The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-10-08
Another GraldRaDy.
IMMENSE CONCOURSE
OF PEOPLE.
Wonderful Enthusiasm for Union
and Peace!
Torchlight Procession of the
True Boys in Blue !
Speech by Jos, W. Parker. Esq
The Best Meeting of The
Campaign !

IL the city. Ihe people came togothei
in thropgsj the spacious court room was
crowded to suffocation the galleries
were full to overflowing, and hundreds
went away unable to obtain even stand
ing room The court room was elegant
ly decorated; national flags were grace
fully festooned over the entrance and
back of the speakers stand; Chinese
lanterns bearing the national color8 were
suspended from the portico over the
steps in front and all around the gallery
within; patriotic notices were dis
played upon the walls and in front OF
the gallery and the whole scene was
one of patriotism, enthusiasm and good
taste The space within the bar in the
court room was filed with ladies who
by their favoring presence, cheered and
inspired those OF. the sterper sex to the
discharge of the important duties Of the
hour. Their influence was felt by all
of the vast crowd that was present and
we trust that, upon future occasions of
the kind, arrangements may be made for
their accommodation, aid that they will
still continue to attend our political
meetings and exert the potent influence
of their smiles in behalf of the principles
for which we contend.
The True Boys in Blue, numbering
a hundred men under the leadership of
their President, Captain Porter Smith
formed in procession at the Democratic
and rcTsf"recd md preceded by splendid BRASS
band marched through several OF the
str.sts hearing red, white and blue
SV1., o,,ia tho plar 3its Of tho crowd
nnon the sidewalks, They bore several
transnarencies inscribed with appropri'
ate mottoes, and made q very fine ap-
nearance, Seats had been reserved for
them in the gallery Of the Court House
and they filed in to their places amid
the oheerings of the crowd. After they
had taken their places and the band
had furnished a piece of music, three
cheers for the "True Boys in Blue"
were called for and given with hearty
good will. The cheers were returned
BY the soldiers soon after, with In.
terest.
Order and quiet being restored, the
meeting was called to order and organ
iyed by the election Of His Honor, May
or A, J. SWEENEY to be Chairman, He
took his place upon the platform and
the following named gentlemen were
nominated and elected Vice Presidents:
Capt. Porter Smith, Col. James Nc.
Cluney, J L. Stifcl, Prof i. A. Weber,
John II. Hobbs, J. II. McMechan, f. s
williams, Capt. Sam. Mason Capt John
Murine, Henry Whitaker, Major J. M.
Doddridge.
For Secretaries of the meeting: George
Davenport, ESQ, Lieut., Milton J. Smith
and DR.. Thomas Lunstord, were chosen.
| A number of the Vice Presidents
having taken their seats on the Judges
bench, Mayor Sweeney introduced to
the meeting Jos. w. Parker, Esq, OF
Wheeling. His appearance was greeted
with hearty cheering and the delivery
of his speech was frequently inter
rupted by enthusiastic demonstrations
of applause. We cannot present more
than q very brief and inadequate out
| line OF Ills ISludL ho'
He commenced by alluding to the
blessings which Providence has bestowed
upon the Northern peoples the a6un..
dance of their harvests, the tulness OF
their granaries, the health or the people,
the prosperity of both city and country,
their freedom from the desolatlon and
ravages incident to war; and argued
from these the duty of the people to eX
tend generous charity to those less IA
vored, and to deal kindly and magnani-
mously with the erring. He then refer
red to the helpless and defenseleSs con-
dition of the South and the disposition
manifested by the radicals TO heap upon
them still greater misery than that they
now bear. He examined one by one the
different sections of the proposed consti
tutiopal amendment which has been put
forward by Congress as the platform OF
the radical party, and demonstrated the
Injustice and obnoxious character OF each
and all. He then called the attention OF
his audience to the fact that the radi'
calls had declared that the Southern
States should not be admitted to the
Union, even if they did ratify these
amendments, until they granted suffrage
| 10 the negroes. 1e quotSo luO aSVIoh VI
Congress upon the subject and showed
that by a strict party vote, the dominant
party had interposed itself as al
obstacle against reunion and avowed it
purpose of keeping the South out unit
negro suffrage was secured. He recite6
the Crittenden resolution as the platform
upon which the late war was waged ant
for which the soldiers volunteered anc
fought and shed their blood, and declar
ed that, by their votes and their voices
and their strong arms, if need be, th'
, soldiers would declare to Congress tina
they should not any further oppress th
South or give to the negroes equalit.
= with the men whom our soldiers met ant
vanquished in battle. CAT this point
the cheering was tremendous. 1t wa
sustained several minutes and fairl.
shook the solid walls of tho building
. He exhorted his hearers, if they woul
!. avert the humiliation and disgrace G
y sharing with negroes the privilege G
:. voting, the richest blessing and deares