The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-07-02
From N Y. Metropolitan (Campaign) Record
ARBY DOD d.
CUR CORRESPONDENT JOINS THE CHASE.
WASHINGTON. June II, 1868.


A wealthy and patriotic gentleman sent
me note, of which the following is copy:
DEAR SIR: Knowing your influence among
! your fellow citizens, and believing you to be II
/ sincere patriot and admirer of craftsmanship
and profound ability, l earnestly request that
YOU will exert yourself in behalf OF the olstin-
, Cuished gent eman now occupying the high othce
Of the United States, eminently proper
! candidate for the Presidency. Please call
Chase meeting, and endeaVor to make II as
! enthusiastic as possible.
Very truly yours,
PETER MORGAN THOMPSON.
! In accordance with Mr.. Thompson's re-
/ quest did call Chase mseting.
/ 1t was enthusiastic.
In fact, | may say it was the most enthu-
siastic meeting 1 ever saw.
l hired a g0od-sized ball, and it was pretty
well filed with my Democratic fellow-ci
Zens.
/ There WAS some difficulty about getting
chairman, several persons whom l reque d
to act in that capacity regretting previous
engagements, so l finally concluded to take
the chair myself and call the meeting to order.
AS the first business was to state Ghe OBJ
ject OF the meeting got up and said:
| Il am rejoiced, gentlemen, to see SO many
/ enlightened and uO6le-hearted Democrats
! present on this occasion. We have assem-
! DleG 10 proclaim our HeSOLlOu 10
/ dignined and honorable man whose name Is
| a synonym for purity and integrity-need
! tell you whose name / mean 2''
! The meeting inumated by hearty "No!
no ~ that it was not necessary, so went on:
You show by your enthusiasm that tn;
name of Salmon z. Chase is as dear to yonr
hearts as that of Andrew Jackson, aud"
mot by a ID sight!" exclaimed pro-
fame man in the back part of the hall, and
the meeting burst ont w.tas loud applause.
My fellow Democrats, in the person of
the distinguished gentleman whose name has
evoked 50 much-'
He be hanged /" interrupted another
man ; but | went on:
"Whose name has evoked so much enthu-
siasm in this patriotic Assem- mblage, we have
all the qualities requisite in candidate for
the suffrages Of the steadfast Democracy. 1t
! may be true that he has GOt been with US
heI etofore it may be true that he will not
come over TO US now but why should these
| cor Sderatll rs deter US from embracing him!
| If Mr.. Chase will not come to US why should
we not go to him. If"
l was again interrupted by a man who
wanted to know how much expected to
make out of this meeting ~ but without
deiguing 10 .eply to SO disrespcetful ques-
ton proceeded with my address:
IF MIR. Chase does not agree with the
| Democratic patty on the question of suffrage,
what Is to prevent the Democratic party from
agreeing with Mr.. Chase in his ideas ON that
question What is to prevent US from
throwing away our principles and accepting
his Can we not got over To-
Another interruption by man who was
lnquIsluve as TO my prospects for post
Office, but l scoTned to notice him
"Can we not go over To him and embrace
his theories He has made more out of
them than the Democratic party, clinging
to the planks of the Constitution, have made
out of their principles. In olden times Ma
homet commanded a noun tain to go to him.
1t would not obey, so Mahomet went to the
mountain. That did very well in the olden
| times, but we have changed things since
Instead of giving Mahomet the trouble to go
to the mountain now, the mountain will go
to Mahome:."
Not if the mountain knows ITSELF" said
a man quite nef.r me, and he looked as if he
meant it, too.
The gentleman says, mot if the mountain
know ITSELF Does the mountain know it.
Self?"
The same man remarked, 81 think she
do.''
THE gentleman says he thinks the noun
tain does know itself l am very glad to
{ near IT. III IaCl, never UOuDISO nave
the highest regard for the mountain. l am
part of it myself, and l know it to be good
mountain. But to come back to the ques-
ton. In Salmon P. Chase we have-'
"a man who proposes to cram the Dem
ocratic party into his breeches pocket'-thiS
was another interruption.
'Well, gentlemen, we won't discuss that
question at present. l will read you some
resolutions and ask your action upon them
Whereas, The main object of political par
ty is to secure power
Whereas, All means leading to this end are
meritorious and patriotic and
Whereas, The Democratic party should not
be above making some sacrifice to get into
power again therefore, be it
Resolved, That we did not mean anything
when We opposed the principles represented by
Salmon Z. Chase and the party of which he has
2 so long been an illustrious member.
Resolved, That we repudate all former Dem.
ocratic platforms and announce our willingness
to take anything Mr. Chase may give Us.
Resolved, That we pledge our hearty support
to Mr. Chase and we call upon our broIhel
Democrats throughout the country to come for
ward and sustain him as one man.
"All in favor of these resolutions will
a movement in the crowd caused mo t
suspend the question, and before I knew
much about anything a score of Democrat:
had taken possession of the platform and ex
pressed their intention to organize Demo
cratic meeting.
tried to leave the platform, but they sait
: should remain and they would show me
something.
Which they did.
They made me take the chair again. and
then they began to make speeches.
, One of them said the Democratic party
was not going to sell out to any man.
he would rather stick to them than to Old
Greenbacks.
The third speaker observed that it was
better for the Democratic party to be right
than to make President, and sneeringly
asked why the chairman did not propose
Wendell Phillips and Anna Diokenson as a
good Democratic ticket.