Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-08-19
The war Meeting at wash.
fDgtOn. =
Washington. Aus a

Washington, Aug. 6. 81
The great war meeting to-day was a psrs
iee' sneeess. Mt less than ten thousand
persons were assembled in front az ,hs
stand which was similar TO that rrer ,res
Tor the inauguration Of the President TIA
hour OF the meeting was announced nv
national salute Of thirty-four guns. from,
the howiizsr battery provided by Captain
Dablgreu.
Upon the stand we're assembled a Nuns
Der of distinguished gentlemen. Presi-
dent Lincoln occupied seat on the right
OF the chairman of the meeting. Eposr
the right of the President were Secretary
Chase, Attorney General Baies, Assistant
Secretary oil the Treasury Harrington. and
Hon. Greeo Adams, Sixth Auditor. and
several speakers announced for tie occa-.
sion. y
The stairs leading from the platform 10
the Capital and every available place -,
the vicinity were crowded with ladies
The utmost enthusiasm was manifested =
The scene was truly cheering. The neo-
pie OF the District we're RESPONDING ~
thunder tones Of reclamation to the call Of
the government for additional troops 10
crush ont the rebellion quickly and decid-
edly.
The reception Of the President rss
marked with deafening shouts from the
whole multitude. His speech was not a
part OF the programme but when the srst
regular speaker bad concluded, the call for
the President was irresistible After a
brief consultation with Secretary Cba,a
and Attorney General Bates, he good ma
turedly came forward. For several min
utes the cheering was iueessant He stood
calmly awaiting its termination before at
tempting &c speak. His avoidance Of any
ailusIon to the negro question is regarded
as very significant. The almost universal f,
comment is. that 1t laid radicalism 90 the p
shelf. Immediately after having spoken.
as soon as Governor Boutwell, was intro
duced, Mr. Lincoln quietly retired from the;
stand.
With one single exception all the .peecb. !,
es made on this occasion reflected the uoli-,
cy Of the administration, to prosecute the
war for the UniOn, to crush out the rehsJ-
lion first, and attend to other matter, after.
wards. This exceptiOn-the speeeb of
Governor Boutweli-was sandwiched be-
tween two other speeches-Messrs. Crit
tenden's and Sweet's-both of which are
known to be exactly 10 the line of the pol-
icy adopted and intended to be adhered to
by the President.
The meeting closed with q brilliant dis
play ct fireworks, and the masses turned
homeTard, convinced that the war has ac-
tually begun in earnest, and flied with the
determination to strain every nerve 10 aid
the government.
SPEECH OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
Three cheers were given for the Presi-
dent and after the band had played Hail
IN thu Ghfaf - ha D.o-.1.-.
impatient calls, advanced to the front of
the platform and spoke as follows:
FELLOW CITIzENs-I telieve there is no
precedent for my appearing before you on
this occasion applause but it is also
true that there is no precedent for your be.
ing here yourselves-I applause and laugh
ter and L offer 10 justification of myself
and OF you, that, upon examination, have
iound nothing IN the constitution against
1t. Renewed applsuse.1 /, however.
have an impression that there are younper
gentlemen who will entertain YOU better
lvOices-''NO, no none can do better than
yourself; go on" and better address YOUR
understanding than / will or could. and
therefore ] propose TO detain you a moment
bnger. Cries-"Go on Tar apd featb--
er the rebels. l am very little inclined
on any occasion to say anything unless I
hope TO produce some good by il. A voice
You do that Co on" The only thing
l think Of just now not likely to be better
said by some one else is a matter in which
we have heard some other persons blamed
for what did myself. Yoiee-"What is
it?' There has been a very wide spread
attempt to have a quarrel between General
Mcclellan and the Secretary of
Now, l occupy position that enables ma
to believe at least these two gentlemen ara
not nearly so deep in the quarrel as some
presuming to be their friends TCries of
Good" General McClellan's attitude Ia
such that in the very selfshness of bis ma.
ture he cannot but wish TO be successful
snd hope he willard the Secretary of
War is precisely in the same situation. IL
the military commanders in the field can
not be successful, not only the Secretary OF
War. but myself, for the time being the
master of them both, cannot be but fall
ures. Laughter and applauseI / know
General Mcclellan wishes to be successfi,i.
and | know he does not wish il any more
than the Secretary Of War for him. and
both of them together no more than 1 wish
1t. Applause aud cries Of Good. III
Sometimes we have dispute about how
many men Gen. Mcclellan has had. and
those who would disparsge bin saw he has
had very small number. The basis for
this is, there is always a wide difference.
and, on this occasion, perhaps wider one.
between the grand total on McClellap's
rolls, and the men actually fit for duty:
and those who would disparage him talk
of the grand total on paper, and those whe
would disParage the Secretary of War talk
Ct those at present fit for duty. General
Mcclellan has sometimes asked for thipes
that tn" Secretary Of War did not give
him. Gen. McClellan's not to blame for
asking for what he wanted and needed.
and the Secretary Of War is not to blame
for not giving when he had none to give.
Applause, laughter, and cries Of Good.
good Aud l say here, so far as knos.
the Secretary of War has withheld no one
thing q: any time in my poS er to giyehim.
Wild apTlasse. and voice--Giye him
enough now % | have no accusation
against bin. believe be is brave and
able man-tapplausel- and / stand here,
as justice requires me to d., 70 take upon
myself what has been charged On the See.
rotary of War as Withholding from him
have talked longer than expected to do
- cries OF No." mo, "go or" and now
avail myself Of my privilege Of saying mo-
more. $780, ~
An TriSh Gathol;a- anoo so;l