The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-08-16
Great Meeting at Springfield.
Fail Particulars.
from the State Journal

A veritable political earthquake past over
this part of the State on yesterday. Wei
have no adequate words to describe what
our eyes beheld. Never, we believe, in the
'history of the country, was there larger or
more magnificent political demonstration
than that which yesterday took place here
al the home of Mr.. Lincoln. Certainly moth
ing has ever occurred in the west which AT
all compares to it. Heretofore we have been
in the habit of referring to the Harrison
Convention, which met here in 1910; or to
the Tippccanoe Mass meeting which shortly
afterwards assembled at Cincinnati, as large
meetings but henceforth the Lincoln rally
of 1860 will be the standard Of Reference
For its extent, its number and its display, it
makes new era in the matter ofpolitical de-
monStratiOns, while by its vastneSs and en-
thu>iasm, it proves conclusively that the
people are heart and strength for Lin
coin.
But what shall we say fit. The thou
sands upon thousands who were here from
all the central counties of the State, know
for themselves what it was, but how shall we
be able to convey in language even a faint
idea orthe monster affair? The day was
most favorable for the demonstration. The
sun arose in the midst Of a dense lcg, which
was speedily dispeNcd by light breeze from
The West, leaving the weather warm but
pleasant The pageant of the day was
heralded Ivy the firing ola national salute;
but even at that early hour the roads leading
to town were already filed with vehicles, and
the streets were alive with hurrying crowds.
/ Long before nine o'clock one dense mass of
| human beings lined all the thoroughfarcS;
/ Steamers, banners flags, and notices, were
! flung to the breeze in ali directions, and the
/ city assumed holiday appearance, the like
ofwhich vas never before witnessed. Mean
while Col. Williams, his staff and assistant
! Marshals, were busiy arranging the positions
Of the various delegations, as they arrived,
/ for the grand procession.
/ By ten o'clock the line was formed and
the march commenced, but owing to the i'm
mense number of vehicles extending miles
in length. and the difficulty Of bringing the
various delegates into line, the programme
laid down for the procession was not strictly
/ followed 1t was, by all odds, the
largest affair of the kind we have ever seen
Tn the array of flags, banners, notices, devi-
ces. cars, etc. etc, ingenuity could hardly
have been tasked further. 1t would fill sew.
eral columns Of our paper, were we to at
tempt description of them. We find il
impossible to give even an approximately
full list ofthe numerous delegations which
were present At the point where we noted
the procession, they passed, so far as we
were able to get them, in the following or.
der:
First came an immense Rolling Ball, inli
eating the ownward march Of Republican,
principles, and filled with appropriate mot
toes. among tlem the following: "The Re
publican ball is in motion" Lincoln. Ham
lin and the whole State Ticlct:'
"The people mourn insulted laws,
And curse Steve. Douglas as the cause
We Hak-oH to tAap0Site:
etc. --->ire takes its way,
Following this were the Sprineffeff;,r Clay
Awake Lincoln Club and band, Springfield
Lincoln Young America Springfield Ger
man Wide AwakeS, Quincy Wide Awakcs
Hannibal Mo- Wide awakes. with varou
banners, Meneral county Wide Awakes
Green county Wide AwakeS. Kankakee
Wide Awakes, Macon county Wide Awake
Virginia Cass county Wide Awakes, Havna
Mason county Wide Awakes, Pek.n Wild
AwakeS, Lacon Marshall County Wild
Awakes, Peoria Wide Awakes, Decatur
Macon county Wide Awakes, De Wit
county Wide Awakcs, St Louis MOI Viii,
Awakes, LaSala Wide awakes, .JacksonvilI,
Wide AwakcS, Plat county Wide Awakes
Meredosia Wide Awakes.
About all these companies were headed by
bands Of music.
Then came forty one couple Of ladies' ant
gentlemen on horseback gailv caparsoned
hailing from cotton Hill Precinct, which at
tracted much attention.
+ y handsomely decorated car Of Springfield
young ladies' also one with misses, repre-.
! Sonting the several States.
y full rugged schooner, with sailors aboard
got up in excellent style, and drawn by six
/ horses, was the work ofsome of the Sprin =
( field Republicans.
/ The enterprising proprietors of the
! Springfield Wooden Mil were represented in
| the procession by an immense wagon con-
tanning power loom driven by small
steam engine. During the progress Of the
procession they made several yards of sub
Stantlal jeans cloth from which a par fpan-
falcons forMr. Lincoln were cut and made
up The wagon bore the significant motto,
protection TO Home Industry"
The Christian county delegation followed,
consisting of l03 wagons and nearly 200
strong. They had numerous flags, banners
etc, and a car in which were represented
various trades.
The Mcnard delegation, among other good
things, had a flat boat on wheels. rcpres en-
ting Lincolns early experience at New Salem;
also wagon drawn by four horses represen-
ting rail-splitters at work.
Rochester turned out in Sc wagons nearly
800 strong. Two decorated carriages were
filed with young ladies' representing the diff
lerent States.
Fancy Greek came iu 90 wagons and
numbered 49, 1t also had a car with
young ladies in it.
Dawson turned out well, and had also a
decorated car of young ladies.
Merchandising was fully represented, the
delegation consisting of $50 in 9G wagons.
Scott County sent up 200 wagons and
nearly thousand men.
Iazewell County came in wagons to the
number of 800. Del,van alone furnishing
over one hundred.
The Spring Creek delegation, which con
sisted Of no wagons filed, represented
among other fea ures three cars filled with
young ladies and a variety of handsome
banners and spicy notices.
Berlin mustered 800 strong in sixty wag-
onS. a rail wagon and big fiat boat, with
an immense rudler attracted much atten-
ton.
Cotton Hill came in 200 strong 4 log
cabin on wheels with an old settler in front
splitting rails was greatly admired and well
got up.
Chatham delegation, thirty wagons, with
numerous flags and banners. One of the
wagons, contained thrty-three beautiful
young ladies representing the States. A
CDrnOanv of rbirtv. thrpn bcrcnr,., ', ,-o,o ,l-o