The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-10-14
THE INDIANAPOLIS MEETING,

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1t would be like talking about last years
snow TO enter at this late day into u descrip.
ton of the monster democratic demonstration
last week AT indianapolis, to which Ottawa
sent very respectable delegation of soldiers
as well as civilians 1t is sufficient to saw
that it was the most magnificent political de.
mons,ration that has thus far taken place In
the campaign. The number present was
roughly estimated at 10000, of whom over
$4,000 were soldiers who marched in line
genuine soldiers, who carried their old battle
flags over their heads and their honorable
discharges IN their pockets, not carpet
knights and trumped-up soldiers, as were
many who had marched in the republican ar
ray Of 1000 soldiers at their champion demon
straton at indianapolis the week before, At
the head of this array of veterans were such
battle-scared heroes az Gen. Sigel, Gen.
Shields, Gen. Palmer, Gen, Corse, Gen. Farms
worth, Mcmahon, Finley, Fitz Henry War
rem, Denver, ST. Clair, Blair Stevens, Monroe,
&c. &c. with colonies and captains by the
score; but the most notable feature was the
vast preponderance Of the rank and tile-the
men who had carried the knapsack and mus.
ket, had handled the hammer and sponge, and
eaten the hard tack and sow belly.
OF course the vast multitude was divided
up into a dozen Of meetings and addressed
from as many different stands, by men like
Gov. Hendricks, Gov. Curtin, Gov. Palmer,
~
&c.
In the evening took place one Of the n ost
imposing torchllght professions ever witness
ed on this continent. Ten thousand torches
were in line, and as they paraded along the
streets rockets and roman candles blazed up
to add brilliancy to the scene.
One of the notable features of the daylight
procession was the representation Of the navy
by mohitor turret, mounted on huge wag-
ON, armed with cannon, manned with a full
crew and keeping up a constant cannonade
as the procession moved.
All our boys on their return speak in glow.
ing terms of the boundless hospitality of the
good people of ndianapolis. The hotels and
eating houses could neither prepare the food
nor find room to serve it for 50 many visitors,
but preparations had been made at the state
arsenal to supply such food as is most CRATE
full to soldier after long march All day
long the hungry veterans were admitted in
squads of fifteen hundred, aud all day long
the well.filled tables were quickly cleared,
speedily reinforced and again devastated
One evident result; of the demonstration
was to convince Morton and his imported
bands OF repeaters and shoulderhitters, by
whom it was intended to compel" magnif
cent republican victory in Indianapolis and
a few other prominent points Ia the state,
that the democracy were alive and abundant
in mum bers and in dead earnestncss, and that
the contemplated game of fraud would be
dangerous At all events the imported negro
hordes, shoulder.hitters and repeaters kept at
a respectful distance from the polls on cleo
ton day in indianapolis, and there was a
quiet and comparatively honest election, and
as matter Of course, very considerable
falling off in the footings from the grand re-
publican vote the republican leaders had
promised the week before.