The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-10-16
DEMOCRATIC MASS MEETING IN
SALISBURY.

If any evidence were required to convince the
opponents Of the Democracy in this State that the
hand writing is on the wall, SO far as the result in
November is concerned, the meeting of the 4th
and 9th inst, and the spirit which animated
the people in attendance must be conclusive.
We speak the truth, strictly, when We say that
the terrible state Of the weather, and the conse-
quent condition of the public roads considered, we
never witnessed more successful meeting any
whore. Nearly all day on Wednesday, all Wednes-
day night, all day Thursday, Thursday night and
Friday-it rained almost necessarily. Notwith-
standing this earl y on Thursday morning hundreds
of people from this and the adjoining counties as
sembled on the public square to witness the cree
ton of most beautiful hickory pole eighty feet
long. The pole quickly and successfully
raised, and then splendid national flag, thirty
feet by ten, bearing the names of Breckimidg &c
and Lane was run up amidst the booming OF can
non, the strains of martial music and cheers of
the people-and there that pole stands now, adorn-
ed In all It's native beauty, as neat and trim
natures hand could make it--as sound, and pure,
and true as democracy itself, and there flies that
flag in the defendant spirit of the of South
ern rights, through storm and sunshine-tbrough
darkness and through light.
The rain continuing, the arrangements or Fac
tory Square, of large stand for speakers and seats
for thousands of people had to be abandoned, and
inc OouIG llOuStJ largest room Ill town, was
resorted to for the speaking. Throughout the
morning the streets continued to be throneed and
the cannon continued to bray out defiance &c the
storm. The scene much envened by the
Mecklenburg Brass Band, engaged for the occa-
sion-an excellent band it is by the way, and it is
composed of very clever set of men.
Soon after ten o'clock the signal for the meet
ing at the Court House was givea, and immediate
iy afterwards the house was crowded
amongst the distinguished gentlemen from dis
John W. Ellis, Hon. T. l.. Clingman, of Bun
combe, Hon. Weldon N. Edwards, of Warren,
Hon. W. W. Avery, of Burke, Hon. A w. Vena-
bic, of Granville, Hon. Bedford Brown, of Caswell,
Ed. Graham Haywood, of Wake (Elector at large
for the State,) j. A. Fox, ESQ, of Mecklenburc,
(Elector for the It'll district and others Amongst
the audience we noticed representatives Of Rowan,
Davle, lredell, Catawba, Alexander, Burke, Bun
combe, CASTOR, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Caswell.
Warren, Granville, Wake Guilford, Davidson,
Yadkin, Forsythe, Arson, &c. From the assuran
ces of many of the representatives of the number
of persons who would have attended but for the
condition of the weather, we fully believe our
meeting would have numbered eight or ten thou
sand with good weather. @
Previous to the speaking and between the speech
es, the band played many popular pieces of music
-SdtisLury Banner.
GOVERNOR JoHNsON.-John Ell. Howard, ESQ
well-known citizen of Columbus, says, in letter
to the Columbus Ga. Times, that two years ago he
heard Gov. johnson, the Douglas candidate for
VicePresident, declare repeatedly "that the South
had no safety in the Union--that he was for dis
solution as early as practicable; and that he was
earnestly In favor of reopening the slave trade as
the surest means Of breaking 1t up and putting
an end to it,