The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-10-22
Fromthe Journal Of Commerce.
SPEECH OfiEX-GOyERNOR FLOYD.


OF VIRGINIA,
Delivered at Meeting Of the New York Merchants
October. 10TH. 1856.
III complianceswith the invitation Of an
immense number Of the merchants of New
York, Ex-Gov. Floyd of Virginia. delivered
an address, yesterday afternoon, on the great
political questions of the dav, from plat
form in front of the Merchants Exchange
4 desire to heara reply TO the mis-statc.
ments and sophistries embodied in the recent
speech of Speaker Banks at the same place,
was almost universal among the leading bust
ness men of the city. Mingled with this
was also wish to show to the world, by some
decisive demonstration, that the merchants
Of New York are, as they ererhave been, the
unllinching friends Of the Constitution and
the Union. and 10 give practical contradic-
tion to the assertions of the Black Republican
presses to the contrary.
Long before the hour Of speaking, the mer-
chants began TO leave their wharves and their
counting rooms and flock to the spot. All
| the advantageous points for seeing aud hear.
ing-the steps and pillars Of the Exchange,
the doors aud windows of the buildings IN
the vicinity, the brick pile at the corner ol
William street,--Were promptly occupied
Quite number Of adventurous penple--,le.
\ termined 10 see the demonstration, il they
could not h,ar the speeeh,-touk their peril
Gus position on the neighboring roofs. A:
the minutes rolled on, the crowd momentaril,
Increased, until about half.past three o'clock
the vast space in front of the Exchange and
extending westerly quarter Of block be
yond William street. aud easterly half wa,
from Hanover to Pearl street, was filled viii
human beings.
We should estimate the number present
! at from : 200 TO 10000. II was at least fit
" per cent. Larger than the Banks meeting
although tn latter comprised large aggre
gate OF BnchaEan and Fillmore men. II
, however, the number then present was 40,
900, as estimated by some Of the Black Re
publican papers, the number at yesterday
! meeting was al least GO, 900. ltwas instruc
I tive to note how many well known faces ,
the leading men Of New York, were TO
! seen in the midst of the vast throng. At ii
/, Banks demonstration. il was a subject 81 r,
, mark that most " the people who gathcrc
70 hear him except The Buchanan and Fil
!, more men,) were evidently strangers 70 "
stree; aud to this part Uf The tnwn. Here u
audience were evidently on their own grOun,
e and their eager eounienances seemed TO 81
that they were there 70 administer lastiIl
: rebuke TO those who. BY intruding upon the
!. dumain, had sought TO misrepresent the
views 10 the world.
Gov. Floyd's speech. which We present
full, was received at irst With calm an
earnest attention. As the orator kindle
with his theme, the audience gradually warn
e ed up with him. aud responded with IL
$ mrst enthusiastic plaudits. Whenever II
2 speaker touched upon the topics Of the Cor
! stitutiUn aud the Union, the applause ";
y immense. Cheers arose, as if lrom One mat
u hats were waved, and il was some moment
!. before tie speaker could resume his remark
$ A., one by one. he blew up the facts an
e figures Of Mr. Banks's speech, the delight
the audience manifested itself in Taught,
q and cries Of "goUd," !" that's true" !" and 9th,
y expressions Of approval. As Goy. floy
y proceeded, and the applause increased, Il
2 people in the outskirts 81 the :hrong presss
!, III, with the vain hope of getting near u
( stand, and thousands, wh0Twere hopeless
!, prevented by their distance, from hearing
!. word, still fingered aboat The spot. and coi
IS tented themselves with putting 10 Chce
4 whenever everybody else checred. The el
. tire speech occupied two hours aud hal
!. and yet the entire area withiH hearing di
y tancc, continued densely packed. aud on
Z, those dropped OF Who we're beyond ear.shc
Ie aud knew that they would find the spec,
e reported in the papers ii this morning. Ia
ing il all 10 at, this demonstration is one
Il the most significant features Of the campaiI
Ie combining as Il did, an array Of intel
y renee, wealth. and patriotism, such az
" have never before seen at political meeti
y in this city.
le We have not space for The whole of u
=. speech, but present the conclusion as {,
as lows:
ie "a fcw more words and have finished.