The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1868-05-30
LETTER FROM I'ITYSBLRGH
ST. LAWRENCE HOTEL,
PlrrSBu&Gn, MAY "A, 1868. {

PlrrSBU&GH, MAY "A, 1868.
Mr.. EDlrO2 II have been Stopping
bere tor some days past, and in order to
Improve the tine-to see what is to be
seen, and hear what is to be heard. |
last evening attended the great (was to
oe) ratification meeting in the City Hall.
1t had been announced in all the Radi-
cal city daiies that Gen. Daniel T..
SickIes, of New York, Gen. John A -
Logan, of Illinois, Maj. JAMES Hegarty,
Of New York. Gen. Lee, of Connecticut,
and many other distinguished speakers,
would be present to address the meet,
ing. went at an early hour aud Sc.
cured Il seat where could sec and hear
all that transpired. The meeting was
called to order by the chairman of the
committee, and Thomas VI. Marshall
was appointed President, but Thomas
aid not appear, so the chairman OF the
committee took the chair himself.
James Hegarty, who was the first
speaker, appeared to be not only rene
gade Democrat, but renegade Irish
man. He told several anecdotes about
the Irish at the lrishman's expense, aud
said the lrishs were deceived by the
Democratic party pretending friendship
for the laborcr, but he was not anxious
for labor, and wished to work as little
as possible, as much as TO say, -" don t
belong to that class OF lrishmen who
have to labor, and therefore these pro.
fessions tor the laborcr had no induce
ments for me-" lie next tried to snow
that some Southerner had characterized
the stol king class as " .nudsills," and
secuted the idea that negro labor would
come in competition with the Irish la
borer and reduce his wages thereby.
So far think he was right, for expur-
ience proves that the flcelmcn will not
work when they can steal. lie then
eulogized the negro soldier, aud said
Fred Douglass could make a better
speech than most white men, and there
fore they (thc negroes) ought to vote.
lie saiG with million OF negro votes
they c,ull bet tho Democrats every
tim. He then told US they were going
to make the city of New York Rcpub-
licau city as much so as the great city
of Pittsburgh. At this point gentle.
sitting beside me remarked, if they at.
tempted to make the negro the issue in
Pittsburgh, they would fail as they had
done last fall in the election of Mayor.
" | voted against that principle then,
aud shall do it again. The negro is
more than | bargained for" said he. So
you see, Mr., Editor, that'thc programme
as foreshadowed by these apostles of
Grant and Coliax, ust warm from the
Chicago Convention, is negro equality,
although they have not the manlness TO
say so IN their platform, and peithcr
Grant or Cultax have SO far acknowi-
edgen it in their acceptance Of the nom.
nation. One feature Of the argument
was observable from the beginning to
the eud Of his remarks. and that was a
disposition to ignore the Constitution,
and whenever it was necessary to say
Constitution, liberty and law was sub
stituted. Aud in order that there might
be no misapprchension upon that, The
speaker said that the Democratic party
and Andrew johnson had great regard
for the Constitution, bu; might as well
talk about carrying battles constitution
ally, and the several commanders be re.
quired to command fire consttutionally,
charge bayonets constitutionally, &c.
The next speaker was General Lee,
but so soou as the audience discovered
that they had been deceived that
neither Sichles or Logan Was,present,
about one half of them left, ana your
correspondent with them. More anon,
CLEARElELD.