The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1864-10-05
MASS MEETINGS.

the weather, IN the morning, there was
large and enthusiastic assenblage of the peo-
pie by the hour of one. Delegations came in
from all parts ef the coanty and along the
borders of New York [where by-the-way.
they say Father Abraham will receive a
larger vote than be did your years ago..
1t was thought there were o7er fifteen hun
Gred people present.
! The meeting was organized by appointing
Hon. A. G. OLMsrED to the Chair, and Quick
Whipple, c. S. Jones, israel Dodge, Harry
Lent and G. l. Olnsted, Vice Presidents, and
N. W. AcAlarney, Secretary.
!, The Chairman, after making few remarks.
introduced Gov Pierpont, of Western Virgin
ia, wh9 entertained his audience two hours
with an argumentative speech, giving full
view of the progress of Secession as seen by
a Southern Unionist He said in relation to
Southern rights, which the North were char
ged with abusing, that the cry was all boshs
! that even Toombs had said that his constitu-
ents had never heard of the Liberty Bills,
about which politicians talked SO much; that
/ the North had never interfered with any rights
which the South claimed, that he knew any
thing about; that South Carolina and the
rabid leaders all through the South had de-
termineG that come what might, they would
/ have a separate Government; that the people
of Virginia sent to the Convention Of that
State 10 Unionists TO 80 Secessionists, and
that Convention was forced to carry the
State out of the Union by the influence
of the mob, BY threats, BY anonymous
letters, by ropes left hanging to their lamp
posts at night, Indicating 70 them the fate
that awaited them if they did not secede; +;
taet Secession speeches were made from the
hotel steps, in the bar-rooms, presses were gag
ged, and all the heiHsh Influences that fendS
could imagine were brought TO bear. He said
that the leaders had declared at that early
day that if a blank sheet of paper were gwen
them they would not write any terms upon,
it which would keep them in tie Union.
"But." said he, ,'all these influences will fail
God never intended thai the United States
should be two countries, he had laid the
raquntains the wrong way for any such pur-
pose His speech abouuded in the piainest
aIgam me1ts, conclusive as eternal truth that
the President was not to blame foz tie war
that ! Lad a cause prior to his election, that
it was basol upon an trrepressibIe conflict,
which was now being fought out, and the
issue would prove a whole Union. Free
I Government, an advanced civilization, and
country upon which Gods blessing wtpld Ls
poured.
Col Montgomery, of Vicksburg, Miss, vas
then introduced. He was a Shareholder,
editor Of the T'ieLsJurg Hhig when the war
broke out, but was forced to leave by cause of
his Union Sentiments. He spoke for almost
an hour, and his graphic description of the
! beauties of the institution, his anecdotes of
negro life, his personal experiences as to the
/ pleasures, profits and advancements peculiar
to the institution were perfectly side-splitting.
/ Ee said the .chiyalry Of the South put him in
. IA44titA VI g NCA bu4A cudAC hAAltu GdLLlEu Ills
tail very high one day tie tail thought the
head was not travelling fast enough to suit it
and proposed to set up for ;tself, it gave
great leap, jerhed the head after it against a
stone, smashed it, and expired in any but
graceful co2;ortions. So it would be with
the leaders IL the South; they mad always
felt that tho c1avpS vrnra +bn hoo Z If tLa no-r
try, but the, tail had got extra -chivalrous, and
was jumping along and it t'would soon strike
a stone and expire, and the Government would
be purified Of its vileness. He ridiculed the
idea of interference with Southern rights"
said he he'd never head of it except in speech
es, that if mis- slave escaped to the North, and
he called upon citizen of the North to assist
in 1is rescue, he was compelled by law to do
so, but that if horse escaped from a citizen
Of the North to the South and YOU asked a
citizen there to assist in his capture he could
tell you to "go to the ID" He said the
South had forced hUmiliating measures upon
the North, time after time: that they had al
ways ruled, but that that vas not suffic! ent
for the rebel aeaders. The people admitted
the truth Of the Colonel's remarks and some
of the Coprerheads in the crowd were made
to hang their heads by the sarcasm and con-
tempt with which he spoke of their peace
propositions. He said that the South had
Slavery before they seeded and asked who
was fool enough to believe they would come
back for what they had before they went to
war. The meeting closed with cheers for our
Generals, Army, Navy and Candidates.
We were not able to be present but at the
close Of the Oswayo Meeting and therefore
have no detailed report to make. 1t was very
successful both in numbers and feeling. Mr..
Dhi1l:rn- Il