Year: 1872




Colonel Poorman, the Liberal and
Democratic candidate for Congress, had
been anuou iced to speak at lrondale
on Thursday evening Of last week, and
went there for the purpose Of filling his
appointment. During the day the pro-
prietors OF the mill were requested to
allow Colonel Poorman to speak in the
room in which Captain :.Danford had
spoken few days before, but they re-
fused to give the room for that purpose,
and when the time arrived for the meet
ing the Colonel commenced to speak
from the steps of the hotel. He had
not spoken over fifteen minutes, how.
ever, when a large number Of
men and boys occupying promi-
nent positions in front Of the speaker
commenced shouting for Grant and
Danford, and hooting at the speaker so
as to entirely drown his voice. The
Colonel stopped speaking until the noise
had subsidsd, when he said to those
present: 81 have been engaged as Re-
publican for more than twelve years in
making speeches over the old Sixteenth
district, and never was denied hearing
by nv opponents. | have been ldentl'
fed with the laboring classes all my
lite, and az the president and manager
of one of the largest manufacturing es-
tablishments in Belmont county, l feel
as much interested in the success OF
that class of the community as any
person before me, and regret this un-
reasonable effort to prevent me being
heard" The Colonel then renewed bis
discussion OF the issues. but the bowling
again commenced and he WAS forced 10
dtsist. After quiet was again restored
the speaker said: "'Free speech has
ever been a watchword of the Republi-
can party. The Border Rnffiahlsm Of
Kansas and the refusal Of the friends OF
slavery to allow Republicans to express
their sentiments did more 10 build up
the Republican party than all other
causes combined; and you. gentlemen,
cannot expect to hold the supremacy in
this Government il, as you are now at
tempting to, you refuse free and full
discussion of all subjects involved in
political campaigns. Free speech is of
more importance than Grantism." A
third effort In resume his speech was met
by the same hideous bowling, and
the Colonel informed the crowd that
he would make no further effort to
address them, but would hold the better
element of the Republican party re-
sponsible for the interference, as they
had made no effort up to this time to
stop the disturbance. As he lett the
stand some OF the better class made an
effort to quiet the excited crowd, but it
was then impossible to do so. 1t was
clJimed that the interruption grew out
OF a proposal of some person on the
stand to give three cheers Tor Greeley,
but we think this excuse rather thin,
besause, the meeting being a Greeley
meeting, those present had right to
cheer, and the other side was guilty Of
an inexcusable violation Of law when
they tried to interfere with the meeting
by cheering for their candidates.
1t was not their meeting, and as they
did not feel inclined to act respectfully,
they had no business there. But we
learned that during the day it had been
boastingly said that no id Greeley
man should make speech in lrondale,
and that il Colonel Poorman attempted
to speak he would be shouted down.


This is the first open demonstration
OF the Ku.Klux OF Jefferson county,
and its only effect was to disgust honest
Republicans and arouse and enthuse
Liberal Republicans and Democrats;
and number of persons who had not
openly declared in favor Of Colonel
Poorman did 80 after this miserable
attempt to prevent him from speaking.