Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-09-28
From The New York World.1

.
On last Wednesday evening there was
mass meeting Of the Central Lincoln Club,
of which Charles S. Spencer is President,
held at the regular Republican headquar-
ters, corner of Twenty-third street and
Broadway. United States District Attor-
ney E. Dela6eld Smith, and many other
Lincoln orators of the purest type, address,
ed the assembled patriotism of the Club,
dwelling largely upon the wrongs of the
black race, and enlarging unctuously ON
their natural and physical capacities for the
highest enjoyment. 1t was observed, how
ever, that the proceedings were hurried
through by the managing leaders Of what
is known in Republican politics as the
"Twenty-third street Gang" with unusual
celerity their faces wearing the eager ex-
preston of men who are delayed from some
feast of exquisite delight by the dull rou-
tine of previous and necessary business
The cause of this peculiar cast of express
sion was soon explained. The managing
Lincoln men of the regular central Re-
publican organization of our city
had prepared a surprise FEAST for
the Central Lincoln Club, of which
Mr.. Charles S. Spencer is PRESIDENT
and no sooner were the formal proceedings
and speeches hurried through with than the
room was cleared for ''negro ball." which
then and there took place! In came the
colored bellies into the Twenty-third street
Republican headquarters, arrayed in all
that gorgeous and highly colored, not to
say highly scented, splendor for which the
dark daughters of the Ethiop race are
asthetically distinguished. One might pick
out all colors among the hundred and fifty
bellies who soon tripped in ON the light fan
tastic toe over the floor of the Republican
grand council chamber. Some of them sat
81 ~ re
to bits on the rOstrum sacred but half an
hour before to Lincoln eloquence and the
theory of miscegenation; while Others,
seized by eager partners, whirled round in
the dizzy waltz, displaying all that extrav-
agant voluptuousness and wriggling of
figure orwhich the dancing African female
is so remarkable. Some of the bellies were
octoroons, to suit, we suppose, the love-sick
glances of Republicans as yet only in the
vestibule of the great miscegenation church.
Others were of the quadroon type; Others
yet mulattoes of great vivacity and variety
of tint; while not a few were of the pure
Congo or Bozoo character, black as the ace
of spades, and ready for any work from
shaking carpet to talking philosophy and
humanitarianism with the most perfect
professor of the Lincoln creed.
40 The veritable advertisement appeared in
The New York Tribune of last Wednesday
morning, which called the white portion Of
the gathering to the Republican headquar-
ters, cornorH of Twenty-third street and
Broadway, on last Wednesday evening. Was
this affair of last Wednesday evening rather
sudden thing, introduced to test Cne f1delity
of new or suspected acolytes, or candidates
for the custom-house, to the great banner
| genation? Perhaps the latter, as we know
that some members Of the "Central Lin
coin Club" left the room before thu
mystical and circling rites of languishinl
| glance and may dance commenced Blu
that many remained is also true, and 30
| such,n we suppose, in the Republicar
| church, sis the Kingdom of Heaven" Thii
| fact we certify, that on the floor during thu
| progress of the ball were many of the ac-
credited leaders of the Republican party
thus testifying their faith by their work:
in the hall and headquarters of their politi.
cal gathering. There were Republican of.
| tice-holders, and prominent men of various
| degrees, and at least ONE PRESIDENTIAL
| ELEoToR ON THE REPUBLICAN TICKET. i'''
b. Our informant adds that many of the
black bellies wore magnificent jewelry an6
clothing, that might vie with Fifth avenue
in everything but taste. This shows that
| their admirers are at least liberal, and is thu
first proof of practical liberality toward tn,
black race we have ever'had from them.-
|. We desire also to add that there have beer
many previous balls of precisely this char
acter at the Republican headquarters ir
TwentyIthird street, an institution which
is to the Black Republican party precisely
and in all respects, what Tammany Hall il
to the Democracy of our city. And We
further add that it has for months been {
common remark amongst the members o
fxf
meeting in this hall, "Bya Jove, we mus
keep this thing quiet for if the Democrats
/ get hold Of it they'll use it In every cam
/ nai6n sI,eech from Maine to California.n