The Shasta courier., 1868-10-31
GREAT UNION MEETING.

Saturday, October Z4th, Will long be re-
membered as the occasion of one of the larg-
est and most enthusiastic gatherings of the
Union pople of Shasta county ever witnessed
in this place. This splendid demonstration
was all the more gratifying because it was
brought about by the spontaneous and volun-
tary action of the people, uninhuenced by
infammatory appeals or urgent calls to rally.
In the forenoon the Shasta Brass Band,
accompanied by respectable delegation in
carriages, went out and received Hon. Geo.
G. Gorham and Hon. A. P. Dudley at Lower
Springs and escorted them into town, while
Teddy" beloved loud welcome from his
iron throat. A large crowd had assembled
at the hotel and greeted the arrival of the
speakers with cheers and salutations of well
come. Many then enjoyed their first sight
of the pleasant and attractive countenance of
Mr.. Gorham, and had the pleasure of taking
him by the hand.
At four O'Clock the delegations from differ
ent parts of the county, in wagons, carriages
and on horseback, met at the lower end of
| town, formed in line, and headed by the
Band, marched through Main street. The
sight was the grandest and most imposing
ever witnessed in Shasta. When the process
sion was halted, two lines of we'll filled vehi-
cles extended the entire length of the street,
and the sidewalks were lined with people
The teams and wagons were literally covered
with flags, banners waved from sidewalks
and buildings, old Teddy" roared, the band
played, and the people sent up cheer after
cheer in such tones as never echoed through
our streets before. The procession then dis
banded and spread through every part of the
town, greeting acquaintance, and congratu-
lating one another on the gratifying political
prospect, and cheering for Grant and Colfax
At 81 o'clock a torchlight procession, con-
tanning three hundred men, led by the Band,
marched through the principal streets, car
rying flags and transparencies bearing APP
propriate mottos. Immediately following
the men came the boys procession, consist
ing of sixty odd enthusiastic Union juveniles,
who mingled their youthful voices with the
deeper cheers of the men. On their
transparencies were printed 6 Young Ameri.
ca for Grant," " Hurrah for Free Schools"
Welcome to Geo. c. Gorham." 1--WE can
All Read, )" A." We will Protect the Flag when
We are Men," &c. This feature of the dem
onstraton created considerable enthusiasm
among the senior portion of the crowd, aid
| Vounn Al
compliments on account of their intelligence
and patriotism. As the procession dsbandcd
at the speakers stand in front of the Court
House, Main street glowed with bonfres and
sky-rockets, while the enthusiasm of the
crowd found vent in the widest description
of cheers and hurrahs.
At about y o'clock the assemblage was
called to order, DR.. Shurtleff chosen Chair
man, and Mr.. Gorham introduced. His ap-
pearance was greeted with a perfect storm of
cheers. Quiet being restored, Mr.. Gorham
proceeded to deliver a speech of two hours
aud half duration. We cannot allude to
the speech in detail, but suffice it to say that
all agree that it was the most pointed, logi-
cal and eloquent appeal ever made in this
place. As an evidence of the power and
effectiveness of this speech, we will state that
number OF men who have heretofore voted
the Democratic ticket announced their inten.
ton that evening to cast their ballots for
Grant and Colfax on the Sd of November,
and in one precinct of this county four voters
have; Withdrawn from the Democratic Club
and declared for oar standard bearers.
Mr.. Gorham was followed by Hon. A. P.
Dudley, who spoke until II o'clock creating
great enthusiasm and merriment by his
heavy hits at the present bogus Democracy
His exposure of the inconsistencies and
double dealings of the Democratic leaders of
this State, was truthful and scorching. He
said that Haight and his party last year
claimed before the people to have accepted
the results of the war in good faith, but that
they were now playing directly into the hands
of the conspirators and traitors of the South,
who were striving with might and main to
inaugurate another war and overthrow the
Government. He eloquently warned the peo-
pie to beware of the doughface Democracy of
this State, who have always bowed to the
dctation of the aristocratic secession leaders
of the South,
At the close of Mr.. Dudley's speech the
Band played several tunes and the Glee Club
sang several songs. Round after round of
cheers were given for Grant and Colfax.
Gorham, Dudley, and the Union victories in
the East. The crowd then dispersed reluct.
antly, and had it not been Sunday morning
the meeting would doubtless have been kent
up until daylight. as there were other speak
ers present who would otherwise have re-
sponded to the calls of the audience.
| Nor FOR SALE.-Whenever prominent
man becomes convinced of the error of his