Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-11-03
MIR. Blaine at Cooper Institute.
1From The New York Tribune. ]

but owing TO the crowd clamoring at the doors
the hall was opened little after 6 o'clock.
BY half past almost every seat had been
taken, and at people found il impossible to
get into the building. The platform was
crowded. and the aisles were filled with
thickly wedged mass of humanity.
Thurlow Weed arrived shortly after
o'clock, and his friends finding it an impossi-
/ BILE task to obtain him a seat on the platform,
took him to one of the front seats of the hall
that had been kept vacant. As he came
through the multitude Mr.. Weed was recog-
nized and was heartily cheered. remarka-
BILE feature OF the meeting was the presence OF
a large number of ladies'. Some were seated
upon the platform, but most of them were
scattered here and there in the audience.
They apparently enjoyed the evenings enter
tainment as keenly as their escorts. Many
coored men were in attendance. The mass
of the audience was composed Of highly in
telligent people. They listened closely to
every speakers remarks, very quickly caught
the points of the addresses, and rewarded
each speaker with cordial applause. Fervent
applause was especially given to a declara-
ton of Mr.. Blaine's that Alonzo b. Cornell
deserved the hearty support OF every repub-
| lican voter.
Mr. Blaine entered the hall few minutes
ONLY before the hour set for the meeting. II
was with great difficulty that the police forced
a way for him through the throng that filled
| the stairways the ante-rooms, and even the
stage itself As soon as his face was seen by
the audience a welcoming cheer that made
| the hall ring went up. Men waved their
hats women their handkerchcfs, and all
cheered for a long time. Mr.. Blaine, when
the tumult had subsidized, took seat that hap
pened to be directly under bust of WASH
| ington. About him were seated on the plat
form; General Chester A. Arthur, chairman
of the Republican State Committee; Edwards
Pierrepont, ex-Minstcr to England; f. w.
Stoughton, ex-Minister to Russia; Murat
Halstcd. editor of the Cincinnati Commercial
the Hon. Simon b. Chittenden, Elliot c.
Cowdin. George Bliss, John ID. lawson
Thomas C. Acton. William Lain@bcer. Post
master James and L. Bradford Prince, Chief
Justice of New Mexico Mr. Prince, in the
course of speech during the evening, proph-
esied republican meeting in the hall in 1900
| at which the republican orators would de-
| scribe ''the : reat achievements of the repub-
lican party under the administration of Pres
ident Blaine" This sentiment was greeted
with prolonged and enthusiastic applause,
which eliminated in ''thrce cheers for james
G. Blaine"
When Mr. Cowdin formally introduced Mr.
Blaine to the audience, the speakers recep-
| ton was as hearty as that which had greeted
him on entering the building. He was in ex-
cellent voice his clear, ringing tones must
have been heard throughout the hall with
ease. Once when he lowered his voice for
oratorical effect an impatient man in the back
part of the hall shouted with affeetionate famil-
iarity, "speak up James, we can't hear you"
| But this was the only complaint during the
evening of this nature. Mr.. Blaine had a
happy faculty of dropping into colloquial
| isms, occasionally during his speech, and
these diversions from the usual manner of an
address were much enjoyed by the audience.
His earnest criticisms of the acts of the dem
ocrats at the extra session of Congress re-
| ceived warm, approving applause from the
audience. He held the unwearied attention
of the audience for an hour and three quar-
ters' and if he had desired to continue his
speech could have kept it so much longer.
From the New York Times.
| If the large hall of Cooper Institute last
night had been three times rs large as it is, it
would still have failed to give seatng-room
to all the people who wanted to get into it.
Never before did the place seem so small.
| The meeting was to open at 80; at 80
every seat in the hall was occupied. At
o'clock the visitor who arrived at the hall was
surprised to see only small sprinkling of
people outside in the street. In view of the
occasion, it would naturally be expected by
the newcomer that the crowd would be filing
| into the hall about that hour. Possibly he
congratulated himself on his early arrival,
and anticipated getting good seat. As soon
as he passed the portals he was undeceived.
There stood anumber of policemen, who were
repeating with monotonous courtesy, this
| formula: sits no use, Sir, the nall won't
/ hold any more" This explained the absence
of the crowd. People were arriving and 60
/ T.. DIn..
came about :l5. Two of the Secretaries,
aided by policemen, undertook to force
way through to the platform. They did it;
but one of them was found afterward leaning
against the wall in the street, family COM
planning that he was nearly dead.
There were no fireworks, no professions,
no band. There was not so much as a flag
hung up in the hail. Nothing had been done
beyond giving publicity to the fact that Sena-
| tor Blaine was to address the merchants and
republicans generally of New York. That
was all that had been done to bring out the
| crowd.
Promptly at 80 John d. Lawson called
the meeting to order and nominated for
Chairman the Hon. Elliot G.. Cowdin, who
was greeted with warm applause. Mr.. Cow
din spoke for about quarter of an hour, and
| every point in his speech was responded to
with cheers. He spoke earnestly and effect
lively; his audience was sympathetic, and his
| introduction of Senator Blaine was particu-
larly happy. Then the Senator came for
ward, and the enthusiasm of the people was
almost indescrbable. They rose in body,
cheering, waving hats and canes, stamping,
and whsting. ''Three cheers for Blaine
Three cheers for Blaine % was the cry. At
last shouts of ''Order! order!" made them
selves heard, and the noise began to subside.
Senator Blaine waved his hand, and address
ed the Chairman, and instantly everything
became still. He spoke for nearly two
hours. He would probably have not made so
long speech, but once, when he was going
to stop, the audience would not have it.
They shouted to him to go on with unani-
nifty and earnestness which admitted of no
denial. Never did a speaker have more SYM
pathetic hearers.
There was no tagging of interest even for
a moment. The closing sentences of the
speech were delivered with great delibera-
ton and emphasis, and when the Senator
made his final bow, there was another tre-
mendous outburst.
! Very few persons left the hall when Mr..