The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-10-09
THE CAMPAIGN.

THE GREAT DEMOCRATIC DEMONSTRATION IN
NEW YORK ON MONDAY NIGHT-GEs. M'cLEL-
LAN's LETTER.
The New York papers of Tuesday give long
accounts of tho great Democratic conservative
mass meeting held in that city on Monday
evening. The Sun (Republican) says:
Whoever saw the magnificent Democratic
meeting at Union Square last evening must
have felt that the Democrats are not all dead
yet. What glare Of torches What myriads
Of peoplel What scores Of eloquent orators J
The Republican organizations had better not
disband at present. There is something left
apparently for them to do There is no deny
ing that Democrats are still very numerous.
The Herald remarks s'It cannot be denied
that the grand Democratic demonstrations of
last night surpassed in numbers and enthu-
siasm any public affair of like kind since Octo-
Der, 1859, when the Douglas, Breckinridge
and Bell Democracy fused in opposition to the
Radical Republican nominations of Abraham
Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin. That, rerhaps
was the grandest demonstration ever made by
the Democratic party in New York, and the
turnout OF last night was only second to ii III
brilliancy and character"
dispatch describing the turnout says:
The procession had in its ranks, ac:ordia s
to the estimate of an experienced police cap
tain, over 80 900 persons. After junction had
been effected with the delegations from ad-
joining counties, the length Of the procession
exceeded ten miles. Every ward was largely
represented, and the banners AMI Transparent
cies were numerous Several bands accom-
Spangled Banner" and other national airs. The
scene in Union Square was grand. The main
stand represented the temple OF Liberty, and
was brilliantly illuminated by strings OF lights
stretched to Tammany Hall, and the streets
in the vicinity seemed literally on fire with
calcium lights, rockets, fire paintings and fire
balloons. The main stand facing, Broadway
was the centre OF attraction outside OF Tam
many Hall, although there were six other
stands at which speeches were made to the I'M
mense throng, roughly estimated at half q
million men, women and children. The crowd
stretched completely down Broadway to
Eleventh. erect, and even as far as SPRING
street the thoroughfare was well filled, while
scores Of the cross streets were alive with clti-
zens.
All the Republican papers Of New York ad-
NIT it to have been an immense demonstra-
ton. The World, Democrat, is jubllant over
the great success and enthusiastic spirit Of the
meeting.
1t having been by some expected that Gen.
eral Mcclellan would preside, the following
letter in explanation of his absence was read:
New YORK, October g.
Douglas Taylor, Esq, Chairman, &c., dc.
MY DEAR SIR: have the pleasure to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your invitation to
preside over the Democratic meeting of Mon
day next.
I have long since determined to abstain from
further participation III political life, and there
fore find myself compelled to decline the honor
you proffer me. should, however, be- glad to
attend tho meeting as private citizen, did not
engagements of domestic nature, rendered
imperative by my long absence from the coun-
try, detain me from the city upon the day in
question.
gladly avail myself of this opportunity 10
expiess my continued hearty sympathy with
the Democratic cause, and my ardent wishes
for the success OF those constitutional pllncl-
Piles for which the recent war was undertaken
by the North. Separated as l thus am from
the distinguished soldier who has been chosen
as the leader of our opponents, know that You
will agree with me in the highest respect for
the services he has rendered our country; but
it 10 my conviction that the measures OF the
party which has placed him in nomination are
but combinations OF strife, and can never re-
store peace or constitutional supremacy, and
thus complete the work which he and other
brave soldiers 30 ably commenced. The war
was only the first epoch in the history of the
struggle in which we have been go long en-
gagged.