The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-08-31
The Republican Rally.

The frequent showers of Saturday fore
noon, though rather discouraging, did not
prevent the people from turning out to
hoar tho distinguished gentlemen who had
boen announced to speak in this village on
that day. Tho rain ceased about noon. and
no time was lost in arranging for tho meet
ing in tho open air, tho Court House being
too small to contain half tho people present.
In tho afternoon, tho meeting organized
In front of tho Court House. by appointing
Hon. Potter Hitchcock Chairman, and j. o
Converse Secretary. The Chairman, after
making fow apt illusions to the "tow-
headed canal.boy," who had become the
head Of an influential institution of learning
and mombcr o: the Ohio Senate, introduced
Hon. j, A. Garfield, OF Portage, who held
tho attention of tho audience for two or
threo hours, by ono of tho best political
speeches We have over heard 1t was com.
prehonsivo, logical, witty and persuasive -
He stated his propositions with cloarncss.
and argued them with great skill and forco.
In this effort, Mr.. Garfield fully sustained
his reputation as a public speaker. Tho
only fault that could DO found with tho
speech, was expressed by Democrat, who
thought it contained too much truth
lilo reviewed tho history of the Slavery
question, from tho timo when tho Fathers
of tho Republic raised their united voices in
favor of Freedom, down to tho present
showed how the Democratic party had
basely abandoned the principles and policy
of its founders; exposed tho fallacy of
Popular Sovereignty, and tho Inconsistency
and hypocrisy of its great advocate, Douglas I;
and proved that it is tho duty of every
friend of Constitutional Liberty to aid in
achieving Republican triumph.
His account of tho origin of Squatter
Sovereignty was worry happy, and occasioned
much laughter. IIe said that when our
first parents were placed in tho Garden OF
Eden, and forbidden to partaks of tho
fruit Of certain tree, they were subject to
intervention ; but that squattor Sovereign,
by inducing thom to boIieve thoy had right
TO partake Of tho forbidden fruit if thoy saw
mt, caused their expulsion from that boau-
tiful garden. IL was then aud thcre that
Squatter Sovereignty had It's origin,
Judge Bssell followed Mr.. Garfield, in a
short but telling speech, in which he dwelI
with his usual oarnestness upon tho issue
OF this campaign, and particularly upon the
question Of tho Constitutionality 0! the Fc
gitive Slave Act
Mr.. Riddle. who made tho closing speech
expressed his gratitude to tho people o
Geauga for thoir support and promisct
that, II elected to Congress, no would joil
heartily 10 the efforts of tho Republican
momhers, to reform the policy of the Gov
ernment. He pointed out somo of tho du
ties which would deyolvo upon tho Repub
lican party In tho oVent of National success
IL must not only put an end to SLAYER
aggression, but must 500 that uono Of til
great material interests of tho country ar
neglected. IIe made u strong and practiea
speech, at tho close of which the people dis
persed, well satisfied with tho mooting, an
with their Republican strength greatly re
Dewod.
In the evening. Mr.. Riddle dissOcse,
squatter Sovereignty before largo audi
eDce, in the Court House
Tho Chardon Band contributed much t,
the interest of both meetings by soul, stirring
Republican music aud the Martial Band o
Hambden, in the afternoon, kindly vOlun
teered some of their most patriotic strains