Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-08-27
THE RATIFICATION MEETING
Five Thousand Persons Present
Enthusiasm of the People -
spec ches by Warriors and States
men.

VA SATURDAY evening, as tnt nOur up
preached for the ratification meeting,
announced to be held in Court Square,
that garden spot of our city was illumi-
mated with numerous lanterns, while
blazing rockets and other fireworks were
sent rushing through the air to inform
the people that the time was close at
hand when they were to express them
selves as to the action of their delegates,
and the delegates of the whole country
recently assembled at Philadelphia. Prof.
Withers' fine brass band dscoursed fa-
vorite airs, and the familiar sounds of
the :" Star Spangled Banner" Dixie"
Red, White and Blue" Bonnie Blue
Flag" ETC., invited all lovers of their
country to come forward At the time
the meeting was called TO order there
we're about FIVE thousand persons pres
ent-representatives Of every class of
the population of our city, who stood
shoulder to shoulder, with eager, up
turned faces, and listened to the sound
sense and brilliant oratory of the various
speakers. A large number of ladies were
there, and the charm of their presence
and the beauty of their appearance added
life and brilliance to the scene.
The meeting was called to order by
Mayor Park, who announced Gen. N. B.
Forrest as chairman of the meeting
The appearance of the noble Memphis
veteran, whose fame as cavalry leader
is worldwide, was received with shouts
of applause by the immense audience
present. His speech on taking the chair
was characteristic of the man. 1t was
not as brilliant as some of the speakers
who followed, but for practical, hard
sense it was not surpassed by any Of
them. Gen. Forrest stated that he was
no politician, no speaker, but he consid-
cred ii his duty TO come forward and sus-
tain the President Oh the present oc-
casion. He won Id like TO see this mat
ter settled, and was willing to trust him
self in the hands Of the brave men whom
he had met on the field of battle. The
soldiers who had fought the battles on
both sides would soon settle this matter
if left to them. 1t was the politicians
the men who stayed at home, who were
endeavoring to prevent the restoration
of the States to their rights in the Union.
The speech was frequently interrupted
by the cheering of the vast sssemblage,
many of whom had followed the distin-
guished chieftain for four years of bloody
war.
Able speeches we're also made by Hon
Gus A. Henry, Hon. Landon C. Haynes,
Gen. Stoneman, Col Bob Crockett and
Capt C. S. Cameron. The speeches of
Messrs. Henry and Haynes were brilliant
and finished efforts, worthy of the men;
Gen. Stonemans was after the style of
Gen. Forrest's-short and sensible while
those by Col Crockett and Capt Came
ron were short sharp and to the point.
Sam. P. Walker, Fred L. Warner,
John c. Creighton, d. Pante, NJ. Magiv-
euy, ST., James Elder, ID. Coekrell, W.
NJ. Harrington, T. A. Nelson, L. Rocco,
Felix lie Clerc, J. Halstead, and A.
Seessel were elected vice-presidents of
the meeting, and J. NJ. Heating, W. ID.
Rhea, L. Wunderman, J. W. Young
blood, ]. II. Matthes, aud F. Y. Rocket
The following was adopted as the sense
of the meeting, amid much unanimity
and applause:
A civil war, gigantic in its proportions,
and unparalleled in its destructive ener-
gies, dividing the territory and people of
the United States into two great bellige-
rent sections, has closed 1t is appa-