The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-11-01
The UltGTnfd at WGlGrsbuTg.
HOFFMAN DISC0URSETH on
THE PUBLIC DEBT
While the Ghosts OF Union
Soldiers Alright Ripple.
SOUTHAMPTON ALL O. X. FOR
HAYES AND WHEELER.
NEAR WELLERsBuRG, Pa,
- a@a =


NEAR WELLEgsBuRG, Pa,
Oct. 81, 1876
Mr.. EDIToE-Wel al lem c meet
Inc at W ellersburg last 8ight. The crowd
in attendance was composed of Rebels,
Copperheads. Democrats and whisky, with
a slight sprinkling OF Republicans and
boys. One fellow went so far "a to say
that he had belonged to the 4th Louisiana
regiment. The meeting was addressed
by two fellows they call John ]. Hoffman
and VIM. III. Ripple.
Mr.. Hoffman first appeared on the stage
and struck out on 'the hard times'-the
Democratic watch word. Says he, ''give
US Tilden /! and well have better times. "
This was a little too thin. The people
are not all fools down This way, and they
didn't enthuse, 50 the speaker launched
ont his boat in another direction, and took
up the Government bond and National
Bank questions, and in five minutes had
clearly demonstrated to the audience that
he was made OF too light material for that
subject, and only made himself ridiculous.
Then he pitched into Republican officials
generally and tried to make it appear that
the outstanding claims against Revenue
1JAitAADlo ann 4 N0t Ftl-AttSs u SAADHh III
ex-Secretary BristOws annual report were
detalcatiOns, a glaring misrepresentation of
flcis Alter laundering about for some
time trying 10 make a point, in which he
completely failed, he retired quietly and
ia very good order. The only enthusiast
tic man thus far was a fellow who had i'm
bibed too much bad whisky and had taken
a very undigniied position on the floor,
who blwled ou:, "Rih for Tilden ! he's
the man" Next came the man named
Rupple. who set MS sails and s,eered nj
on Reform and she bloo ly shirt, from
this fellows nervous hook, one would have
supposed that he saw the spirits of depart
ed heroes, ''Lincolns hirelings' clothed
in bloody shirts. fling past him to the
tune Of -fiold the Fort" This speaker
also pitched into Republican officials with
out saying anything remarkable, He forgot
/ o tell US anything about his thieving. I'M
scrupuloas old Democratic administrations.
OF course a guilty conscience hssi-
in reviewing the past. The bloody
shirt troubled this fellow and he took to
defending his Lower or Confederate House
Df Congress on the Rebel claims business,
and a weak effort il was He almost
VEN into mysteries oTer the cruel treat
nent by the Government of his White
inc brethren of the south After which
be failed at Grant, gave the hated mig
ger, a few kicks and retired in good order
ike his predecessor. In his anxiety about
he bl ,1dy shirt he forgot to tell US what
kind OF reform his party was advocating,
md the /, publican part of the audience
was left 10 ri ... their belief that reforms
Gere most needed in Democratic senti.
nent, when this speaker retired. The
Dnly noise TO be heard was the loud snor-
ing OF an elderly gentleman who had fallen
and was awaked by his own sno
.ng.
The first speaker, not knowing that he
mad made an ass of himself already. could
10. leave the crowd without compliment
ne tie mountain people as he called
and in his attempt at compliment
)nly lett the impression that he was as
.onished to find mountain people like other
people.
The two worthless then turned them
a Moody and Siakey singing
in which they succeeded much bet
er thai in speaking.
Could mt Mr.. \. II. COffroth Jr., send q
es more such speakers down here.
II.