The Portland daily press., 1884-06-12
The Ratification Meeting.

The meeting at City Hall last evening was
an extraordinary success in every way and
would have been so regarded if it had been
deliberately prepared for instead of being, as
l. was, an entirely impromptu demonstration
of The Republicans of Portland. At half
past len O'Clock on Tuesday night the PRESS
was Informed that no dispatches had been
received from Augusta, thai it had been i'm
possible TO make any definite arrangements,
aud that there was nothing 10 be announced.
An hour or two later a brief notice was sent
to this Office announcing that the visitors
would come and that there would be pub
lie meeting in the evening at the City Hall.
All the information which was communica-
ted to us was published; but it was not init
mated that the meeting was TO of the ma
ture of ratification meeting and we had no
warrant for calling upon the Republicans of
Portland to attend political rally.
These facts are mentioned to explain an
omission which appeared strange to many
Republicans when they saw during the day
the call to ratification meeting posted in
our streets. Whether there had been any
purpose of this kind entertained the day be-
fore or not, it is certain that nobody had
taken the trouble 10 have the purpose made
known through the newspapers. The result
was that the meeting of last evening was
held with but few hours notice and we
presume hundred of the citizens had no
knowledge of it.
Notwithstanding this inadequate prepare
ton for grand demonstration the great
City Hall was crowded full with one of the
finest audiences that ever assembled within
its walls 1t was magnificent testimony
to the interest of the people in the Republi-
cause, and to their enthusiasm for our can
didates, as well as to their eagerness to suit
ably greet and welc ONE the distinguished
party of guests from the distant parts of the
continent.
Hon. Charles F. Libby in his brief address
upon taking the chair voiced the sentiment
of the great audience fittingly in his express
sion of qualification and pride that the most
distinguished citizen of our State had been
chosen to lead the hosts of the Republican
party to victory in the contest upon which
VIC nave NAbCAC0s LIZ ACOO5l1lLC0 bDC lOICO duu
commanding authority of that spontaneous
action of the masses Of the party which had
selected the candidate before the convention
met and determined its choice SO positively
that all efforts to change it or thwart it were
fruitless. Every allusion to Mr.. Blaine pro-
yoked a tempest of applause and the vast
audience cheered with unanimity every ex-
preston of devotion and confidence.
The chief speaking was done by the guests
of the occasion, the members of the
delegation to the National Conven-
ton from the States of the Pacific
coast. Their addresses were necessarily
brief; but they we're earnest, bright and
warm-hearted and they were listened to
with keen delight and appreciation. The
people never tired of hearing the story of
the long fidelity of the Republicans of the
Pacific coast to Mr.. Blaine repeated, and
with every repetition the interests and
sympathies OF the citizens OF the two
extremes of the continent are knit
closer. 1t was joyful meeting. Everybody
appeared in the best humor. 1t vas impos-
sible for our guests to imagine they were ad-
dressing strangers and they spoke with the
hearty freedom and ease which usually
comes only after long acquaintance. Their
racy description of convention scenes, their
ardent eulogies of the candidates, their
strong pleas for the honor and success of the
Republican cause, all alike were heard with
delight, and, if 1t were possible, we feel sure
the Republicans of Portland would be glad