* The final rally of the McKinley League for the presentcampaign, was held last night in Carnegie Music Hall, anathe orator chosen to present the doctrines of theRepublican party was Robert G. Ingersoll. The meeting willremain notable for the high character of the audience. Thegreat hall was filled to its utmost capacity. It was crowdedfrom the rear of the stage to the last row of seats in thedeep gallery.The boxes were occupied by brilliantly attired women, andhundreds of other women vied with the sterner sex In theapplause that greeted the numerous telling points of thespeaker. The audience was a very fashionable and exclusiveone, for admission was only to be had by ticket, and ticketswere hard to get.On the stage a great company of men and women were gathered,and over them waved rich masses of color, the Americancolors, of course, predominating in the display Flags hungfrom all the gallery rails, and the whole scheme ofdecoration was consistent and beautiful. At 8.80 o'clock Mr.John E. Milholland appeared upon the stage followed by Col.Ingersoll.Without any delay Mr. Milholland was presented as thechairman of the meeting. He spoke briefly of the purpose ofthe party and then said; "There is no Intelligent audienceunder the flag or in any civilized country to whom it wouldbe necessary for me to introduce Robert G. Ingersoll." Andthe cheers with which the audience greeted the orator provedthe truth of his words.Col. Ingersoll rose impressively and advanced to the frontof the stage, from which the speaker's desk had been removedin order to allow him full opportunity to indulge in hishabit of walking to and fro as he talked. He was greetedwith tremendous applause; the men cheered him and the womenwaved their handkerchiefs and fans for several minutes.He was able to secure instant command of his audience, andwhile the applause was wildest, he waved his hand, and thegesture was followed by a silence that was oppressive. Stillthe speaker waited. He did not intend to waste any of hisammunition. Then, convinced that every eye was centred uponhim, he spoke, declaring "This is our country." The assemblywas his from that instant. He followed it up with a summaryof the issues of the campaign. They were "money, the tariff,and whether this Government has the right of self-defence."As he said later on in his address, the Colonel has changedin a good many things, but he has not changed his politics,and he has not altered one whit in his masterful command offorceful sayings.—New York Tribune, October 80th, 1896.
Note:—This was Col. Ingersoll's last political address.
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR ALL 12 EBOOKS IN THIS SET