The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-03-12
A BRILLIANT FIZELE.
Willard Carpenter on Corruption,
and Doctor Morgan on the
Rampage.

Agreeable to a call in the form of
hand-bill, in German and English,
crowd of something like hundred
people assembled in Marlett's Hall
last night.
Mr.. Willard Carpenter called the
meeting to order, Mr. Joseph p.
Elliott was elected Chairman, and
the newspaper reporters Secretaries.
Mr.. Elliott, on taking the chair,
said he accepted the position with the
condition that it did not commit him
to what might possibly be developed.
If what he apprehended cropped out,
he should withdraw. Heenquired the
objects of the meeting.
Mr.. Willard Carpenter said it was
we'll known that he was dissatisfied
with both political parties in their re-
lation to city affairs. There was
no Intention to get up a new party,
but to take the city affairs out of the
hands of partisans, and if the parties
did not put up good men, then nom
mate men outside the parties. Mr..
Carpenter spoke at considerable
length, condemning both elected and
appointed officers of both parties as
unfit and destitute ofiuterest in the
city affairs.
At the conclusion of this speech,
the Chairman, Mr.. Elliott, said he
wished to speak few words. He had
suspected what might be the object of
the meeting, and had now discovered
it. 1t was well known that he was an
undoubted and outspoken Republi-
can. He believed that in the hands
of Republican officers this city had
prospered. A Republican admins
tration had successfully governed this
city, and he believed they could con-
tinue to do so. Loud and prolonged
applause.l He, therefore, would va
cate the chair, as he could not be
used for any such purpose. He had no
sympathy with any movement of the
kind. Renewed applause.l He there
upon vacated the chair.
A faint voice called out doctor
Morgan"
The Doctor did not wait for a vote,
but mounted the stand and proceeded
to deliver frst-class old-fashioned
Democratic speech.
This was a respectable crowd, and
he was proud to preside at it. The
vacating Chairman had said the Re-
publican party had governed the city
successfully. He denied it. We are
taxed to death, but rich men are let go
free; we pile on the taxes to soldiers
widows and orphans and give seven
hundred dollars to a corrupt Legisla-
ture. CDR. Morgan is a State Sena-
tori He wasn't going to make a
speech, but wanted the city taken out
of the hands of clicque. We have
no railroads, and too many sewers.
Money was spent under ground, and
he believed in putting it above
ground.
He trotted out the bloated bond
holders, and just as he was about TO
shrek at them, he was taken with
violent fit of coughing and deprived
of breath for a while. When he re-
covered breath, he said, IF you want
to hear me speak, you must stop
smoking" Instead of eeasing to
smoke, the crowd began to talk among
themselves.
The doctor plunged around very
much like young colt under his first
saddle, stormed at the Republican
party, then suddenly remembering he
had not been elected said. well Iguess
it don't make any difference, I'll take
the chair any how"
Mr.. Carpenter made another speech,
the crowd continuing to talk among
themselves. He called for any reso-
buttons that might be lying around
loose. but no one offered any.
Captain Gooding responded, after
loud and repeated calls, by saying that
Mr.. Carpenter, while dealing in gilt
tering generalities, had pointed out
no wrong act of the city government.
The objects of the meeting reminded
him of Josh Billings, saying" If
you arc right you can't be too radical,
and if you are wrong you can't be too
conservative.
MIR. Carpenter said there would be
a meeting tonight at the Court
House, but he hoped those who
lugged in party would stay away, as
they were not invited either to this or
that.
Captain GordiDg asked, II hope,
sir, you do not intend to insinuate
anything against the gentleman who
presides at this meeting" [Great
laughter and applause.l
A long. awkward pause ensued,
during which the chairman grinned
horribly CHASTITY smile at his sup
posed oratorical triumph. Maj. Mat
tison relieved the pause by offering
the following:
Resolved, That it is the duty of each
political party in this city to put in
nomination its best men for candi-
dates for the various city Offices.
The resolution was unanimously
adopted. Vociferous calls were made
for Whittlesey. Robinson, Chandler,
Stackhouse and Mattison, none of