Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1884 — MERCHANTS FOR CLEVELAND [ARTICLE]

MERCHANTS FOR CLEVELAND

A Monster Meeting in Hew York of Solid Business Men Opposed to Blaine’s Election. The Greatest Political Demonstration Witnessed In the City Since the War. Enormous Kight Meetings—Thirty Thousand Torchbearers March Through the Streets Ablaze with - Many Lights. (New York dispatch.] The greatest political demonstration in the history of Wall street since 18fi0 occurred there this afternoon just as the exchanges closed. It was the business men's indorsement of Grover Cleveland's nomination. The stope of the SubTreasury bnUdlng were used for the speakers. Democrats, Republicans and Independents met on common giound. The hurrah and excitement of the trading-rooms was transferred to the street. At 3 o'clock fully 25,0« men had assembled, the crowd reaching on W U street from Broadway to the Custom House, and on Nassau up to Pine street, and on Broad street down to the old cotton plaza. Such another brilliant assemblage of New-Yorkers had not been seen for nearly a quarter of a century. A cheer would begin on Wall street and Broadway and be echoed all over the crowd until It seemed as if human throats could emit no more noise. The meeting had been caUed by the unite i Cleveland and Hendricks; clubs. Democratic organizations which, for the first time in the history of the down-town exchanges, had been formed within their walls, and for the first time in history Democrats enunciated Democratic principles from the steps of a Federal bnilding under the gaze of Republican office-holders. Headed by Cappa’s Seventh Regiment Band, and flying a red silk banner, oame the New York Stock Exchange Cleveland and Hendricks Club 70«) strong. These were followed in their order by the New YorkProduoe.Maritime.TndependentMerchants* Cleveland and Hendricks Club, over 1,000 in line, about 600 forming the Cleveland and Hendricks Club of the New York Mining Stock and National Petroleum Exchange, and about 300 each of the Cleveland and Hendricks Clubs of the New York Cotton Exchange, the New York Coffee Exchange, and the New York Mercantile Exchange, and the West Side merchants. All these men massed themselves before the grand-stand, which bad been beautifully decorated with stripes and bunting. The temper of the meeting can beat be illustrated by an Incident which occurred shortly before the addresses were begun. A broker standing on the stops of the Sub-Treasury Building drew a letter from hia pocket, then, striking a match, he applied the light to the letter, and, holding the burning paper over the heads of the throng who were curiously watching him, exclaimed: "Burn this.” The crowd instantly understood the allusion to Blaine's request tn his letter to Warren Fisher, and broke forth in a shout of applause, intermingled with laughter, which was borne like a roll of thunder to the confines of the multitude. The fact that the meeting represented the wealth and intelligence of the down-town exchanges cannot be disguised. The Piesklcnt, the Vice President, the Secretary, and thu Treasurer of the Stock Exchange, the Present, the Vice President, and the Secretary of the Cotton Exchange were there. The Hon. Roswell P. Flower called the meeting to order. Hon. William Dorshelmer, exGov. Salomon, of Wisconsin, and Algernon 8. Sullivan, the brilliant Irish orator, were the principal speakers. Ex-Gov. Salomon said: I have been for twen-ty-four years a member of the Republican party--1 voted tor Abraham Linccdn and every one of his successors, but I cannot, as a Republican, vote for James G. Blaine. Pardon me if I address myself chiefly to the reasons why! cannot support h m. His protended exoneration of himself on the floor of Congress was false in substance, false in intention, and false in particulars. He was proven to be the owner of Little Rook and Fort Smith Railroad bonds which he had paid for with his influence as Speaker of the House. He dented that he had done anything in the matter that would not bear the light of day, yet his letters prove that his actions were underhanded and concealed, and he was proved to have uttered falsehoods. We propose to oast our votes for Grover Cleveland because he has shown himself to be a man of honesty, integrity, and independence fit to sit in the chair kt Washington. (Applause.] I have heard Republicans say they fear to place a Democrat In power as President. Yon agree with me that Janies G. Blaine is unfit. (Cries of "Yesl" “Yes!"j Of allthe candidates beside him there is but one who has a ghost of a chance, and that is Grover Cleveland. H. A. Brady, of the Stock Exchange, spoke, and the meeting closed with a few ringing words from ex-Mavor Grace. The meeting wae the biggest and most enthusiastic held in Wall street since the war. When the meeting closed each Club marched to Washington’s statue and placed Its colors at the hero's feet, amid great applause and ringing cheers for “Washington thojirst and Cleveland the next President.* Monster Ratification Meetings in the Even- ’ Ing—3o,ooo Men in Line. Tire County Democracy and Irving Hall joint demonstration in behalf of Cleveland and Hendricks this evening exceeded anything of a like character that has ever b'en attempted in this city. In the immediate vicinity of Union Square all the streets were thronged by pedestrians soon after dark. Fourteenth street, between Third avenue and Broadway, became impassable at an esrly hour. At 7 :«0 Irving place, between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, was packed with a solid mass of men struggling to get near the doors of the Academy and Irving Hail. AU the streets in the neighborhood were filled with people on their way either to the Academy, Irving Hall or the square. Thousands were turned away from the Academy because they could not present tickets of admission. Thecrowd in and around Union Square was estimated by men who saw the great Union meeting there in 1801 as five times as large as the war meeting. There were certainly 6.000 people in the Academy of Music, 2,MX) in Irving Hall, to.ooo arouhd the square, 12,000 on Fourteenth street and on Irving place, and 25,000 In the parade. There was speaking in the Academy of Music and Irving Hal)—both of which were jammed almost to suffocation—and from four stands in Union Square, all of which were surrounded by immense and enthusiastic masses of men who rent the air with cheers for Cleveland and Hendricks. From 8:30 until 11 o'clock Union Square seemed ablaze with torches. During the evening sky-rockets were setoff, bombs were bursted imair, and red and blue 1 ghts burned. The great ont-door feature of the night was the uniform parade, over 30j)QO men being in line.