The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-09-23
THE CAMPAIGN.
MONONGALIA COUNTY.
5000 People Present-The White
Boys in Blue.

BOYS in Blue.
MoRGANTowN, Sept. 90, 1868.
Editors of tho Register:
In order that the people of the State
may know what the people of old Monon-
gala are doing in the present campaign,
and to encourage the Democrats in other
portions of the country, will give you
q short account of the grand barbecue
and mass meeting at SmithtOwn, last
Saturday.
From early in the morning until about
noon the people completely swarmed the
roads in the direction of Smithtown.
Large professions came from Morgan
town and the various townships of
Monongalia and Marion counties; /;
also a very large one came from
Preston county. The procession
from Preston county was headed
by hay wagon upon which was erect
ed a large hickory pole bearing the
Federal flag, which was gotten up by
honorably discharged Federal soldiers.
Thirty-seven young ladies en- horse
back, dressed in white, each bearing
United States flag with the name of a
State printed thereon, formed another
very interesting part of the procession.
The "White Boys" also turned cut in
goOdly numbers, many dressed in white,
but the majority wore nothing emblem
attic of that organization other than a
white scarf. The crowd in attendance
has been estimated, by parties whe
claim to be good judges, at from 250O to
$500, and which | am clearly of the
opinion is not an over-estimate. True
to their instincts, the Radical ruffians
were on hand, but as there was much
larger crowd than was expected, they
were very cautious how they went
about their Interruptions.
After reaching the grove, the next
thing in order was dinner, and, in
keeping with the promise made by the
whole -souled Democracy of Clinton
township, they had prepared free
dinner for all who came to the meeting,
and they did not let single individual
90 hungery.
About one o'clock the meeting was
called to order by the selection of Col.
w. A. Hanway, ofMorgantown, as Pres-
dent. After thanking the meeting in
au appropriate manner, he introduced
the first speaker, Governor Green Clay
Smith, of Kentucky, who entertained
the vast assemblage for over an hour
and half, with one of the best speeches
ever had the pleasure of listening to.
After the conclusion of Mr.. Smiths
Colonel Hanway introduced
Jadge Thurman, of Ohio, who, suffering
as he was with q neuralgic headache
and hoarseness that annoyed him very
much, and which occasioned the open
ing speech by General Smith, proceeded
to address the multitude in an earnest
and convincing manner, but as there
was so many Interruptions, occasioned
by Radical rutfians in the outskirts of
the meeting, he did not speak as long as
was desired by his audience.
Among the crowd there was large
number of Federal soldiers, who, when
Judge Thurman had concluded, joined
in giving three hearty cheers each for
the speakers, Seymour and Blair and
the Democratic State ticket, after which
they began to disperse, many of them
having considerable distance to travel,
rs this section of the country is not
very thickly populated and the meeting
,cinp comnoscd of IL good portion of
pers5us from distance. 1t WINS ~ grand
success and, without doubt, will add
4 large numbc: to the Democracy.
D,E H.NntE