Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-03-25
A RATIFICATION.
The Democracy Out in Strength---Ths
Ticket Endorsed.
Speeches by Esssrs, Stephens, HelskelI,
Barnes, Perkins, Douglas and Others.
Great Enthusiasm---Firs WOrks---The
People for the Constitution
and the Candidates.

For some days public expectancy haI
been turning toward the Yard mass meet
ing which took place last night. Al
kinds of rumOr have been insidiouslN
circulated for several days with references
to candidates on the Democratic ticket
and the supposed action of this n that
class of citizens on election day. The an
nOuncemeut that the Democracy would
meet in counsel on last night was hailed
by all Democrats as a good omen, for u
became evident that some such mass
meeting as this, vas necessary to refute
the many vague rumors having a vaga-
bond existence on the streets. No won
der, then, that in every Democratic circle
the mass ratification meeting and the
names of the speakers announced were
The themes of conversation. Yesterday
nothing else was talked of on the streets,
In the evening the Old Memphis Brass
Band heralded for the great Democratic
rally. BY seven O'Clock last evening
/ crowds of citizens could be seen vending
their way toward
TIE OPERA HOUSE,,
which was brilliantly lighted up in every
7 part. Every burner in the splendidly-
arranged gas apparatus was turned on,
and there being a ball in the Club Hall,
every window in the main portion of the
building sent forth & flood of light. In
addition 10 this grand illumination, a cal
cium light had been arranged on the bal
cony, and ever and anon a broad glare of
real artificial daylight was shot up and
dOwniSecOnd street, setting forth in bold
relief the groups of citizens which
had gathered in the neighborhOOd, and
making a picture not soon TO be forgotten
by one who witnessed it. As sOOn as the
doors were opened the crowd commenced
pouring into the building, but OF account
ef the attractiveness outside, the house
a. ---a.H - -
which time every seat in the auditorium
was taken, and the galleries were receiv-
ing their quota Of the immense crowd.
one that would have done a theater man
ayers heart gOOd-at a dollar a head.
The band having moved inside, at a quar-
ter past eight struck up Dixie, amid
cheers. At the conclusion Of the air, Col.
J. J. DuBOse came forward and
CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER,
And moved that Judge Marland L. Per
kins take the chair.
The motion was seconded, and on being
put to the vote was carried by an unan-
imous vote some tipsy individual voting
no.
Judge Perkins in response said that he
was only a soldier in the army of Democ-
rscy and begged TO be excused.
A voice shouted, I'VE demand it."
LApplausel.
Judge Perkins still refused, and nomi-
mated Captain Lacy but the assembly
with one voice shouted Perkins" in re-
Spouse.
Colonel DuBose said that it seemed to
be the wish of the meeting that Judge
Perkins should not resign Lcheers], upon
which the latter left his seat, came to the
platform, and was introduced by Colonel
DuBose, amid cheers. Taking the chair
he said:
- o.. II u.yyo- Gill;
feel most profoundly the compliment you
have paid me. Were it not FOR the fact
that l am so devoted to party principles,
so DESTROYS to cOnduce to party discipline,
I would have peremptOrily refused it but
7 believe that ] have no right to disObey
the call of the Executive Committee and
the voice OF my felIow-citizens. 1Cheers.l
/ therefore carry out the discipline OF
that party whose call 1 was brought up to
obey, and I accept the chair, and shall
fearlessly and honestly discharge the du-
ties the honor brings with il. LCheers.l
are called together to ratify a ticket
nominated some weeks ago by the De-
mOcracy in convention assembled, and
we will do so. "A voice: That's manly
II I am 10 address myself
to and preside over Democrats, the
task l have assumed Will be an easy
one. If TO discOrdant elements, 1 know
how TO speak. / am n of thOse who,
like the Catholic TO his religion, have
been schooled TO believe IN the infalli-
bility of Democratic conventions Tcheersl,
and whether like the nominations or
not, whether suitable persons were
chosen or not, whether nv friends were
slaughtered or not, if L went into the con-
ventiOn, or my friends were there to rep
resent me, I Will stand by the nomina-
ton. There never was a convention
called since this government was framed
gave satisfaction TO all its cOnstitu-
ents. There never was a candidate for
the Presidency nominated yet who salts
fed the whole party. There never
was a county convention and
never viii be that can satisfy all
elements. It is not in human nature or
that it should. Good Democrats,
however, must accept their action. IA
voice: How sO2"l I'll tell you how
so. You say that the nominations were
made at the expense of better men who
were slaughtered-that 1t would not have
been sc if you had your way. Very true,
perhaps. But suppose now that those
good men that were slaughtered and the
nominees both rum. What will be the
consequence? Why, defeat, Ia voice:
50 That's 50, and the election Of a Radical.
When the Radicals were in power did
they do this way. Did you ever know
them to put a Conservative on their
kAcktL4 Mo- utA ES lubNB ever a DtL-
ter time to organize the Democracy on a
firm and lasting basis than now ? If
YOU permit it to pass YOU
have destroyed the party. When
the Radicals were in power you strOve to
divide them and you did it. What was
the result? Victory IfyOu are divided,
land that is what they are striving to do,
so next Saturday you viii be defeated.
unity there is strength. To be divided
81 dafoaf and defeated We fall
Judge Perkins sat down amid cheers,
which Colonel DuBOse came forward
said that as it was necessary to nave
secretaries, he moved hat the reporters
OF the city press be requested to act in
that capacity.
This resolution was carried and the re-
porters duly installed as secretaries Of the
tive Committee being followed out, the
first speaker in order was
col. W. Il. STEPHENS,
who was called forward and introduced.
He spoke somewhat as follows:
FeUotC-cidzens: l saw in the papers to-
day that 1 was expected to be present and
the people of Memphis this even
ing. / saw also the name of my colleague, |
Colonel Heiskell, as one who would ad-
dress you. 1 naturally supposed that so
obscure a man as l would not be called
upon except TO speak in regard to affairs
in which 1 have been recently engaged.
and might refer 10 the late Constitutional
Convention. / did not even know for
what object the meeting was called, or /
TO expect, but supposed il was
my duty to appear at the cali OF my neigh
bOrs and friends. I supposed, from the
Of my name with Col. Heis-
kell. that / would be expected to talk
the Convention, and 50, for an hour
or two, or may be less, my thoughts have
been running on that subject. Therefore
claim your indulgence on this subject.
J bad the honor, against my protest as
you know, 20 be selected, along with Col. /
Heiskell, to represent you there. II was, |
that time, with great reluctance that /
accepted, but l am glad now hat / did.
This is the first opportunity that l have
OF doing so in public, but l thank you
'or the privilege Of having been
associated for six OF seven weeks with so
good and wise patriots, assembled
% frame a constitution for the people of
Tennessee to ratify lcheersl. 1 don't
to be understood TO say thatthe Con-
that we nave framed Is absolute
Y perfect. No human institution is. The
JonstitutionOfthe United States has been
lmenGed Elaaghterl. The Constitution of
tennessee, framed in 1876, was amended
n 1884, again in 1854, again IN 1865, and
gain in 1870. No Constitution ever was
1erfecten that satisfied everybody. But
Notwithstanding some muTmuriugs, I am
of the humble part that L nave
in framing the u to be brought
You next Saturday. When we as
it was natural that we should
our memories over the scenes
through which we had p~assed-the despot-
under which we had lived, the n
ringementof the rights Of the people: and
We sci ourselves about to redress these
wrongs, and TO so !egislate as to prevent
heir recurrence in future. We found
hahrsAe writ Of habeGs corpus had been
suspended, that the State had been over