Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-10-13

i TIE DEMOCRATIC MEETING raj
5. ly of the unterriied Democracy in this
city last Saturday. which was expected to
be an overwhelming outpouring Of the
masses, and for which great preparations
were made, including q heavy draft on
the Democratic orators of Dubuque, was
not signal success. The big guns from
Dubuque were here, including Griffith,
Knight, O'Donnell, Mahoney and Cady,
besides our heavy member of Congress,
Ainsworlh; the band was out IN full
tune, and the big drum and the attendant
small boys, but somehow the people did
not take much interest in the show. -
Even with the addition of the Grcenback-
ers, who were in town that day nomina
ting a county ticket, the crowd was not
near as large as came together the Satur-
day before in expectation of a Republican
speech from Mr.. McCrary. Mr.. Griffith,
the Democratic candidate for Congress,
evidently expected to enter our town
like conqueror, amid the congratula-
many of Buchanan county, especially
those of soft money views, upon whom
he had designs. He accordingly gave
orders for the hiring of the Opera House
and the band, defraying the expenses out
! of his own pocket. The choice of the
| Opera House was unfortunate however,
for his meager audience of between one
and two hundred, hardly made sprinkle
| in the spacious room. Mr.. Glillith's
speech was only remarkable for its lack
of point and pith. The speaker although
he has a reputation for skill in making
the worse appear the better reason, was
evidently at u dlsadvanta ge on this occa-
sion. He came with the main purpose of
| bagging the greenback people, but he
proved most unskilful fowler The
net was too plainly apparent to deceive
anybody. 1t was apparently with some
effort that the dainty iloriculturist of Du-
buque, got down TO the leyel of the plain
farmers before him, and he made the mis-
take of Understanding their intelligence.
This led him into several wild statements
of fact, and wild deductions of reason,
which was quickly detected by his audi
encc and placed to his discredlt for fair
ness. His whole speech was a labored eff
fort for one end, and that the attaching
Of the greenback party to his individual
fortunes. This was evident from the
suspicious promptness with which he
pledged himself to do everything, if elect
ed, that the Grecnbackers want done. 1t
was for this that he attacked with such
abandon the National banks. although
himself stockholder in two banks
But his bungly efforts were futile,
We have yet to hear of one Greenbacker
who would not have supported HIM any
way who was caught in Mr.. Grifliths net
Even with the help of that eminent pat
riot and representative of reform of the
Tilden variety, Dennis Mahoney, who
labored for HIM in the Greenback Con-
vention at the Court House, Mr. Griffith
did not succeed in impressing one solitary
man of that organization, that he was a
sound and fit man for Congress On the
other hand, some of them, of Dem ocratic
antcccdents too declared that il the Green
boo oil nj
vote for Burdick. The mission of the
former to our county was a grand fiasco.
The evening meeting gave occasion for
the bodyguard of Griffith to air their elo-
qucncc in the cause of reform" Avoid,
ing the mistake of the day the managers
selected the Court House for this meeting,
and it was comfortably filled, consider
able portion of the crowd being Repub.
licans The first speaker was our mem
ber," L. l.. Ainsworth The only Incl
dent of his speech above the dreary dead
level of the average Democratic har
angue, was a bitter attack upon Blaine
and incidental defence of Ben. Hill. 1t
Is not apprchended that Blaine will give
up his appointments in the west and go
home in consequence. Ainsworth did
himself and his cause no credit by his
windy Grafton, and he will make no votes
in Iowa by extcnuating or eXcusing reb
els, even though they be Democratic mem
pcrs Of Congress. Alter Ainsworth came
Griffith, then Cady in a spirited effort,
and last O'Donnell in short speech.
There was no particular enthusiasm man.
ifestcd either in the day or evening, al
though TIE large array OF speakers and
the full preparations ought to have
aroused it if anything would. In results
the meeting was worse than fizzle.
THE shooting of policeman by one of
the guards placed over the Mortified
bank robbers in the Farlbault, Minnesota,