The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-09-30
rfIs RADICAL MASS F1zzLE.
Many were Called But few Chose to Come

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Last Thursday was the day. set
apart by the Radicals for grand
mass meeting of their party at this
place. Great preparations We're made
to make it an imposing affair. Large
sheet posters were pasted up all over
the county upon every fence corner
at all the cross roads. and public places
the leaders of the. party from here
perambulated the county to organize
and prepare for the great event ; pub
lie meetings were held in some, If not
all the townships, to make arrange
ments to come to town in long and
imposing professions which should
strike terror to the hearts oftfe DEM.
ocracy, and, to make sure of an i'm
mense gathering, the like of which
had never before been witnessed in
Old Portage, a National banner was
offered to the township which should
send the largest delegation, Hon., J,
A. Binghamand Hon. Rev. Gen. Js.A.
Garfield were the great guns an.
nounced to speak on the occasion, and
it was supposed that if all other, in
ducements failed, the fame of these
orators would certainly bring out the
people. The day came, little haisy
at.its dawning, but the mist soon
broke away, and not cloud obscured
the sky. Speaking was announced to
commence at eleven O'clock, in the
Court House park. The speakers put
in an appearance, but where were the
peoplea At aIlittle after eleven, "a
solitary horseman" with a red sash
about his manly waist, its itassels
streaming in the wind, came rushing
franticalIy into town. All eyes were
turned in the direction whence. he
came, when, anon, came pouring into
town the united, consolidated, pro-
cessions from the twenty townships
in the county, headed by the Ravenna
Silver Cornet Band, and inartiaied by
one chief, and eight assistant martiaIs,
the whole grand caYalcade number
ing forty-nine and a half carriages;
the half carriage being a sulky which
the Rootstowh delegation had induced
a Democrat to bring into the process
ion to aid that township in securing
the much coveted prize-the banner
offered by the committee Of arrange
ments. lr - bae .-a5lE-gIa.) 3uaff
AT about one o'clock, instead of
eleven as announced In the bills, the
speaking commenced in the rear of
the Court House, where a stand had
been provided for the occasion.
Bingham led of, but whether he made
that same speech which Ben Butler
said he always did like to hear, or not
we are unable to say But both his
speech and that of Garfield were de-
voted to the interests of the bondhold-
ers, the New England Manufacturers,
the privileged orders and the negroes,
and in vulgar abuse of Mr. Pendleton.
At the conclusion of the speech of
Gen. Garfield, on motion of Hon.
Luther Day, the Radical candidate for
Supreme Judge, three cheers were
given, but, wherefore, or fer what it
is very difficult to tell. These were
the only cheers given during the day,
and the only demonstrations to break
the funeral-like solemnity of the ocea-
sion. AS an evidence of the paucity
of this grand rally Of the Radicals, it
may be stated that several gentlemen
who had come to attend the affair
were heard enquiring where the meet
ing was being held, when the speak
ing was even then going on aim ost un-
der their very noses. This affair DEM
onstrates that the great majority eveu
| of the Republicans are either tired or
ashamed Of listening to speeches in
the interest of efthe,bondholding, privi-
legged orders; they are weary of being
told that the bondholder should re-
ceive gold for his bonds for which he
paid greenbacks, and be. exempt from
Taxation, while the laboring, produ-
cling people are burdened with taxes
beyond endurance land thatthe States
should be stripped Of their reserved
rights merely to enable Congress te
establish thepolitieal and social equal.
tity Of the negro and white races. y -,