Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-09-17
The Democratic M sss Meeting at
Midway.

The Democra tic M sss Meeting al
Midway.
sgOn Tuesday afternoon there was very
large Democratic Mass Meeting at Mid
way, Madison county. A special from Lon
don to the Cincinnati Commercial says it wa;
ian immense Democratic meeting" Ano
So was. 1t was too, one of the most or
derly and attentive of meetings. The
speaking occupied three hours and forty
minutes. Judge CLARKE presided as Chair
man.
Tie first speaker introduced was JOHN
FL. THOMAS, Esq, the Democratic candi-
date, for Congress, who for fifty minutes
discussed reconstruction and the financial
questions in issue with great effectiveness,
and to the evident appreciation of his large
ldience. There, as everywhere else where
he has spoken, he made fine impression
Judge BRIGGS, of Washington G. H., was
the second speaker. Judge BRIGGs has all
along acted with the Republican party, or,
perhaps, it would be more properly speak
ing to say that the party acted with him up
to last tall. He would not vote for Negro
Suffrage in Ohio, and he is too much of a
man-too proud of his own race--to be
willing to vote to force Negro Suffrage
on the South, and thereby make
a Hayti out of that fertile coun-
try Before commencing his argu-
gunent, the Judge referred to the speech
that Hon. SAM. GALLOWAY made at
Washington G. H.. recently, in which he
said that the Democrats are meaner than
were the dogs that licked the sores of Las
ARUs, and disposed of it by saying that the
late THADDEUs STEVENS was a man most
singularly constituted ) that while he was
kind and generous hearted to an lextraor-
dinary degree, he was, withal, bitterly ma
lignant; t nat now that STEVENS was dead
and all that was good in his nature buried
with him, he had thought that that which
was vicious and diabolicari in his nature had
for some time hovered over the country
looking up a fit receptacle. and that finally
it had lodged in Mr.. GALLOWAY. 1t was
only on this hypothesis that he could ac-
count for Mr.. GALLowAY's contemplate
meanness. We, have not given Judge
BRIGGs' words--only his idea. After
having disposed Of Mr.. GALLOWAY, the
Judge discussed the Reconstruction policy
of the Radicals with thoroughness and
effectiveness that we have not heard sur
passed this season. If there was Repub-
hcan present whose mind was open to con-
viction, the Judge undoubtedly must have
convinced him that the, Republican party
is not the party for him or any well wisher
OF his country to act with in the present
emergency. The Judge is a temperate.
pleasant and candid speaker. Could he be
heard by the Republicans generally he
would do great good for the cause of the
Union and the peoples prosperity. All
who heard him on Tuesday felt well repaid
for the meeting.
Col. BABER, of this city, after Judge
BRIGGS had concluded, made aspeech of an
hour and ten minutes length. 1t was an
effort fully equal to the Colonel's best. AS we
slall publish his speech in full Tomorrow,
our readers will have the qualification of
reading it for themselves. .5s-l:.
e. B. EsHELMAN concluded the speaking
exercises in a thirty-tiye minutes speech.
The audience, when he concluded, was as
large as it was at any time during the
afternoon.
The Democrats present were greatly
gratified with the meeting. zye
The Madison Mills Silver Band enlivened
the occasion with some very fine music.