New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-07
EVARTS' GRAFTON
MASS MEETING OF MERCHANTS
A New York special to the Chicago Tn;
bsxn< November l. saws:

btIn<. November !, says:
The orat:on of William M. Evarts this
evening. at Cooper Union, was one of the
most remarkable efforts yet made in the
canvass The hall was filed in every part,
and 20 many were turned away from the
doors as found admission. Mr.. Evarts di.
rected his attention to ehOwing that the cue.
cess Of Mr.. Tilden in the present issue,
backed as he was by solid South, would
Inevitably revive the questions of the war
and the old States rights doctrine, impair
the national credit, and at once seriously
disturb the peace and retard the prosperity
of the country.
After Robert g. Ingersoll concluded his
brilliant Grafton in Cooper Institute. q
month ago, he was told by enc Of those who
pressed forward to congratulate him that
he had drawn greater audience, aud held
them spellb0und longer, than any orator
who had spoken here since the war 1t was
by national reputation for brilliant wit.
ticism, strickiDg epigrams. and the warm
eet of impressiOned elOquopee that he had
drawn snch an audience, and by the most
wonderful display OF all these qualities of
the orator that he had held them
spellbound. William NJ. EYarts, BY the
power of national reputation as ore of the
broadcast end most logical of reasOners,
this evening drew an audience equally
large to the came hall, and for two hours
and half held the N completely under his
influence during the delivery Of the most
powerful argument against a return to
Democratic rule which the campaign has
produced. The two occasions we re- bota
equally remarkable, though differing in
character. and worthy tc he mentioned to-
Eether Those who heard both orators have
efforts at stump Oratory which this genera
ton and this people have witnessed.
People sat in the crowded hall an hour
before the speaker or other officers ap.
peared. PAsssge to the platform was almost
impossible at half-past seven O'Clock, and
the favored few with tickets for the plat.
form could pass the outer doors at that
hour. Before eight O'Clock, the hour OF
speaking, crowd greater in number than
the hall would hold bad assembled, eager
and expectant, at the doorway, and b ad dis
persed, seeing there was no opportunity
to even enter the Hobbies of the hall.
The great hall of the Cooper Union
never contained at q political meeting
more men who represent the bed rock
of the commercial, financial, and social ele.
ments of the metropolis. Many prominent
business men we're too late to gain adm;s.
sion. Six hundred of the trout seats were
occupied by the merchants who Joined in
the invitation to Mr.. Evarts, and by their
ouuCA SAoA 1A'cAosy ouuS w Ill uuubu6l cX-
tent, they were accompanied by their
wives. Six hundred platform tickets were
issued, and the applications mora than
trebled that number. The Hon. William E.
Dodge, whom Democrats have eagerly
sOught 10 claim as q supporter OF Governor
Tilden, was the president of the meeting.
The list OF vice presidents included many Of
the most prominent men of the city.
The expressions Of enthusiasm when Mr..
- ARnd L.
William f. Dodge and John Jaw were long
and loud, but, when he had been introduced.
the applause was deafening, and rose and |
subelded several times, the audience rising
to their feet, swinging bate and bspdker.
chiefs, and giving three cheers Mr.. Eyar,s
opened his argument with dgnifed tri- |
butte to the good sense and keen perceptions
Of the American people, who would not |
bow to any master, foreign or domestic; |
possibilities OF the nation as any financial |
house on Wall etreet or the moneyed streets |
# London. The American people had been |
low to accept . necessity for war, and had |
,aid for its lesson in priceless blood and
reasure. But" said the speaker, with |
Using voice, I'VE don't want two such eye
'peners in one generation"
The appl .use which followed was ut first |
cry boisterous. Then there was q lull and |
profound sill ,nce, as if the audience were |
Weighing in their minds the grave i'm |
oriance and solemnity of what had been
TERED, and then followed deep and pro-
racted applause, as if an angry protest at
be suggestion of such an issue again aris-
*. On more than one occasion during
,e evening the audience, startled into de-
ressiOn expressed by profound ell snce and
uiet exchanges of astonished glances at
,e mOmentOus propositions which Mr..
warts advanced. and the conclusions to
hich his logic led.
This silence at times grew oppressive to
70 lis eners, and, as relief. they INDUCED
laughter to seeming excess whenever Mr..
warts was witty or sarcastic. This was
)t infrequent, and some Of the most bril-
mt passages Of his long GRAFTON were of
10 style. He has Usually been heard in
gal arguments upon serious topics, and
" Who heard him for the first time dis.
aging the freedom of the stump sus-
cted that there was 90 much fun in him.
thus affecting and influencing his vast 9
dience to an intensity of feeling and IN I
preston of greatest mirth, Mr.. Evarts {
70 strangely successful. Had he been
posed, or did the character of his logical
nd permit, he could have fired them
yard the close Of his speech to great in O
nation. o
dr. Evarts said: %
he wise man hath said that there is q
10 for everything, and . time to every q
pose under heaven; time to keep silent o
time to speak. The American people ii
ieve that q presidential campaign il q 81
Q to speak. The immense stake turning | a
q the vote Of next Tuesday, and the Ell
sequeut results 70 the country, justifies cl
man within tho country In remaining b,
- A. 4 4 81