Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-03-24


MA. GaAY, one Of the editors Of the PiAin
Dealer, attended tho meeting of sympathy
held at jefferson Court House, Ashtabula Co.,
the evening of the execution Of SrIvENs and
HAELETT The Ooun House was jammsd full,
and speeches were made by JoHN BRowN Jr,
JANIS REDPATH, OWN BRowN, BARCLAY Cor
roc, and Editor GRAY aforesaid. We clip the
Sentinerb report of the speech Of the latter
1t is itch aud raoy, and tue scene would make a
capital Pieter for sYanity Fair" Just fancy
the negro.hating editor of the DougRs Dealer
hiding a fugitive" in the stOeple of church
Of which ne was DeaeoHi And the drop Of that
Deacon when John Brown Jr, ha him on the
Cincinnati platform Read and roar,
Deacon Gray of the Cleveland Plain Dealer
" no had come TO report the meeting for his pa
per, was loudly called for; be arose and said;
Hecould not believe after tho courtesy he
h ad met in Jefferson, that this audience called
him out for the purpose Of kissing him down.
CCries Of No! No! Go on, &e.) II they could
see his heart they would know that he was not
so far in feeling from any of them, as they
might think. He had nothing to object to IN
the remarks Of John Brown, or in the quaint,
odd speech OF Owen; and although he could
not endorse the position of Mr.. Redpath, he
had no quarrel with him. lie would not make
speech, but ask TO be lee olIby telling a story.
Fhey might know that there were Two Grays
~. w. Gray, Of the Plain Dealer, and huns
self OF Deacon Gray, as people called him.
tLaughter) He (he speaksrl was once Dea-
con Of the Presbyterian Church, at Pittsburgh.
One day he saw a negro limping along and a
white man following with a drawn revolver IN
his hand, Now, Esid tho speaker, mind you,
I'm not talking ofmy theories but Prdft3cc.-
| (Laughter.) THIS negro was fugitive, who
had once escaped into Penn, but had been fol-
lowed, shot down and taken back. This was
the second time he had been captured.
These two men--black and white-werc
crossing covered bridgs at one end OF which
was the Pfesby terian Church AS the negro
was some ways ahead, be ithe speaker man~
aged to push him iutO the church door, at
which the Sexton happened TO be Standing
They then locked the door and ran the negro
up the stseple; and there they looked down upon
the stakeholder, who was passing about IN all
| directions, in trying to lind where the negro
had gone to.
T6ree cheers were given for Gray's Demo
| cratic 9fGctice
This speech was wonderfully well received
/ The DeacOn's humorous style of telling the
story, and his cool confession OF practical by
pocrisy were inimitable in their way.
John Brown, jr., rose and asked Mr. Gray II
be would be willing to answer question!
The whole audience became still, and the
Deacon rose with rather uneasy and decidedly
serions face, and said-certainly.
John Brown, ir.-"Well, sur, let me ask you
lif you did not feel nearer Heaven when you
were up in that steeple with the negro, thar
while standing on the Cincinnati platforms"
The Deacon dropped as if be had been sho
/ through the heart, and the whole audience rose
and cheeTed, The hit was SO unexpected anC
complete that it was long before quiet was re
stored We suspect 1t will be some tim,
before the Deacon hears the last of that ques
ton