Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-05-30
DAILY EVENING STAR.
LOCAL INTELLIGENT

OPEN AIR MEETING.-Last night, in pur-
. suance to an advertisement which appeared i'm
the city papers, signed John c. Hardness. an
open air meeting was held in front of the City
Hall ostensibly for the purpose of considering
the expediency Of equal laws and the RIGHT 81
assembling, as we'll as of discussing the merits
of the several candidates for the Mayoralty.
but in reality of giving the above named indi-
yidual an opportunity to deliver a TRADE
against the present Mayor. The meeting was
advertised for half-past seven, but there was
in fact, no organized meeting, and although q
considerable number Of people had assembled
at the hour indicated, no one appeared until
half-past eight, when Mr.. John C. Hardness
led the way to the main fight of steps and
stationed himself under the colonnade, the
crowd following In the rear and very comfort
ably seating themselves on the steps, at least
all that could find places, when Mr. Hardness,
on account OF the darkness, was stopped short
before he had commenced; for, as he remark
ed, ne had some extracts to read, and could
not, therefore, get on without first procuring
8 candle. After waiting for a long time,
Mr. Hardness again came forward, and
suologized for the delay by saying that it had
been found necessary TO send a messenger to
the Avenue for half pound of talIow dips
for. although the City Hall was such a vast
building, and contained sufficient means of
illumination, there was none for him. He
hoped, however, alluding to the approaching
election, that all this would be soon corrected.
Another long interval of suspense occurred
but il was evidently a one-sided affair. and
got up for partisan purpose, as the assem-
blage waited very patiently in the dark. as
If lhey kNelC nothing; and even when the
lights were brought, consisting of two small
tIllOw dips, no meeting was organized nor
chairman appointed. The arrival of the two
dips was hailed by some wags with derisiye
shout and a cheer for the liberality of the tenn
perance folks. John C. Hardness, who in the
course of his remarks compared himself to the
noble Roman, Curiius, who threw himself into
the breach, then stepped forward, and with the
aid Of the sal / two taliOw dips, then commenced
his harangue, complaining of his exile from
political life during fifteen months, when he
had been contending with personal and family
misfOrtunes He expressed great friendship
for the present Mayer, but his own patriotism
was of the C highfalutin sort" and Touersd
above personal considerations
Here cheers were given for Towers, and
counter cheers for Maury; the cheers were
again renewed for Maury, with cries of carry
him out flowers
On silence being restored, Mr. Harknes3 re-
sumed, by violent political attack upon the
present Mayor for his unconstitutional beha-
viOur at the late street preaching, remarking
that be was the first Mayor who had ever
broke the Constitution by infringing upon the
rights of freedom of speech, and open air as
semblage. lie limited that it was possible that
some policemen were prOsling about 10 take
down the names of those forming the assem-
blage, who were in fact breaking the law.
and liable to be fined and imprisoned for being
there collected He proceeded to read the
clause Of the act, having reference to this, and
at the conclusion, some one frl m the crowd
asked what Mayor had sanctioned that Law
the reply wasJ W. Maury. At this announce
ment there were cheers tor Towers; when ano-
Their voice from the crowd asked whether Tow
ers, at the time when that law was enacted, was
not President Of the Board of Aldermen. This
was acknowledged to have been the case,
when the queristreplied that he saw no reason
why one party should be eensured, and the
other applauded.
The speaker darkness then alluded to the
circumstance of the approaches to the Civ
Hall having been blocked up by the gazers at
an empty balloon going up, and of the thorough
fares being impeded by the auctioneers with
their east-Off fnery, and the crowds allowed to
assemble every night before the Iron Hall,
whilst the Temperance men, who only wished
to make an open air speech, were fined and i'm
p1isOned.
1t was observable. however. that on the
clause referred to being read, the majority of
those present were favorably impressed with
the propriety of the law, and said aloud tina,
Maury deserved to be reelected for its passage
The orator after long, rambling discourse
wound up with expressing his profound respect
Tor the voice OF the people, and said that he
had always bowed TO the will Of the majority.
After some remarks about next Monday. he
apolOgized for concluding on account Of the hot
weather, when some one from the crowd kind
ly halOed out, Take little cold water, old
fellow"
THIS concluded the open air meeting. The
tallow dips were extingushed, and ereunt
Onnss, including Mr.. Hardness, and the rest
Of mankind
WASHINGTON CRY BIBLE SoCIErY.-The
above society held their eighteenth anniyer-
sary meeting last night, at the First Presby-
tsrian Church on A street. The proceedings
commenced with the reading of portion of
the Scriptures by the Rev. Fielder Israel, and
the delivery Of prayer by the Rev. B. Sun
lerland- An abstract OK the reports of the
treasurer and Board of Managers was then
read, from which we give the following:
The pecuniary resources of the Society have
been, from subscriptions and donations.
SsIi 81; from the sale of Bibles and Tesla
ments, SOL 62; making 4 total of 81 426 Is;
Of this amount S7jS 73 have been transmitted
TO the American Bible Society; Sl25 have been
pau rs compensation to the DepoSltarles 500
as salary TO the agent who thoroughly explored
and supplied the city; ST. 90 for freight and
printing, leaving in the hands of the treasurer
a balance Of 81 80.
The entire number of volumes in the deposi-
tory since the last report has been 1892, con-
sistiRg of SIP Bibles and 2,480 Testaments
The total issues from the depository duri i z
the same period have been 1876 Bibles and
l,o0l Testaments, of which 12j Bibles and
40 Testaments were by sale, and AL Bibles
and 80 Testaments by gratuitous distribu-
ton, to Sabbath schools, and other benevolent
organizations, to poor destitute families boat
men, &c. There are now in the depository
5l7 Bibles and 70y Testaments, of the value ut
cost price of S3Gj 20.
IL was stated IN the last report that Bibles
had been provided for the supply of the hotels
VI our city, In pursuance Of a resolution pre-
ViOusly adopted at general meeting of the
society, The proprietOrs, with commendabie
morality, at once agreed 10 proposition to
defray one-half the cost Of the books, and the
entire cost of labelling, numbering. &c The
following nave been supplied: Wizards 10
copies Irving. %, Browns 10 National, $50;
Exchange, 49, United States, 80; Gadsby's II;
Beers temperance, 10.
Ihe following donations have been made
uurlng the year, on specific applications: To
tne Sabbath School of the Fifth Presbyterian
Church, IL Bibles and 30 Testaments; to the
sabbath School Of Rock Greek Church Is
oioies; 10 the Military Asylum "a Bibles; to
the capitol Hill Sabbath School, 30 Bibles and
" Iestaments, to the Young Mems Christian
Association large Bible; to the Colored Sab
oa,n School Of Trinity Church, IL Bibles and
to he Sakh bot sc a.