
point in the history ~ tne civil service
The address was quite a lengthy one.
and dealt iu most entertaining manner
with tho subiect chosen by the speaker
lt was greatly enjoyed by all vino at
tended.