The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-15
Mr.. Pell, Gov. Bragg, and Judge
Merrimon Chief Mourners.
Great Enthusiasm behind the Scenes!
Gov. Bragg pulled out and
Required to Speak!
The Little Blower" in his Glory,
with much mush in his mouth!
"Hark from the Tombs dOlefuI Sound :"

On Saturday last the great conservative
City. The writer hereof was present, and
will give plain, unvarnislied statement of
the whole affair.
The meeting had been advertised far and
wide. The Sentinel and Progress had kept it
constantly before their readers, and hand
bills were scattered every morning in Market
Square giving flaming promise of a big day,
and inviting every body to be present -
Well, the day came. 1t was clear and
pleasant. Gov. Vance was to be here, but
it is understood he telegraphed he could not
tear himself away from the Circus in Char
lotte, lest he should lose ssome new or good
sayings of his rival, the Clown. Gov. Ora
ham was to be here, but he was so embar-
raised by the " cropping out" ofhis recent
letter to an Arkansaw friend, that he did not
appear We took seat early in the day in
the front part of the gallary, and saw it all.
The Sentinel says, " several hundred of the
best and most substantial citizens of the
County were present, besides a fair number
of colored men, Several" means "more
than two" Now, we ssert that the meet
ing opened with one hundred whites, incIud-
ing boys, and twenty colored. We counted
them twice. AS the funeral exercises pro-
crossed some twenty-five whites and fifteen
colored were added-and that was all. We
declare this to be so, and we challenge sue
cessful contradiction.
At length, amid solemn calm that could
be felt, Mr. Pell entered, followed by Gov.
Bragg and Judge Merrlmon- Mr.. Pell cir
culated, while the Governor and the Judge
disappeared behind the scenes, where no
doubt there was much ent husiasm. At
length Mr.. Pell mounted the platform and
moved that the meeting be organized by
calling Harry o. Parker, Esq. to the chair.
Put and carried, Maj. Hustled antl few 9TH
ers votin g in the affirmative. MIR. Parker
took the chair, hung his head, and said
nothing. After desperate effort young
man was induced to act as Secretary. Mr..
Pell then rose and in doleful strain ex-
planned the objects of the meeting. He con-
fessed his disappointment at the small num-
Der present, and apologized for the absence
of Gov. Vance. No applause. A commit
tee on resolutions was then ordered. The
Chairman appointed Willis Whitaker, N. g.
Rand, Fl. W. Hustled, Alfred Williams, and
Mr.. Smith-we could not see him, and did
not hear his full name. Col. Whitaker rose
and declined to serve! The Chairman beg
ged him to serve, but he positively refused
Col. Rand then rose and declined to serve!
Mr. Smith then rose and declined to serve!
Reader, were you ever in meeting when the
HYMN was given out, and there was 20 one
to raise the tune? Just SO it was on this oc-
casion. Every one seemed to feel badly,
and Judge Merrimon's cheeks burned. We
saw it with our own eyes, and sympathized
with him. We felt that his mind was made
up for an escape, and the sequel showed
that we were right. About this time the
Fighting Quartermaster, Maj. Engelhard,
showed himself in the rear part of the Hall,
and the meeting took courage. The Com
niftee was at last obtained, retired, return
cd and Maj. Hustled, with very much mush
in his mouth, reportedi The substance of
the report was, the resolutions heretofore
adogted by the so-called Conservatives in
this City, with a resolution added, jubilating
over Z" Conservative''-not Democratic-yic-
tories in the Northern States.
The resolutions were adopted, when few
feeble calls were made for Gov. Bragg, who