Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-06-22
The Whjg Meeting,

CO Our Wing friends having become some.
what alarmed, on account of the large and FREE
quent meetings held by the democracy since the
nominations, determined to have grand rally at
the Court House, on Saturday evening last AT
the appointed time the bell was tolcd, but did
not bring together, all told, as many were ex-
pected Arrangements having been previously
made, the orators came, ready primed and charg
ed for the occasion. David Taggart. Esq, was
first called upon TO address the meeting, who, in
the course of his remarks, drew largely upon
somewhat exuberant and excited Imagination
for facts as we'll as fances. It's but just to say
that his speech contained many chaste and beau
tful passages, which were, however, ever and
anon strangely commirgled with such classic al.
lusions as "pig and puppy" "blackguard and
scoundrel." Mr.. Taggart, in the course OF his re-
marks, went on 10 state that the Democrats based
their hopes ofsuccess principally on two grounds
One upon the name of democracy, and the other
| upon sidnder, and without attempting TO explain
the first, he oddly enough Immediately branched
out upon the latter and handsomely illustrated
| the subject by trying the virtue of that species
]
contended, were clouded with preiudices and bi.
/ gotry. This is common error however, among
our Wing friends The beautiful parable Of the
mote and the beam at once suggested itself but
then we hardly believed the speaker serious not
withstandng his assumed gravity. One thing
surprised us. This was Mr. Taggart's eulogum
and advocacy of Mr.. Websters "obsolete idea "
some beyond the confines of party limits aud
tactics. The hot blood of youth must, however
plead in extenuation of an occasional kick beyont
the traces District party discipline. Some of the
older tacticians were evidently dspleased at this
public exposure.
The next speaker in order was Mr.. Skates, a
young gentleman recently from the South ant
South West. He was highly eulogistic of all the
men and all the measures ofhis party, and STATED
number of facts from his own observation
which, though they may be true, are certainly
not sustained by ''the documents" He spoke
of Mr. Clay's uniform consistency in his politi
col course for the space Of fr'y > yHnrs, ,,i,ho"
saying a word in explanation of his powerful
speech against the L. S Bank. in 1911, and hi
! subsequent tHOIlS III ldNOl oil lHiS INSTITUTION
Mr.. Bellas was then called upon. In the cours,
of his remarks he defended Mr. Claws conduc
in regard to the duel between Graves and Cilley
His statement in accordance with tn
statements made by Mr.. Clay's friends, but no
with that of Mr.. Wise and others, who were ais,
participants in that inhuman affair lie also at
tempted to defend Mr. Clay against the charg
of gambling, with what success we do not pre-
tend to say. These are sins, which are, unfortu
nately, too common with many of our great mel
at Washington, and we therefore seldom refer t,
them But, we did think it rather inconsisten
in the speaker, after defending Mr.. Clay, TO de
nounce Mr.. Muhlenberg as gambler, who wa
never charged by his worst political enemie
with having played for money, whilst it is posi-
lively asserted that Mr.. Clay almost stripped tn
British Minister, at Washington, during the ne
gociaton of the Ashburton treaty, and that go
sovcreigns were almost as plenty as blackber
ries, during that period