The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-11-13
TWO DOLLARS PER ANNUM.1
III I S9{3A u a M8OWS
"A THRILLING sCENE-ALMOST A TERRIBLE
TRAGEDY.

great speech delivered At Lowell, on Tues
day evening last by Hon. Rufus Choate
A correspondent of the Boston Couric,
who was present and heard the speech
gives the following graphic particulars o
what may he truly termed an awfully thrill
Ing sccne:
LOWELL, Tuesday wight, Oct. %.
The meeting was convened i'll Hunting
ton Hall, over the railway station. Ladies
were admitted to the galleries, and these
thronged, the doors were open to the null
titude. The hall is one hundred and TWEEN
ty by eighty feet. AT o'clock it was filled
to repetion. Men stood packed together
In the closest possible manner, and it was
estimated that there were over five thousand
persons within the walls. The crowd out
sile amounted to high numbers.
The orator was hailed as no man in Mas
sachusetts had been hailed since Webster;
and everything promised an hour of intel.
lectual enjoyment and instruction rarely
afforded, and a satisfactory termination
The meeting came TO order; Was organized
the President, Mr.. Whirple, was introduced,
and was gracefully saying that lie would
not dctain us; that this audience WAS here
to hear another; aud, willie thus agreeably
engaged, when sound, as if from can
non at a distance, filed all ears, and we felt
the floor yielding. There was general
panic, and 4 movement toward the platform,
aud great deal of excitement.
Mr.. Choate was sitting Oh the rostrum,
calm, contempativc. aud apparently ,ndif-
ferent, not that lie was unconscious Of the
shock. He inquired Of a gentleman, seated
near linn, in his characteristic way, " Are
we sinking to the earth q and being in
formed that the hall was used for dancing
purposes, and that it was the spring floor
only that had given way, he observed,
"Very well, let US go on, then" Eut the
crowd was alarmed, and it was necessary to
say that "therc was no DANGER" and to an
nouncc that Mr.. Joseph ii. Rand, mem
Der Of the city government, and al expert
enccd architect, would go below and exam
inc the building"
anticipated tic greeting viii, sonic fear,
lest it should be the signal for our dcstruc-
ton :; hut it passed over without any re-
newal of the forewarning and the memory
Of the first shock WAS soon cflaccd 10y the
attractive eloquence and subtle reasoning Of
the orator. All thought Of danger, every
thing selfish, had given place to the pleasure
Of the hour. Mr.. Choatc had spoken fully
thirty minutes, and had reached that point
Of his address," What is it to you or me !;
what is it to tho vast, innocent, and quiet
body Of our countrymer, North and South,
whose folly, whose violence, whose listrust,
whose fanaticis,n for slavery or against
slavery, whose ambition. low or high, is re-
sponsible for the past or present ?"-wlen
smother dismal sound was hcard-morc
sinking Of the floor experienced; there was
panic again and Il rush. Mr.. Choate
paused Mr.. Butler shouted that "There
was no danger" others gave similar ASST
ranc s.; but the men were rcstive. The la-
dies alone were composed.
Mr.. Whirpie attempted to make hi,nself
heard but could not, and Mr.. Cboate came
to his assistance. lie urged gentlemen to
be calm and firm; that an inspection of
the buildi"g-tlorough and satisfactory
would be made; and il the place was not
deemed safe al orderly adjournment would
be had at once.
Mr.. Butler stated that lie would 90 he
low and cndeavour 10 ascertain the true
state Of things.
Notwithstanding the threatening aspect
of afairs-tlle floor settled at least 81,
incllcs in the centre Of the l,alI--no more
than a thousand men withdrew; sucl. wa.
the desire to enjoy in full the feast Of rca
son." There was some commotion in th'
ladies' gallery; and movement; but con
fidence was restored, and for ten minute
general quiet was observed on the par
of all.
But Mr.. Butler returned and said, Gen
tlemen, although, l have full confidence il
the strength of this floor, although an
persuaded there is no danger, yet, such il
the state of feeling here, think we hat
better adjourn. But let there he no STAN
pede-retire in order"
In less than five minutes the hall wa
empty, and all escaped accident and harm
Aud now let me say there was danger
imminent and awful. Mr.. Butler, tloug
he disguised his fears, entered the hal
never expecting 10 leave it alive; and t
Lis frmness and intrepidity credit shoul
be given for the preservation Of that gres