"Political," New York Times, October 30, 1857

POLITICAL.
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Mass Meetings of the German Republicans – And of the Democrats.
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County Democratic Ratification Meeting in Tammany Hall.
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Speeches by Daniel E. Sickles, Josiah Randall, Thomas Francis Meagher, Col. Wright, Hon. John Kelly, and others.
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THE TICKET AND GOV. WALKER INDORSED.

The Democracy of the City and County of New York, met in Tammany Hall last evening, for the purpose of ratifying the Nominations for County Officers. For more than an hour before the time for organizing, a band discoursed music from the balcony; and the Marshal’s gun did good service in the Park. Before 7 o’clock, there was a very large concourse in front of the Hotel, and at 7 ½ o’clock, when the doors were opened, the people rushed in and in a few moments the Hall was crowded. The meeting was called to order by Marshal RENDERS, whose appearance was greeted with three cheers. Before nominating a Chairman he requested that the same propriety and order that marked the previous meeting should characterize the present occasion. He nominated for President of the meeting, ELIJAH F. PURDY.
The nomination was received with cheers. The President, on taking the Chair, congratulated the meeting upon the union and harmony that prevailed in their ranks. When he had concluded, a list of Vice-Presidents and Secretaries was read by Marshal RENDERS, and adopted by the meeting. A series of resolutions was then read by Ex-Alderman PURSER, indorsing the Administration of Mr. BUCHANAN, and the official course of ROBERT J. WALKER as Governor of Kansas; denouncing Republicanism and all other isms, together with the laws passed by the late Legislature relating to the City and County of New York. They recommended some change in the banking laws, and a continuance to completion of the public works in progress, so that as many workingmen as possible might be employed during the coming Winter. The resolutions, which concluded with an indorsement of the candidates for county officers, were adopted unanimously.
Hon. DANIEL E. SICKLES was the first speaker announced. He said there had never been a time when the appearance of an old-fashioned gathering in Tammany Hall was more gratifying than the present, when the interests of the State were in the hands of an unprincipled Republican Party. He reviewed at some length the conduct of the Republican Legislature, and charged that while they were directing the eyes of the people of New York towards “bleeding Kansas,” they were putting their insidious hands into their pickets. He charged that the Republican members were anxious to construct a railroad through the entire length of Broadway, and that they were deeply interested in that scheme. He also charged much of the present revulsion, which has thrown so many out of employment, upon the misgovernment of the Republican Party. Similar results, he claimed, had always followed the ascendancy of a factional section party, and therefore was it of the very greatest importance that the State and County should be rescued from the injurious influences of Republicanism and Know-Nothingism. Referring again to county interest, he charged that judicial decisions had been rendered upon party grounds, and while on that subject he referred to the Supreme Court, and said that during the day the last act of judicial disgrace had been performed. A Judge of the Supreme Court, to satisfy party demands, had held Court in the office of the Street Commissioner. With such conduct he compared that of the Judges elected by the Democratic Party, and, in doing so, eulogized the candidates for judicial honors nominated by the Democracy. He spoke in terms of highest consideration of the other candidates upon the Democratic ticket, and was enthusiastically applauded.
Hon. JOSIAH RANDALL, of Philadelphia, was next announced, amid loud cries for “MEAGHER.” Mr. RANDALL was received with cheers. He would not long detain them from listening to the talented gentleman who was to follow him. He wished simply to congratulate them upon the united front they now presented to their opponents. As a stranger it was not to be expected that he would speak particularly of their local candidates. He would speak of the general principles in issue, and in doing so would refer particularly to the much abused term “Religious Liberty.” It had now come to be considered by a certain party the height of religious toleration to allow a Catholic servant girl to tell her beads in the garret of her Protestant employer. [Great applause.] It was the same with other principles which were dear to us; they had come to be disgraced by the narrowest and most contemptible bigotry. But it was gratifying to know that such weeds could not thrive in this Republic. They were fast dying out. States in which they had flourished for a season had shown that they would succor them no more. All that was needed to crush them out entirely was united and earnest action on the part of the Democracy, and to that he urged them strongly.
The next speaker was THOMAS FRANCIS MEAGHER, who was received with nine hearty cheers. He commenced with a reference to the recent bad weather – to the chilling storms and leafless trees, which, he said, refused to be clad while the great cities were in distress. It had been said, with truth, that all along the East River our ships were lying moored in idleness; and that thousands of our workingmen had been forced to abandon their chisels and hammers and stand in idleness, while their families were in want of bread. It was also true that many of our merchants who had grown gray in the prosecution of their vocations, and who had secured for themselves luxuriant abodes, now left their warehouses for their homes to find a sheriff at the door. And in such a time it was said by many, what is the use of interesting ourselves about politics when our very bread is doubtful? Such he denounced, for such would secure through temporary difficulty a permanent evil. Away with such counselors. There never was a time when public affairs did more urgently require public attention. He concluded with a humorous but pertinent allusion to the various candidates on the Democratic ticket, and made a powerful appeal to the audience to support Mayor WOOD.
General WALBRIDGE was next called for, but he declined in favor of gentlemen from abroad.
Colonel WRIGHT, of Boston, was next called upon. He spoke at some length upon the peculiarities of the opposing parties, and felt sure of the triumph of the Democracy.
He was followed by RICHARD BUSTRED, after the audience had insisted upon hearing Hon. JOHN KELLY. Mr. Kelly asked them to hear Mr. BUSTRED, and he would speak afterwards. The audience at length consented, and when he (BUSTRED) had concluded, the calls for Mr. KELLY were renewed.
Mr. KELLY presented himself amid vehement and prolonged cheering. After all they had heard tonight, he declared, it ran in his mind that, perhaps, they were satisfied with what had been already said. If he had consulted his own choice, he would have said nothing, but the importance of the occasion demanded, perhaps, that he should, as far as he could, recognize their friendly call. The issue in the ensuing election was non bleeding Kansas, but the redemption of New-York from the oligarchy that had so long kept it in thrall. Of the result he had no doubt, and felt satisfied that on the 3d of November the sun would sink in the golden west over an overwhelming Democratic majority. The adoption and maintenance of a thorough Democratic policy during the last 20 years in this State, would, he stated, have eventuated in the extinguishment of the public debt and the completion of the canals, instead of, as now, having imposed on us the burden of a debt of $35,000,000, the payment of a 3-mill tax and the exaction of fearful City and county taxes. He declared his entire approval of the candidates of the Democratic Party, exhorted his audience to give it an undivided and victorious support, and, on resuming his seat, was loudly cheered.
The meeting reluctantly adjourned, amid cries for RYNDERS, ROSE, HENNESSNY, &c., &c.
Letters were received during the day from several distinguished Democrats, but none of them were read. Copies, however, were furnished the reporters.
Hon. REVERDY JOHNSON thanked Heaven that the danger to the Union is past.
Hon. C.J. INGERSOLL thinks wisdom inclines to seize this opportunity to master the banks. He says:

