The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-02-13
Ha
MAKING CAPITAL.
Republicans Hold a Ratifi-
cation Meeting in the
Assembly Chamber.
DEMOCRATS NOT INVITED.
Courtlandt Parker's Brief On the
Senate Observation-Disclosures
One Message.
Special to the Jersey citu Neus.

Special to the Jersey City Nelcs.
TRENTON, Feb. IS, 1S94.-The grand ratif-
cation meeting which the Republicans held
in the Assembly Chamber last night under
the guise of an observance of Abraham
Lincoln's birthday was a grand success from
the point of view of the narrow-minded acct
dents who form the majority of the Assem-
bly,. Very little of the spirit of that great
man who uttered the immortal words,
with charity for all and malice toward
none,n characterized the proceedings. There
was nothing but abuse and vituperation for
the Democrats and praise and adulation for
the Republicans. Instead of being a nom
partisan tribute to the nlartyred President,
in which all citizens could join, irrespective
OF party, it was a display of political
bigotry worthy of the Ku Klux days.
When the short session of the Assembly,
which began at twenty minutes before eight
O'Clock, was over, it was noticed that all the
Democratic members who were present,
hurriedly left the Chamber. Some of the
more rabid Republicans cried, Hal hal I
told you SO. No reverence for Lincoln
among the Democrats 1t TRANSFERRED, how
ever, that when Messrs. Wilbur, Ginder and
Exton, the three Mercer accident, who con-
stituted the Committee of Arrangements,
issued their cards of invitation, they snubbed
the Democrats entirely. 1t was also noticed
when the meeting began that none of the
Democratic Senators, the Governor or any
OF the State officers, except Quartermaster
General Donnelly, was present.
DECORATED.
The Assembly Chamber was decorated for
the occasion as it has never been decorated
before. As an ancient and honorable citizen
from the fourishing village of Marlboro
designated it, it was "a combination of
Fourth of July and Christmas, with a little
Easter thrown in around the pulpit" The
arch over the Speakers platform was draped
with American flags, relieved by trophies of
the national shield and smaller flags, while
the pillars supporting the arch were twined
with smilax. Between the pillars was a tall
palm, which rose from a bed Of smilax and
potted plants. Over the door leading to the
Clerks room, at the left of the Speakers
desk, was an oil painting of Lincoln, draped
portrait in oil of Washington,
similarly draped, was over the door
leading to the Speakers room. In the large
panels beyond these doors were steel prints
of Lincoln forming the centre piece of a
trophy of shields and small American
flags. Large national banners, caught up
in graceful f~estoons, decorated the galleries,
in the centre of which, directly opposite the
! Speaker, was still another large steel portrait
of the martyred President. On the Speakers
and Clerks desks stood large punches of
beautiful cut flowers which filed the air
with their fragrance.
Up in the mems gallery was stationed
Winkler's Seventh Regiment band which
played popular airs. The music and the dec
o~rations gave the place such an unwonted
atmosphere that when Judge Rankin came in
he wanted to know if that was che Lieder-
tafel ball, a sort of French ball which took
place last night. Ed. Sackett also felt lost
when he came in and anxiously inquired if
that was the Assembly Chamber. The
Committee of Accidents had made arrange
ments for a large crowd and their expecta-
tions would have been realized had it not
been for the storm which ragged without
as Max Salinger said. Nevertheless the floor
was well filled and the galleries crowded.
MEETING Of THE
The Assembly met, had roll call and re-
| ceived a long communication from a Repub-
hcan, club in Montclair, saying that its
members were going to celebrate, too. Then
Mr.. McEwan, in a voice like that in which
the boy preacher invites sinners to the
mourners' bench, drew attention to the fact
that the House had set aside the evening for
an observance of Lincoln's birthday, and he
hoped that, while we listen to the ~explana-
lions of those principles which he died for,
we may consecrate ourselves, our lives and
our fortunes to the cause he died to save"
An adjournment was taken until eight
o'clock, and the band began to play lively airs.
| 1t started in with selections from Wang"
and when it began "Grover, Grover, -four
more years of Grover" some of the
republicans looked sick.
THE MEETING
About eight o'clock the band struck up a
| lively march and in marched the Republican
| Senators led by Messrs. Bradley and Rogers.
1 ut x,,o 30 ,oa If Tho Eo,1nIor IF Ach,,,.x-
Park is always a signal for wild enthusiasm
upon the part of the galleries and last night
was no exception to the rule. Six stalwart
door keepers suddenly appeared from the
| speakers room and laid violent hands upon
the deliberately carved oak table behind
which the Speaker sits, 1t resisted all their
efforts to carry it away, but more
doorkeepers Joined in the assault
and the great desk was wrested from the
place it has occupied since the chamber was
built and ANONYMOUSLY thrust iuto a back
room. A small, Insignificant table, en-
| numbered with an ordinary water pitcher
| and tumbler, was put in its place.
Senator Rogers and Assemblyman Wilbur
then bobbed up on the platform like twin
iacks-in-the-box and took the two chairs. By
| this time the band had subsidized and Mr..
Wilbur introduced Senator Rogers as the
chairman of the celebration. Mr.. Rogers
duly expressed his appreciation of the honor
| cOIl6TTSu UDOH uiui, ALI SdNA Via ID
especially fitting that we should meet on the
| birthday of that great martyr to civil lib
| erty, Abraham Lincoln, and testify by our
presence and utterance to the high esteem in
| which all mankind held him. Coming, as
he did, from the mass of the common peo-
| pie; acting, as he always did, with the high
| purpose to the greatest good to all the peo-
| Die, the history of our great men furnishes
no more striking example of true American
| citizenship. As boy and man, he was always
| found on the side of right. His motto was
that right makes might, not that might
makes right. To the oppressed he was as
| gentle as a woman, but when firmness was
| required, no Spartan was frmer than he."
CoURTLANDT PARKER'S ADDRESS.
Mr.. Rogers then tafied Courtlandt Parker
| of Newark, who made the leading speech of
the evening. He began with an eloquent
| parallel between Washington and Lincoln.
| Then he branched out into an elaborate
argument to show that the Republican and
not the Democratic was the constitutional
Senate. 1t was very prosy and uninterest-
ing as a popular address, but very able as a
legal brief. In conclusion he said:-
"But the great things on which mans
mind should dwell is the rights of the peo-
pie. Shall their will be foiled and derided
and the State sink into confusion, if not
anarchy, because the members of the Senate
whom they nave elected choose to organize
as. the ConstitutionHsays they may do, in
stead of in the way in which Senators
usually have heretofore organized, and