The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-09-02
9noersm yntslalii!gje1reit..
Gen. Grant at Home:

writing from Galena, lllinois-Genera'
Grants own home-gives tho following
account of. a Radical meeting atg that
place. Even Sthe presence of thos great
military chieftain among his friends and
neighbors failed to inspire enthusiasm
with the people assembled, and the gath
ering was complete failure, as will be
seen by perusal of this narrative: s7'af
Leaving Dubuque yesterday morning
and crossing the Mississippi TO 4Danteith,
a short ride by rail landed me ait Galena,
the home of General Grant. / had seen
it announced that a Grant and C9lfaX
mass ratification meeting was to be held
here, and supposed that I would witness
an immense crowd and a great dealaef'
Republican enthusiasm. The Congress
ional district of; which thisscouptY !ls
part, andsof whichSMr. 3. B.'W aslibnrne
is the representative, had, in 1866. Rc-
publican majority of nearly nine thousand
votes. OF the six counties composing
The district-viz: Carroll, 10 Daviess,
Lee, Ogle;tStephenson and Whitesido-
each onezis- largely Republican, and the
majority in this county of 10 Davicss
alone is between two and three thousand.
It was, therefore, reasonable Ia. expect
that there would be such demonstration
as wouldsstriketerror tos tho few Demo-
notwithstanding. 'Grant'sA presence
in the town, too, it was supposed would
inspirstenthusiasm. That the citizens OF
Gaiena' had ssgreat expectations" Of a vast
crowd was manifest, for upon registering
at the De, Soto House, mine host, inquired
if ] proposed to rcmain- over night, add
ing that he had asked the question be-
cause he wished me to understand that 1t
might become necessary to put two or
three in room, as ne; expected large
number of strangers to attend the mass
meeting. Although the train arrived
early in themorning, flags we're displayed
at numerous points in the principal
streets, while the bunting was also plen-
tigIi on, numerous house-tops. There was
no particular hustle i in the streets, but
that seemed reasonable, rs the demon
stration was not to take place Gas learn
cd from handbills posted at all points,
until two o. clock. in. the afternoon, and
theinterval was therefore passed in Wow
u But further observation Of tho city was
interrupted by martial music announcing
the arrival Of some delegations to the
mass meeting, and the formation of the:
: line of. procession to the fair grounds
about,a mile distant, where the meeting
was to take place. The speakers an
nounccd were Governor Oglesby, Senator
Yates and Hon. Matt. Carpenter, of Wis
eonsin q When the procession formed 10
thecity'there were not more than~three
hundred persons in line, and they were
principally members of the Galena "tan-
ncrs..' club, and Of similar clubs in towns
adjoining, ,:and Of this crowd quite 3senunn-
ber were boys Thinking that per-
haps the bulk of the procession had
como in soms other direction, / repaired
to the fair grounds, where the laundering
of a.cannon gave notice of the commence.
ment of the exercises. A stand, decora-
ted with half dozen flags, had been
erected in q grove at one ond OF the
grounds, and in front of it benches had
been placed for the accommodation oi
spectators. The meeting was called TO
order in due form, and SIR. ii. S. Town
send was selected to preside. After u
few preliminary remarks, Mr. Townsend
introduced Gov oglesby, who commenced
q characteristic speech.
At this time there were not two thou
and.paople on the. ground, and the num-
Der was notincreascd during the afternoon.
OF this number q large proportion were
ladies and children, who had been driven
to othe grounds in carriages. Take the
women, children, and boys from the
whole number, and an estimate. of eight
hundred voters. present will be very
large ono There was no time duringthe
afternoon but that the speaker. could, be
distinctly heard on the outskirts of the
crowd It may be, that the people of 10
DaEiIess county J~and sof thescity of Galena
do not know how to "thuso;" or it may
be thatflliey are SO famiRar VIII lGrant
that they did not deem it worth While to
make the least exortion in his behalf (;
but certain it is that no enthusiasm was
manifested. 1t is doubtful whether a
ward meeting for purely ward purposes
in, any city of the Union was ever more
tame, or spiritless. During the whole
afternoon there was not once heard that
r6using, hearty, enthusiastic cheer which
the American people always give when
their hearts and feelings are enlisted in a
cause i@ii
Gov. oglesby spoke with all his fervor
and !earncstpess, lie blackguardcd and.
nisrepresontcd tho Democratic. party and
and Democratic platform to his hearts
content. He lauded Grant to the seventh
heaven, and expatiated upon tho glories
of the country under Republican party
rule; yot in all this he failed to inspire an
honest, hearty, unanimous cheer. Occa-
sionally, when BIC made a good hit, some
hffla ar On Id arntaud by clapping his hands.