The Portland daily press., 1863-03-19
PHILADELPHIA, March ID,

PHILADELPHIA, March IL, 1858.
To the Editor Of The Press:
You have no doubt treated you readers with
some account OF the great Union Meeting in
this city on Wednesday evening. will not
therefore tire you with a repetition of that
scene, but will tryto amuse you.by picking up
few OF the chips. The Musical Fund Hall is
one OF the largest in the city; ii will seat
about 1000, and of course in a crowd hold
many more. Long before the hour OF meet
ing, and before the doors were opened, peo-
Pile began TO assemble, and as soon as they
were allowed IT, enter the hall they passed in
and filed ii to its utmost capacity with an as
seinbiy, as a person who sat next to me OBJ
served, rs respectable as il was crowded.
When the gentlemen who were TO address
the meeting entered, they were received by
animating strains OF music from band of six
teen pieces, and an enthusiastic welcome from
the audience. The meeting was called TO or
der by an ancient and very pleasant looking
gentleman OF Irish extraction, as Judge from
his name, McMichael, but thoroughly Ameri-
canized. He briefly and clearly stated the
object of the meeting TO be the Inauguration
of the "Nalional Union Club In Philadelphia,
rejoiced in SO suspicious an opening, and
nominated Gov. Curtin as the presiding officer
OF the meeting, nomination accepted with a
most hearty reclamation. The Governor came
forward with an easy, graceful air, bowed his
acknowledgment, and commenced an address
OF great beauty and force. He is gentleman
of fine presence, of about fifty winters in age,
nearly six feet ia height, OF hair partially gray
and in good quantity. His manner was calm,
his elocution graceful, rising at times to inn
FASHIONED eloguence. and entirely effective.
There was no inistaking his resolution and de-
termination in this great crisis; he said Penn
sylvauia was the first State on the requisition
Of the President TO place her troops in Wash
ington for the defense of the capital; she had
sent 100000 troops TO the field, had met every
reqnisition for men and money which had been
made by the Government, and stood ready,
he emphatically declared, to give her last
man aud to yield her last dollar, II need be, to
put down the atroeious rebellion. These noble
words, and the whole of his speech, were re-
ceived with unbounded appliance. During his
address the crowd outside had become uneasy,
and camored for portion of the viands
which were enjoyed within, and the worthy
Mr. McMichael made these wants known: an
organization outside was Immediately carried
into effect, and the gallant Gov. Wright of In-
diana consented TO calm the external element
As he most etfectually did He is tall, thin
man OF strong, plain features, but expressive of
will and power his manner corresponds TO
his presence.
On closing his remarks Gov. Curtin called
on Senator Doolittle 10 address she meeting.
The Senator appears TO be about fifty years old
with dark gray hair upon his head and face the
latter deprived US of the privilege OF marking
the play of his lips, as he gave utterance to his
strong, loyal aud thoroughly patriotic words
words that burned and thoughts that breath
ed. There was no installing his meaning he
was clear aud iorcible in the enunciation OF his
sentiments, anu in a calm manner poured forth
deep stream of scathing denunciation upon
rebels, their sympathizers, and all who would
compromise with treason or be led away from
the gieat issues of the war by the false lures
OF party or politics. He hal been a firm sup
porter OF President jackson, was now the adj
mirer of his character aud his administration,
and produced and read copy OF the famous
letter of May, 1892, written TO gentleman In
Georgia, In which he bitter denounced nullifi-
cation and its abettors, charging that the al
lodged causes were an idle pretence; that
their object then was 10 break up the Union
and establish Southern Coniederacy. Fooled
in this attempt their next pretence, he wrote,
would be the "negro or the slavery question"
Prediction how fatally realized! Mr.. Doc
Titles allusion to the death of his Oldest son,
who fell In battle, was extremely touching
As stood, he said, over the manly form OF
my Oldest son, the victim of this unhallowed
rebellion, | felt like pronouncing curse upon
the whole brood OF traitors, and taking up
anew my vow to make no truce and snare no
effort to bring to condign punishment the
authors of the blood, the sorrows and untold
miseries recklessly and causelessly brought
upon our once happy and prosperous land |
cannot repeat his language, and utterly fail to
convey the impression made by the sad and
pathetic words Of the bereaved father, as he
called up before us the Iiieless body OF a fine
and noble youth, who in the full flush of hope
and health, gave himself a sacrifice on the
altar of his country.
1t was now about ten o'clock when the no