“Clipping the Dedalion wings of the banks by a great act of national, constitutional interposal, when surely that divinity is intensely challenged, will afford the only effectual protection of our inestimable staples, enable us to export grain, flesh, fish, lumber, tobacco, cotton, rice sugars, lead, coal, and all the other superabundancies of our marvelous competence, except gold, which is thus to be kept for our use. Out of the dismal chaos in which our imports now are bewailing their anything but masterly inactivity, with labor starving and capital struck senseless with fright, a world of industrious prosperity may b cheaply raised. Our Augean stables can be readily cleansed of the filthy nuisances which more than any other derangement, gentlemen, render your splendid commercial emporium a much greater sore than Jefferson could conceive, a den, if your journals tell true, of sharpers, strumpets, assassins, and other monsters whom, with their infernal arts, the precious metals would greatly tend to exercise.”
Hon. WM. F. RUSSELL says that that “we (of Saugerties) have besieged the Delhi of Black Republicanism and Americanism, and promise” to lay fusion as cold as a wedge there in November. Ex-Speaker LUDLOW has no more doubt that New-York will be Democratic than that Pennsylvania, Ohio, &c., are so already.
Hon. DANIEL S. DICKINSON hopes the Democratic majority won’t be so large that the Republican magicians cannot read the figures. Judge PARKER trusts the City will no resent the insult of last Winter. GIDEON J. TUCKER is brief and confident of the success of his party. JOHN VAN BUREN prophesies the election of the entire ticket by an overwhelming majority.

German Republicans Ratification Meeting.

