The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-08-10
POLITICS IN INDIANA.
Grand Mass Meeting at indianapolis
Speeches by MIR. COIfax and Gov.
IND1ANAPoI1s Aup =

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. Z.
The meeting tonight to hear the Hon.
Schuyler ColfaX was of the character of
an ovation. During the day torrents of
rain fell, and the meeting was adver-
tised for the Masonic Hall instead of
the Circle Park. But about 6 o'clock
the rain suspended, and, despite the
dampness, such a crowd of the citizens
of indianapolis has never before greet
ed any public man in the present cam
paign. The distinguished speaker was
introduced by his Excellency, Gov.
Morton, in few words of we'll chosen
compliment, and was received with
demonstrations of applause and re-
spect.
Mr.. Colfax labored under a severe
hoarseness, induced by the excessive
speaking he has undergone since his
return from Washington, having ad-
dressed his constituents at various
points every day.
Without any introduction, Mr.. Col
fax addressed himself to the issues of
the present campaign, and setting forth
the arguments which made Con-
gress refuse admission to the rebels
who had fought upon a hundred battle
fields to destroy the Government it rep
resented-a Congress which had been
villiied as never was Congress before,
but which he was present to defend,
and even to commend to the admiration
of the people.
Mr.. Colfax alluded to the classes who
denounced the Congress-rebels in
arms, rebels In the North, those who
had denounced Lincoln as Caligula,
and Nero; papers which had de-
nounced the loved but lost President,
who he would to God was now in the
Presidential chair.
Upon the work of reconstruction Mr..
ColtaX read from a speech of Andrew
Johnson, made the night he was nomi-
mated for Vice President, in which he
said: TRAITORS must take back seat
in the work of reconstruction" This,
Mr.: Colfax announced to be his policy,
and the Thirty-ninth Congress had
given the Southern rebels indeed
back seat, as Mr.. johnson had desired.
He differed radically from the Presi-
dent in the policy he had been pro-
claiming for some time past, but he
(the speaker) had too much respect for
the office to indulge in vituperation.
Mr.. Colfax alluded to the election of
General Humphreys, of Mississippi, as
Governor, and said be had hoped that
the President would have invited him
to back seat; but, no, he sent him an
exclusive pardon; and short time after
the Governor exhibited his animus by
calling the Union soldiers a "nuisance,n
a disturbing element, a blighting curse.
Then comes the compact between the
New Orleans Convention and the North
Carolina gathering, all going to show
the plan of the President. We are told
he must treat the Southerners as was
the prodigal son; but the speaker
thought that if the prodigal had return
ed and arrogantly demanded a read
mission into his fathers house, after
numbering his brothers, there would
have been very little veal eaten in that
house on the eve of his return. He
TYN ~ N I.
could not put weapon into his hands
to again strike deadly life-blow.
He next alluded to the call for the
Philadelphia Convention, and ridiculed
the section of it stating that liberty is
imperiled, and wanted to know if, in
the day of the rebellion, any ap-
peal for fusion came from the Democ-
racy because the citadel of our freedom
was assaulted. Union men in the war
could get no fusion; but now the fusion
is to be with rebel Generals, Colonels
and politicians-the Northern wing,
landigham, and the Southern wing,
headed by Dick Taylor and such rebels.
These parties could not come together
during the war, because the Union
army was between them, but now they
are to have meeting of the Chicago
Convention and the rebels in Congress
in joint convention, and, like two dew
drops will melt into one.
MIR. ColfaX presented a fine argument
in favor of the constitutional amend
ment, which would be the gem of the
Constitution when placed there, as it
would be, by the voice of the people,
and stand at the door, Congress, as did
the flaming sword of the angel at the
Garden of Eden. Pharaoh was once
offered terms which he refused, and he
sincerely regretted it. He loved the
amendment, because it was rehearsal
of the Declaration of Independence,
the baptismal vow of our fathers of the
revolution, under which every man,
high or low, rich or poor, black or
white, shall be equal in all his natural
rights.
He showed by logical argument, as
well as from the writings of Chancellor
Kent and the decision of Attorney Cen
eral Bates, as we'll as the opinion of Rev.
erdy johnson, that suffrage was not an
essential of citiZenship-thus knocking
of negro suffrage.
This was the strain of the eloquent
and forcible speech of the honored
Speaker of the House. Every salient
point was heartily cheered bY an inn
mense audience, who were perfectly in
sympathy with the speaker; and after
an hour and a half of sarcasm, elo-
quence and argument combined, Mr..
Colfax closed amid perfect huzza of
cheers. ~
Governor Morton followed Mr.. Col
fax in a short speech, particularly refer
ing to the Kentucky election and Phila-
delphia Convention, and the unholy
alliance of Southern rebels and North
ern Democrats.
The meeting adjourned at 1915.
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