Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-08-30
RADICAL RINKTUM.
sTuRGIss AND wooOf0RD ON SAT.
UROAf.

sruRGIss AND wooOf0RD ON SAT.
URDAf.
A Large Crowd Assemblies to Mourn the
Time Sturgiss Takes from Wood
ford-DetaiIs Of the
Meeting.
With a skill and tact for which they
have never been given credit. the
managers OF the Republican meeting on
saturday might arranged the order Of
exercises. They so man9uvred that
Sturgiss appeared under the borrowed
lustre of the great name OF Woodiord,
and well for them that II was 40. The
crowd came to see and hear the New
Yorker, and finding that, in the intel
,ectual banquet, he was placed as
dessert, they we're obliged to take Stur-
Ola, as a course which was not palatable,
but which must be stomached to get to
Woodford. Fire, energy, magnetism
and enthusiasm are absolutely essential
10 success in addressing q large gather
ing. Sturgiss has neither of the TOUR
pre,eauisites, and his effort oil Saturday
niyht ranks him as not even fourth
rate orator. 1t is impossible, even with
a well-rehearsed recitation, to interest a
crowd, but when q candidate Tor pop
uiar suffrage arises and reads, in a labor
ing way, a recitation of about an hours
duration, patience ceases to be virtue.
This was the experience OF Sturgiss,
ON Saturday night, and il he will
profit by it, he will never read another
speech in Wheeling and will never
again provide a brilliant background
upon which to show up darkly.
THE MEETING.
In point OF crowd and surroundings
the meeting was certainly success. The
stand was erected near t!ir waters edge.
on the wharf, a little north nj Twelfth
street and facing east. TITS enabled
the auditors to sit, in amitl. theatrical
form and obtain a clear view ii the
speakers. The stand MAS gaudily deco
rated and brilliantly lighted, the ar.
raneements having been admirably exc
cuted under the direction OF Col. Ster-
ling. Chairs and tables were conve-
niently arranged and no pains were
spared to make comfortable those who
we're called, by business or desire, upon
the stand.
The crowd began to arrive at 80
o'clock. the first corners seating them
selves in tiers before the stand and the
later ones gradually filling up the rear.
OF these, a large portion Was. composed
OF Democrats, attracted by WoodfoTd's
reputation, the mass OF Radical breth.
ren having not yet put in an
appearance, but remaining up
in town to see the preliminarles, includ.
ing torches and professions and general
rejoicing. 1t was nearly eight O'Clock
before those in the stand and on the
wharf were gladdened by the sounds
which betokened the approach OF the
Radicals. Music and drums were heard
and the dancing, rudy light OF the
torches was seen on the high buildings.
Just as the head oil the procession filed
mon the wharf the excursion tram
pulled in on the Pan Handle, and to
those on the stand was like the fall Of
the drop at a theatre, behind which can
he indistic;ly seen and heard the prep
ara,ions for the forthcoming drama. The
excursionis.s were from Steubenvllle,
WeIlsville and other points up the river,
and came in fair force. Some OF them
were uniformed and equipped, and bore
themselves aud their transparencies
bravelv.
They connected with the Wheeling
line and, after marching and counter
marching in and through the crowd,
rud-ly disturbing the seated ones and
Reforming what seemed to he many
useless manouvres. But finally every
thing was Quoted, all were seated, Naas'
band was given a rest and the play was
ready for
THE srnaKEHs.
General Stewart l.. Woodford, of New
York, gentleman who has for some
years figured quite cOnspicuously in
Republican politics, had been invited
TO come and aid in the effort to make
West Virginia Republican and seat Geo.
C. Sturgiss in the chair OF the Chief Ex-
ecutive. He accepted the invitation
and put in an appearance at the Pan
Handle depot about noon on Saturday,
where he was met by cohort OF citi-
zens and clubs and escorted TO the New
McI.ure House.
Hon. Geo. c. Sturgiss arrived at 5
o'clock via the Baltimore road, and was
received in the same style, on nina
ture plan. Ii was evident from the
first that he WAS to play second fiddle to
his friend from Gotham, though not so
nominated in the bond. These gentle
men, accompanied by A. w. Campbell,
w. J. w. COwden, and n. y. Hoffman,
OF the Morgantown Post, arrived at the
stand at 5 o'clock. the Monongalian
chief bearing bouquet presented
by local florist. General Woodford
is man Of perhaps Is years of age,
short and rather heavy in build, and
with a quite pleasing exterior. His
mustache and mutton chop whiskers,
once blonde, are now decidedly frosty
with advanced life, but he still wears the
smile which age does not affect.
THE MEETING CANE TO ORDER
at $40 P. NJ, at the solicitation OF Col.
Sterling, who invited Judge K. II. Coch
ran TO preside. The Judge made brief
speech, complimenting the large au.
dience. and said they would have the
pleasure OF hearing the distinguished
New Yorker, but first they must listen
to West Virginia's son, MIR. Sturgiss.
Patiently this was received by the crowd,
with a muttered "Pr aspera al astra."
Mr.. Stursiss made his obeisance and be
gan. For the next hour he read a
speech. In the absence OF any evidence
TO the contrary, We will call it his, but
il might az we'll have been any other
mans. Heheld note book in his hand,
from which he read from printed mat
ter pasted in it, and from being a cam.
paign speech, his effort took the form OF
a labored recitation. At times he would
read half column at dose, without once
raising his eyes, andat others he had the
speech sufficiently committed to waste
a glance or two at his auditors while
speaking.
sTURGIss' SPEECH,
would. if printed in illl, make five or