Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-09-23
CHICAGO LETTER
Special Correspondents PURuc LKDGER.l
ANurcaao CaoAouha. On 1871

CHICAGO, September 20, 1850.
The democrats Of this city had a
grand gathering Saturday night, not
withstanding the rain, at Nj Cormack's
hall. The a~ssemblage was very large,
eminently respectable and quite en-
thusiastic. The occasion was made
memorable by the speech of Hon. W.
+. Villas, of Madison, Wisconsin, the
invited orator of the evening. His
address was a reply to the late o%ratOri-
cal thunder discharged against demo-
cracts by Hon. James P. Root, a
republican and a lawyer, ranking high
among the Chicago legal fraternity
Professionally and socially. Mr.. Villas
made a most notable address, and en-
tirely demolished the apparently i'm
pregnable position taken by the re-
publican champion, He placed the
two great political parties side by
side, and analysed the conduct of
each for the past twenty years
in the minutest way. His dog
nosis resulted in trimming down
to small mole hill the
mountain of virtue claimed for the
republican idol. and wildly LAYING
bare to public gaze the stupendous
blunders its leaders had made. At
the same time he produced figures
sufficiently large to convict that party
Of having wilfully and maliciously
misrepresented the democratic party,
and in every vile way attempted to
blacken its record in the estimation Of
the people of the country at large.
The speakers entire argument was SO
full of facts to prove his position that
the most skeptical could not fail to be
convinced hat the reign ofthe repub-
lican party, as it is at present coDsti-
tuted, is on the verge Of an ignoble
grave, because of the many villainous
Frauds it has heaped upon the coun.
try. The immense audience gave
the distinguished gentleman the
closest attention throughout his
long discourse, and at its
close rewarded him by round after
round of tumultous applause. A
pleasing feature was the presence of
quite a number of Uhicago's most at
tractive and intelligent ladies.
Col. Bob Ingersoll, the distinguished
and learned free thinker, lectured in
McVicker's theater yesterday (Sun-
day.. His subject was: What shall
we do to be saved?" He slashed right
and left at church dogmas, and
knocked into fragments the God of
the bible as portrayed by the priests
and preachers, and wound up by con-
sidering his God a merciful being,
while the preachers make out the
supreme head as nothing less than a
hideous devil. The distinguished
orator had thousands of paid" hear
ers; but whether he changed any of
their minds, | cannot say. However,
| will mention that his arguments are
very captivating.
A distinguished Brahmin divine,
Rev. U. Sheshardi, of Bombay, India,
preached in the Third Presbyterian
church yesterday. He appeared in
full Hindoo costume, consisting of a
white garment resembling a night
wrap, covered by a gray dressing
gown, and on his head a large white
turban resembling a length" of stove
pipe. His discourse was very learned.
General Lewis H. Wagner, of Phil
adelphia, the great head center of
the Grand Army of the Republic or
ganizatiOn, vas genially entertained by
prominent Chicago members Of the
order, Saturday night.
Maud S. is a wonderful girl. Sat-
urday she made a mile in 2:1Os over
the Chicago jockey club course. For
this feat she received $4,000, and the
championship Of the world record. "
St. Julien, come to the front
Dobler won the great pedestrian
'seventy-four" hour race Saturday
night, He made 327 miles, won the
championship belt, and received the
$3.50 prize.
The official population of Chicago is
5O3,O53. A pretty good showing for a
settlement not fifty years old.
Hon. Carl Schurz was in Chicago
the other day, on his way to Washing
ton. 1t is needless to say he is con
WINGED that General Garfield will be
elected.
The marriage lately Of Miss Nellie
Chase, Of G~alesburg, Illinois, to a
negro servant named Monroe, agitates
Chicago's polite society. 1t appears
that abolition chickens are beginning
to return home to roost. No doubt
the poor girl was temporarily deranged
when she took the step that causes
her friends so much heartfelt trouble.
Politics in Chicago are getting mod.
erately warm as the weather gets
colder. Outwardly, both parties
that is, republicans and democrats,
seem well satisfied with the presenI
status of affairs throughout the coun-
try. The Maine matter does not
trouble democrats, but agitates repub,
licans considerably. However, dem
ocrats are hopeful ola fusion victory.
From the present outlook less likeliel
things have happened.
1t may not be generally known, nev.
ertheless such is the case, that Presi
dent Hayes had only a little over 200