New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-18
THE GRANT RALLY.


AN IMMENSE BUT UNDEMONsTRATIvE AUDIENCE
THE LIBERAL REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT
TOWARD CINCINNATI RIDICULED BUT NOT
DENOUNCED-NAMEs OF LIBERAL REPUBLl-
CANS ALTERNATELY KISSED AND APPLAUDED
--sPEECHEs OF GEN. sICKLEs, SENATOR'S WILL
SON AND MORTON, AND OTHERs-A SMALL
OUTSIDE MEETING.
An audience that filed the hall OF the Cooper
Union from stage TO DOORS but not OVERLOOKING into
the Hobbies and the squares, az at the gathering OF
last week. greeted the speakers at the Grant meet
ing" Last night. Outside, Ia gathering on about a
thousand people, drawn by the rockets and calcium
lights listened to casual speech-m making. and dis
persed by 0 o'clock. The audience inside
was composed Of people Of Intelligence and
quick perceptions, who appreciated fully the
telling points and palpable bits OF the
several speakers but not full OF that spontaneous
enthusiasm which made the audience gathered IN
the same hall on Friday last 80 remarkable IN the
history of public meetings in New-York. There was
more appearance Of elaborate preparation about the
proceedings which were like those of the business
meeting of a political organization rather
than the outbursts Of popular gath
ering, thus afOrding another renarkabie
contrast to that of Friday last. The
meeting appeared in every sense forced one; 1t
had too evidently been suggested by the alarming
SUCCESS of that which had preceded every device
of advertisement and proclamation had been EN-
ployed to secure an overwhelming audience, such as
had attended on Trnmbull and Schurz; and the re-
suit was q Of men, neither unanimous in
opinion nor one in feeling and enthusiasm as at
the former gathering. These contrasts IN the SIZE
and the spirit of the two remarkable audiences
which New-YOrk has lately turned ont to
greet some OF the foremost speakers OF the
day were irresistible to those who saw both gather
Al.
ings and many comments of like import with the
above were heard on all sides. Ii was, in short,
recognized by all that the Liberal meeting had sug-
gested and compelled this one; the speakers made
the error of combining themselves largely to criticism
of what had been said and of men who had figured
at that meeting, thus confirming this idea; and IN
consequence all felt, gentleman on the plat
form expressed it, that they were only ADVERTISING
the Liberal meeting"
Bnt there was no lack OF enthusiasm. The Hall
was filed fully half an hour before the time named
for the beginning of the proceedings, and half an
hour more was unfortunately thus lost by mis-
arrangement The reading of the list of Nice-Presi-
dents was not successful; the audience recognized
very few of the names as familiar and the only ones
which were loudly applauded were those of James
Gordon Bennett George Jones, and Henry Ward
Beecher The first mention of President Grant e
name was the signal for prolonged and genuine ap-
plause. After this there was no enthusiastic de-
monstration until Gen. Sickles hObbled on TO tie
stage when the vast audience fairly at BIN III
n warm welcome followed by three hearty cheers.
The sentiment most vigorously applaude>i was that
of Gen. Sickles in which he declared teat when real
danger that the county about ~ fall under the
rule of foreigners threatened there would be TO
sound the ALARM and Americana. would rush to the
rescue.
Each of the speakers had some reference 10 make
to those of the meeting ~ last Friday, and IN the
earlier part of the evening each name elected few
Misses drowned in rounds of applause. Gen. Sickless
alusion to Horace Greeley caused few misses in
distant parts of TIE hall. but roar Of applause
followed, and then, on the call OF some en-
thusiastic gentleman in the body of the audience
three cheer, for Horace Greeley" were given with
q will completely drowning the discordant sounds
of disapprobation. This incident was repeated at
the mention of Mr.. TrumbulPs name. Later, Sem
ator Schnrzs name was received in respectful 81
lence and the proceedings for the rest Of the
evening were more orderly, though less significant
The meeting was called to order at o'clock
by Henry Cews who addressed the audience as foows
FELLOW CITIZENS In calling this meeting to order
cannot pay you higher compliment than OHei 10 the
gentleman am about to name l nominate 1or pien
dent OF this meeting the Hon. VIA r. Dodge, fIesueh'
OF the Chamber OF Commerce.
Mr. Dodge unanimously and enthusiastically
elected, and upon taking the chair said:
SPEECH OF WIN. f. DODGE.
PEIIOw.CITIZENs The rapid flight Of time has
brought the OF another Presidential election
and we are assembled this evening to frankly express
our Impressions In regard to the manner In which Pres
dent Grant has fulfilled the expectations Of the Repub
can party who elected him to the high position which
he has now occupied for more than three years. For
7 nfeea IN hayi disappointed
while gave him my hearty support, had in common
with many Others my apprehensOns that his previous
training might lot have fitted him to the responsible
duties which would devOve upon him. and ." which nc
had been called by the people, who regarded
him as the successful leader Of our armies
to their final triumph but the result OF the
three years has dissipatcd my fears and l am
confident express the sentiments OF vast majority OF
the peope when say that he has done better than
had any right expect under the circumstances and
having satisfactorily fulfilled the pledges given to the
peope and their expectations they prefer to trust
him for another term to venture any change Let
me ask citizens, when has our country expert
enced as o whole, more general prosperity; when has
s&e5 a home OF abroad stood higher when have all
classes Of our aborng population been more generally
employed, better paid than during the three years OF
The heavy burdens OF taxation made necessary by the
war are being steadily lessened and our war debt re-
duced to the establishment Of the nations OF Europe
There general feeling Of security IN regard to our re-
in his Cabinet, and while. general thing, his
other have mainly been s sst .Ss
ofice of President, no has made some mistakes.
Yet, ia this recpeet, his Administration win eom,
down II could not anticipated by any think
ing the great social and political changes re-
sutipg from the war could have been adjusted without
great friction and difficulty at the South That there
has less just cause for complaint nsre can
be no doubt and yet 1t has manly grown out OF the nat
ural result Of transition state through which they
have been passing and President Grant should no more
be held rssPonsipie thSn .no fr The co,rs n,