, 1844-10-12
Ihe Great Democratic Meeting
in the City of New York--Mr.
Bancroft's Speech.


The meeting is said to lie the larges.
ever convened in that city. The Her
aid says
"The annals of political excitement do
not, we believe, present any thing like
a parallel TO the scene presented. Long
before the hour appointed for the meet
ing, Tammany Hall was densely crowd
ed, and many thousands of the bone and
sinew' thronged the Park and the ad-
joining streets. There could not have
been less than fifty thousand persons in
the neighborhood of Tammany Hall,
during the evening, in attendance On
The various meetings.
In Tammany Hall it, elf, the principal
meeting, (for which the call had been
issued, and which had collected such i'm
mense multitudes of people) was held.
But then there were also no less than
seven other meetings. Three were held
in front of the City Hall, by torch light;
another in front Of the Hall of Records,
a third in front of Tam1nany Hall, an
other in front of the Theological book
store, in the rear of DR.. Sprinp's
church, and the fifth at St. Janes's Hall.
Never has such a scene been witnessed
in this city. The torches-the banners
the crowds-the s~houting-the great
flags streaming across Chatham street
the violent gesticulations of the orators
as the glare of the lamps and torches fell
upon them-the hurrying to and fro of
the vast crowd-the laundering cheers
from the open windows of old Tamma-
ny-all made up one of the most excit-
ing scenes of popular enthusiasm which
we have ever seen.
The first speaker was George Ban
croft, esq. The enthusiasm with
which he was received altogether
battles description. One prolonged
universal shout burst from the dense
multitude inside the old hall. and was
re echoed by thousands and thousand
of voices outside. After the chcel-
ing had subsidized, Mr.. Bancroft thus
addressed the asSemh'age:
CITIZENS OF TIE EMPIRE SrArE:-
The kindness Of the reception which
You hars given me this evening has
completely overwhelmed me. Nv
heart bounds f. my lips. and | feel
constrained TO confess my utter ina
blIItv 10 express in becoming lernIS
my gratitude. [Great ,,opianse.J-
We meet to night. feIIow-cilizcns. in
the bonds Of a common unioh-link-
ed together in n common brJ,.her-
hood of split and effort. all ani:natet
by the same feeling, anda II | trust de-
slrous 10 attain one object. TCnccrs.
and cry Of adjourn to the Park. to
the Park!"] We meet to etT,ce the
verdict OF the election of 1910. to
protest against ii in the name Of our
county OF republican institutions.
and OF humanity. ILouI cheer>.
The present contest involves the
considerations-the purity of
the constitution. civil Iibertp. fee suE
justice TO adopted citizens, the
boundary and extent of Il country.
1t involves in an especial manner
whether American industry Shall be
iloWed to prosper under The action
Of general laws, or whether it stal
be kept in CO, flict with those laws
AMI subjected 10 all the lizards and
uncertainties of an artificial system.
Renewed cheering. Tn. great re-
'trictive system. which ovcrhung the
world for centuries, was shaken by
ime.i lean independence. Yet the
world wSs still so encompassed by
he cloud that its evils were slowly
iscerned. and irapertectIy measured.
rhe democratic party have ever con-
for the freedom Of thc seas as
he highway OK communication the I
Ights Of neutral nations-ior that eV- I
trade. which should make all |
Intelligence the common property Of 7
he whole world; should compensate i
he inequalities of climate. soil. and n
wealth, and interchange all n
roducts Of peculiar skill. But for i
ign trade without The exaction Of {.
uties, has never been asked by a sin i
lie statesman. The regulation Of the $
riff has, indeed, been the subject \
+ earnest discussion; but never was d
here a mopent so favorable to its adj P
,s,. 1ent as the present. The coun- o
is Tranquil, and refuses to be per- .
tually excited on .lie subject. In u !
,28. when an e.vorbitant tariff was a
!inlv resisted, an attempt to defeat !.
by making il intoIerabls bad ianed +,
ltireIy. In 1882. apprehension o: Y
sunioa mingled with the discussion. :
be country nos contemplates the u
riff without fear. and discusses it al
thout passion. 1t must be settled 50
tn regard to the interests of the Isl
,oJo co,,ntrv ond bv the anual pro. di