The German Republicans of the City hold a ratification meeting of the State ticket last evening at the Volks-garten, Bowery. The audience numbered about two thousand. A very excellent band was in attendance, and from a platform erected for the occasion, and amply decorated with American flags, the speakers made their addresses. Mr. FREDERIC KAPP was called to the chair. He addressed the meeting in the German language, and his speech elicited much applause. He remarked that the present campaign was not as exciting as that of last year, when not only this country, but the whole of Europe awaited the result as if the end of the world was approaching. The present State election, however, was of great importance, and it behooved every one to do his duty in respect to it. New-York was the banner State of the Union, and she must not prove a defaulter in the cause. Germans, especially, must everywhere and on every occasion, oppose Slavery, and at the forthcoming election must uphold the principles which will assuredly rule the Union in 1860. [Great applause.]
Mr. FRANK was the next speaker. He addressed the assemblage in German, and read the resolutions adopted at the Syracuse Convention. He charged his hearers, who were voters, to be early at the ballot-boxes, Inasmuch as it was most important to uture prospects that the Republican Party should carry the State this Fall. He then read the list of Republican candidates for State offices, and proposed them to the meeting for ratification. This was done unanimously without a dissenting voice.
The Chairman next introduced Mr. CHARLES L. BRACE to the audience, remarking that he was an American gentleman who had traveled much in Germany as well as other parts of Europe, and had a great love for the German nation, and profound sympathy for those who, spurning despotism, had declared themselves forever on the side of Liberty.
Mr. BRACE, on rising to speak, remarked that they were met on that occasion not alone as Germans, but as American citizens. It was true that the question of this State election was not as weighty as usual, yet it was important for Republicans to present a compact organization, and it was especially necessary that Germans, on whom so much was to be relied, should show that they stood firm in the order of battle. Americans and Germans meet here on one common platform, free speech, free soil, free Government. In this City the Germans number 100,000, but over the land they are numerable by thousands, and it is not too much to say that they go far to represent the thought of this great nation. Therefore, their position on this great question is most important. They were not like those people, from another nationality, who came to this country smarting from tyranny abroad, only to shriek, when they got here, for Slavery in this the land of their adoption. True, many Germans were beguiled by the word Demokrate. The meaning of that word in Germany and its meaning here was very different. They all knew what it meant in old Germany – a man who would rather be clothed in rags and steeped in poverty, than enjoy shameful wealth; a man who would not crouch at the feet of the oppressor; a man who at his life’s risk would be the antagonist of all oppression, and who would lay down his life as the price of freedom. But in this country it means a man who has money to buy votes, and corrupt the voter; a man who lounges about lobbies and bar-rooms for the express purpose of corruption; who has liked the feet of the slaveholders so long that he cannot stand straight. That is what Democracy means in this country. Naturalists say that the wild beasts of the old world degenerate in America, and that the lion becomes only a wildcat, but here the lion of Democracy changes to an as, though he clothes himself in a lion’s skin. The Germans, Mr. BRACE continued, have an important part to play in the future of this country. In Western Texas they were laboring to great effect. There they were cultivating free cotton by free labor, and are doing more than can be at present calculated for the propagation of free principles, because they thought it disgraceful to their manhood to own a slave. Alluding to the Republican prospects in Missouri, Mr. BRACE insisted that things were rapidly brightening. He narrated in German an anecdote of a Frenchman, who, having traveled in the States, returned to Paris, and being asked whether Americans were good men or bad men, replied that he did not know about that, but he would rather be in hell than in Missouri. All this, Mr. BRACE said, had nearly passed, and Missouri had come within a few hundreds of electing a Free Soil Governor. That was owing to the German settlers, and those noble settlers would make Missouri free. All the great Germans that he had the honor of knowing, such as JULIUS FROEBEL, Dr. SOLGER, and their respected Chairman, were all Republicans. The German mind was naturally an ally of Freedom. Of the Hard Times he would say that they had one good effect – they reduced the price of negroes; and, with them, the price of land will fall, and Slavery, being no longer profitable, will be driven down to the gulf where it belongs. He eulogized the Republican State candidates; there were no lobby-men among them. For himself, he should vote for Judge DENIO, although he was the nominee of another party, because, in his decision on the Police Act, he had shown himself superior to all party. Let them all do their duty, and in 1860, Germans and Americans would unite triumphantly in support of Free Soil, Free Speech, and a Free President l[oud] cheers.]
After a fine tune by the band, the Chairman announced, in reply to loud calls for his appearance, that Gen. NYE was detained by sickness from taking part in the proceedings.
Mr. TCHERNER then addressed the meeting in support of the Republican nominations. He was followed by other speakers (who all addressed the meeting in German) to the same effect. The meeting dispersed at an early hour, with three cheers for the Republican State ticket.
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TWELFTH WARD. – The Republican Association has nominated in this Ward CHARLES E. WHITEHEAD, of Fort Washington, for the Assembly, which nomination has since been indorsed by the Americans.
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FUSION IN WESTCHESTER. – At the meeting held yesterday at Tarrytown, of Americans and Republicans, the Committee reported a ticket with JOHN W. FERDON for Senator, and LUMAN B. TRIPP for County Treasurer; but the meeting not being able to agree upon some minor County officers, adjourned without taking any further action. Mr. FERDON and Mr. TRIPP have both already been nominated by the American and Republican parties as their candidates.