Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-10-15

'Atthe Great Mcclellan Ratification Meeting in
New York City on The l7th OF September,
1854
The meeting was called to order by Elijah
F. Purdy, in the following words:
FELLOW CITIZENSHIP committee of Ar
rangements have delegated me to call the
meeting to order. | perform the duty with
more than ordinary feelings of pleasure, be-
cause see evidences around this stand that
convince me that the people are determn-
ed to rescue the country from its spoilers.
| (Applause.) In presenting the name of the
presiding officer, present name identi-
fled with the history of our rcountry. Ipre-
sent q name of Revolutionary fame.
present name connected with the Admin
istration of Washington and Jetferson-a
name near and dear to the country. (Cheers.)
Only upon emergencies can we call upon
these gentlemen. name for your presid-
ing officer, James Gallatin. hope you
will give him such reception as he de-
serves. cloud cheers.)
Mr.. Galatin then introduced Robert C.
Winthrop to the audience, as follows:
w-CITIZENs:-AllOw me to intro
the service of his country, former Speak
er in the House of Representatives, and
prominent for his devotion to our free in-
stitutions. l invite your attention to Robert
c. Winthrop, of Massachusetts,.
Mr.. Winthrop was received with enthu-
siastic applause and three rousing cheers.
SPEECH OF ROBERT C. WINTHROP.
Mr.. Winthrop spoke as follows:
thank you, tellow-citizens, for this
friendly and flattering reception. thank
your honored President for the kind words
in which he has presented me to- you.
feel glad in being here under the lead of
one who, as the gentleman who called the
meeting to order said, has added new honor
to name that was already associated with
so much of true and tried patriotism, with
so much of spotless integrity, and with so
much of financial and commercial wisdom.
You know Inc, men of New York-if may
presume to imagine that you know me at
alas member of the old Wing party of
the Union, as long as that party had any
organization or existence. (Cheers.) And
can not help recalling the fact, OIL this
occasion, that among my earliest political
efforts, nearly thirty years ago, was a
speech in this city against the Democratic
candidate of that day. l fear that my
faculty of making a speech, or certainly an
open-air speech, is somewhat impaired by
the lapse Of years; but such as can make
is heartily at the service of the Democratic
candidates of to-day. (Applause.) could
not find it in my heart to refuse the request
OF your committee of Arrangements, sec
onded as it was by an old and valued friend,
whom / knew so long ago as the tried and
trusted friend of Daniel Webster, that l
would at least be present as witness of this
great demonstration. Nor, being here, can
[ refuse to respond to the, call which has
been made on me by your hOnored Presi-
dent, and to bear my humble testimony to
the cause in which you are engaged. 1t was
promised me that should see the greatest
meeting ever held in America; and no one
can doubt, think, that the promise is full
filled. Csc it is." Cheers.) 1t is, indeed,
a glorious night-this vast assemblage OF
American citizens, unseduced by patronage,
unawed by power-in the great commercial
metropolis of the Union-itself one of the
noblest products of that Uuon-all rallying
beneath common banner, all animated by
a common resolve; that banner, the Stars
and Stripes-that resolve, to do all that In
us lies for the rescue of our country from
the dangers by which 1t is 'encompassed.
(Cheers.) You are assembled in Union
square, and am glad to know that you all
Intend to stand. square on the platform of
the'Union. daughter and applause.) You
are assembled on the anniversary of the day
on which the Constitution of the United
States received the attestimg signatures of
its trainers; and rejoice to be assured that
you are all resolved to uphold theauthority
and vindicate the supremacy of that Con-
stitution. (Applause.) Yes, my friends,
in yonder city of Philadelphia, which we
are glad to remember, in this connection,
was also the birthplace of George B. Nc
Clellan (cheers), on the 9TH day of Septem-
ter, 1887, that sacred instrument was per-
fected, which has secured union and peace
to our land for more than seventy years
past, and which, il this days ratification
shall be successfully carried out, may still,
and peace to our land for seven times, or
even for seventy times seventy years to
come. Enthusiastic applause.) You are
assembled, too, on the anniversary of the
day when the noble candidate whose
nomination you are about to ratify complet-
| ed his great work of rescuing the capital of
his country from the confederate hosts by the
glorious victory of Antietam. You have
not forgotten those memorable days of
September, 1862, when the fate of our re-
public seemed just trembling in the scales,
| when almost all mems hearts were falling
them for fear, and when the gallant McClel-
Ian, forgetting the unmerited indignities to
which he had Just been subjected-forget-
ting everything but his country's dangers
and his own determination to stand or fall
with its flag, and responding without a
murmuror moments delay to the personal
appeal of the President, gathered up the
scattered fragments of his brave but broken
army, organized their shattered battalons,
as by the waving of magician's wand
drove back the invaders across the Potomac,
and once more secured the safety of Wash
ington and of the Government. cloud
cheers.) woud not disparage the sue
cesses which have been achieved on other
DAYS and under other commanders. We all
remember with grateful admiration the
splendid victories which have been won, on
the land and on the sea, by Meade, and
Grant and Sherman, by Porter, and Kear-
sarge Winslow, and the heroic Farragut,
and by so many others of our generals and
admirals. All honor to the heroes of Vicks-
burg and Chattanooga, of Gettysburg and
Atlanta, of the Mobile bay, and the blessed
waters whatever they are called, which at
last ingulfed the Alabama; and all grati-
tude to the soldiers and sailors by whose
brave hearts and stout arms those victories
were achieved. (Applause.) But none of
them have eclipsed, or even dimmed the
brilliant record of the Army of the Poto-
mac and its leaders during those eventful
days which ended at South Mountain and
Antietam. For that gallant leader It Is
glory enough that 1t may be said of him, as