The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-10-25
The Mass Meetine.


The Republican Mass Meeting on
Wednesday last was probably the lar.
gest demonstration of the kind ever
held in this county, and the day will
never be forgotten by the citizens of
Dowagiac and vicinity. The day was
beautiful, sunshiny and pleasant. Early
in the morning the people from all d.
rections began to flock in, and by ten
o'clock our streets were thronged, tho
the main professions had not arrived.
AT about eleven o'clock the delegations
began to arrive in great number s, far
surprising anything that had been an
ticipated. Owing to the admirable ar
engagements, however, of the Marshals
and officers of the day, they were
promptly and without confusion ar
ranged in their proper places.
Almost every delegation brought in
provisions or forage, to swell the gen.
eral contribution. Among the first Of
the delegations to arrive was that from
Pokagon, Sumnerville and adjoining
towns. A feature of this delegation
were organized companies of Lady
Wide Awakes from Pokagon and How
ard, and a well organized, we'll drilled
company of Wide Awakes, on horse
back, under command of Capt. VIM.
Baldwin, from Pokagon. They num-
bered SO men.
This was folio wed by large delega-
ton from Keeler and vicinity, headed,
by the Keller Wide Awakes, on horse
back, numbering 63 men, under the
command of Capt. Starr. Then came
the Howard Wide Awakes, on horse
back, SO men, Capt. Maley. This was
followed by the Volinia Company on
horseback, 40 men, Capt. Wells.
Next came large Delegation from
Cassapolis and adjoining towns. This
was composed of at least so teams.
They were accompanied by the Glass;
apolis Wide Awakes, Capt. McIlvain,
Sc men, and the Vandalia Wide
Awakes, Capt. Whiting, 46 men.
Then came the Silver Creek Delega-
ton, which was a monster. 1t was
preceded by large fiat boat, upon
which were stalwart men engaged in
various mechanical pursuits, prominent
among which was a blacksmith shop,
in full operation, with fire upon the
hearth, and men at work pounding the
red hot iron. This was a prominent
feature in the procession, and elected
much praise from by-standers.
At IL o'clock the procession began
to move. AS it gradually uncoiled from
the dense mass into which it was first
compacted, it's great length and large
numbers began to grow apparent
The banners transparencies, rail cuts
axes, mauls, &C., were so numerou.
that it is impossible for us to describe
them.
The procession could not have beer
less than one mile long, and it mus
have contained a. least 200 people
made up entirely, with the exception o
our own Wide Awakes, numbering 2:
men, of visitors from the surrounding
town-our own citizens forming nj
part thereof.
! The speaking commenced at LITTLE
after two o'clock, from the stand pre-
pared for the purpose. We regret tina
our space prevents our publishin!
heightened extracts from both speech
es. Senator Bingham dwelt entirel
upon State affairs. He disposed of tn
| thread-bare arguments ofhis opponent
in summary manner. He completed,
exposed the frauds that had been prac
ticed by the Democratic party while il
power in this State. How they had re
tired from Office, leaving legacy c
$4,000, 900 for the Republicans to pay
He described the marvellous manne
in which some of the Democratic off
cials had enriched themselves by tn
public spoils, some of them going int
Office 6aohrupts and coming out rio
bankers, &C., and related the anecdot
of j. G. Bailey and the SS5, 900 in oil
bills which were called in to be des
troyed, but instead of being committe
, to the flames, they were deposited in a
old segar-box, and by some unaccoun'
able and extraordinary means got int
circulation again. How one, 10
Brook6eld down in Berrien Count,
who wanted to get dig at the treasr
ry, and he went and purchased tras
of land through which he thought th
line of the Michigan Central Railroa
. would run, but he was astray in his ca
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