Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-09-25
THE BIG MEETING AT BRIDGE
PORT.

PORT.
Bridgeport Republicans were NOR,
than repaid on Friday evening, for tht
pains they had taken to make the occa-
sion of the visit of Gen. Gibson to thai
place "red letter" day in the history OF
the town. Never did place look more
gay and more resplendent with hags
and streamers ano Chinese lanterns and
beautiful transparencies. Business
houses and private residences We'd with
each other in the gorgeousness of their
decorations. An immense crowd of
people, estimated by the Wheeling Reg
lister at from seven to ten thousand
were in attendance. Clubs in gay
uniforms from Martins Ferry, Bellaire
and Wheeling, paraded the streets, and
| literally painted the town red with
torches and lights. A special train
carried a large number from st. Clairs-
vile, and large delegations were In from
the surrounding country. a large plat>
form was erected in front of puStOffice,
where McClellan's band discoursed some
fine music, and from which the speak+
ing took place. Prior to the arrival of
Gen. Gibson, who was being entertained
by DR.. J. NJ. Todd, short speeches were
made by Hon. l. Danford, Col Po0rman
and Capt. Dovener. Hon. l.. Danford
was called to preside over the meeting,
and in few complimentary remarks.
presented Gen. Gibson, who WAS recelv-
ed with burst of applause. The Cen
erals speech carried his audience to the
utmost pitch of enthusiasm. and fire.
quently he was interrupted by cheer
after cheer. a description of the great
meeting which was one of the most re-
markable gatherings ever held in the
county, would convey but little idea of
it's immensity Below is IA brief synop-
sis of portions of Gen. Gibson's speech,
as reported in the Wheeling Register:
The Introductory part OF the speech
was recital of the birth, growth and
achievements of the Republican party.
Turning to the candidates of the two
great parties, he said: The Democrats
have named Grover Cleveland and T. A.
Hendricks. Is there man in all this
vast assemblage who ever heard of Gro
yer Cleveland until two wears ago? Oh,
is there Democrat here tonight who
believes that Cleveland could again go
before the Chicago convention and get
five votes? He is man who has no po
litical knowledge; a man who could not
and cannot go into tie home of any man
in Buffalo. He was nominated to please
a society of cranks. He WAS nominated
10 please George William Curtis, Henry
Ward Beecher and men of that stamp.
On the other hand, there is james G.
Blaine, who has for 25 years led in the
great civic battles of the country. He
hoe ha IL
the chosen friend and confidential advi-
ser of the immortal Garfield, generous,
noble, peerless. With him we have put
up that type of the civilian soldier, that
man who ran the batteries of Vicksburg,
that man who famed through Georgia
like thing of storm, that man who Sue
ceeded Mcpherson & joined in the march
from Atlanta to the sea. 1t is the best
ticket ever put up by the Republican or
any other party. IL is as good on one |
end as on the other; James G. Blaine, the |
invincible, and John A. Logan, the citi-
zen soldier 1t will win either way you |
run it. Shall Bldine with his big family, |
his big-hearted sous, his wife. the noblest |
lady in the land occupy the White House
or shall Grover Cleveland with his fami |
ly occupy il?
The Democrats had control of this |
country during 90 years. In "A years or |
less the Republican party has added %,
100000 to the population, and to-day not |
a slave breathes the air. In 1861, when
the Democrats quit business, we had q
100000 farms, with an average of 203 |
acres to the farm. To-day, we have |
s S.41S,000 farms, with an average of 134 |
acres to the farm. In 1861 there we're |
4. 4.6S0,000 families in this country; to day I
there are 1O,31S,000 families. with an av-
erage of 515 persons TO a family. In 1861 /
we had in our manufacturing industries |
1 ,31S,000 persons; tn day we have $780,
600 persons. We make One-fourth of all
the manufactured goods of the glote. In
1861 we had 81 900 miles of railroads; to-
day we have 122, 900 ms. We have to day
2S, 900 steam engines with lungs of fire
and breath of flame dragging 100000 cars
to all parts of the country. We have the
telegraph and telephone, the Atlantic
Cable, and all because the Republican
party caught the fleeting lightning and
brought it down and taught it its a, b, c.
No Democratic administration would
have permitted the telephone No Dem
ocrat talks of the future, but of the past.
He says with his face to the wall, Oh.
Lord, L wish times were like they used
to be. The Democratic party don't know
how to farm. Why. in 1861, they raised
s, 10000 bushels of corn. To-day we
have 172 100000. They had in 1861, 81
100000 sheep with 20.00O,O0O pounds of
wool. To day we have 51,000,O0O sheep
with 16O,00O,0O0 pounds of wool They
had 23.000,O00 head of cattle, as against
100000 head now. Then the Nilsson
ri river was our frontier; to day we have
no frontier. In 23 years we have added
1913 ,0OO,0e0,000 to the wealth of the coun-
try, and to-day we are the wealthie,t
country on the globe. We are $4,000.
100000 richer than England, S17, ,O0O.0O0.-
900 richer than France, and $4,000,
100000 richer than Germany.
The remainder of the speech was devo-
ted 10 the advantages of the protective
tariff which the Republicans had passed |
and fostered.