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Middletown, 150 Yrs Ago: Middletown Republicans, Democrats Rally; Business Booming for Local Shipyards

March 25, 1863 edition of The Constitution, local Republican newspaper, covers the Republican rally at McDonough Hall, and soldiers' support of Union sentiment at home and denunciation of 'peace men.'

From The Constitution, Wednesday, March 25, 1863 (volume 26, number 1317)

War News

On the 14th inst., Fort Anderson, on the Neuse river, was assailed when the rebels were repulsed with considerable loss. The casualties on our side were only one killed and two wounded.

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Hooker’s army is now in excellent condition. Reliable information has been received at Washington that the rebels are abandoning the line of the Rappahannock and falling back upon the defences in the vicinity of Richmond.

Gen. Rosecrans’ army is still occupying its old quarters at Murfreesboro. An invasion of Kentucky by the rebels is feared. Cavalry skirmishes occur daily.

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The latest intelligence from the black brigade, which is now marching into Florida, is that they have taken several important points with many prisoners and captured large quantities of munitions and supplies, and are still driving the enemy before them.

There was an important engagement at Milton, Tenn., on the 20th. Col. Hall’s brigade encountered Morgan’s and Breckenridge’s cavalry, eight or ten regiments, and entirely defeated them.

There is nothing new from Vicksburg.

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The young lady who betrayed Gen. Stoughton at Fairfax, into the hands of the enemy, has been placed in the Old Capitol Prison.

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Exemption.—The U. S. Treasury will derive over a quarter of a million of dollars from the Quakers of Indiana, for exemption from military duty.

THE UNION RALLY.  Great Mass Meeting.

On Wednesday evening there was a most enthusiastic meeting of the Union men of this town and vicinity at McDonough Hall. Hon. Benjamin Douglas was chosen President. He made a few brief remarks on taking the chair. The following were chosen Vice Presidents and Secretaries.

Vice Presidents—G. W. Coite, W. G. Hackstaff, S. H. Parsons, C. C. Tyler, Alva B. Coe, Geo. S. Hubbard, Chester P. Hentze, Elisha S. Hubbard, Abner Newton, B. Bent, Jr., S. C. Hubbard, A. B. Calef, Edwin F. Johnson, Henry S. White, Augustus Putnam, Benjamin W. Coe, Waldo P. Vinal, Warren Prior, Geo. W. Burke, H. D. Hall, John S. Bailey, Martin Loveland, Marvin B. Warner, John Stevens, Horace Clark, Prof. J. Johnston, Edward Savage.

Secretaries—A. A. Cody, John M. Douglas, W. G. Burrows, Charles G. R. Vinal, Samuel G. Camp, A. Newton, Jr.

The first speaker was President Cummings, of Wesleyan University. He said it was now the duty of all men to rally for the Government, which was threatened by a great danger. This rebellion was not simply what it appeared on the surface, but was a deep laid conspiracy which has been carried on for many years, and deliberately planned for the overthrow of the Government. It only waited the occasion when it might break forth, and assail our liberties. We had endeavored to satisfy the demands of the slave power, by giving up one thing after another, until finally they demanded that we surrender the liberties of the republic into their hands. This we would never do.

Hon. Daniel S. Dickinson, of New York, was introduced. He said that he was a democrat, that he had loved the South and served her well, but when he discovered the real plans of the southern conspirators, he preferred his country to his party and his old friends. The rebellion was without cause. South Carolina had never lost a slave and Florida had always been a town pauper and never lost so much as an alligator. The conspirators broke up the democratic party, and refused all compromise and concession in order that they might break up the Union. He was for destroying this rebellion root and branch. He was for hewing it in pieces as Samuel hewed Agag, and for this purpose he would use all the available means in the power of the Government. He was surprised that the Irish should any of them be found against the Government. England was for the South, was fitting out pirates to prey on our commerce, and was doing all in her power to help the rebels. England was the oppressor of Ireland, and the tyrant of the world, and no Irishman ought to be found in the service of England against his adopted country. The liberties of this country were the refuge of the world. The great tree of liberty had now spread her branches wide from the Atlantic to the Pacific and afforded protection to all who would come under their shadow. Should it be distroyed, and by the hands of Americans ? If we must perish let it not be by the paricidal hands of our own children, by the traitorous endeavors of those who have been our friends and fellow citizens.

O. H. Platt, Esq., of Meriden was introduced, and made a few remarks, dwelling more particularly on State politics.

After Mr. Platt, the President called upon A. R. Warner, Esq., our candidate for Congress. Mr. Warner responded by saying that he should at a subsequent time address the citizens of Middletown at length, and moved a vote of thanks to the gentlemen who had addressed the meeting.

After which the meeting adjourned.

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Disappointed.—The Seymour democrats were sadly disappointed at the result of their meeting at McDonough Hall on Thursday night. Richardson, their principal speaker, found it difficult to keep his perpendicular, and could hardly put a sentence together grammatically. It seemed to be a long time before he could comprehend what he came to Middletown for, and what was his particular business at that meeting. When the truth began to dawn on his befuddled brain, he commenced a most outrageous assault on the Government, and in the coarsest terms advised repudiation and resistance by the people. He was not likely to gain any converts at that meeting.

James Brooks was evidently ashamed of the company he found himself in. He said he was not a democrat and belonged to no party, but he did’nt tell his Irish hearers that he had been a “know-nothing” of the strongest kind. Hedenounced government contractors and accused them of keeping up this war. Mr. Brooks did not know who he was talking to. Some of the principal government contractors in this town are Seymour democrats, and must have been edified by the style in which they were denounced.

Monstrous Fallacy.

“The time has now arrived when all true lovers of the Constitution are ready to abandon the monstrous fallacy that the Union can be restored by the armed hand.”

Thus reads one of the resolutions passed at the last Hartford Convention. According to this doctrine, the war for the restoration of the Union is a monstrous fallacy. If it is such now, it was such at the beginning, and the President ought never to have called the people to arms. Suppose he had not, and had followed the example of the imbecile Buchanan, will these Hartford Convention traitors tell us where the nation would be now ? If it was a monstrous fallacy to oppose this rebellion, then the nation has lived for more than eighty years under the monstrous fallacy of supposing that it had a government, when in fact it had none whatever but such as a few conspirators in South Carolina could break up by the simple expedient of secession. A monstrous fallacy to sustain our Government against armed traitors, is it ! None but such as are in sympathy with the rebellion, and hope for disunion, will dare say it.

Local News

To Be Launched.—Several vessels are about ready to be launched from the various shipyards on the river. At Belden’s yard in this city, the steam tug Monitor is nearly rebuilt, and will be ready in a short time. This is the boat that was almost destroyed by the explosion last fall, at which time four lives were lost. At Goodspeed’s yard in Portland, a propeller built for a New York firm, was to be launched as soon as the ice would permit. A propeller for the Hartford and New York Steamboat Company is to be launched on the 1st of April, and a side-wheel steamer for the Hartford and Long Island Steamboat Co. is to be launched on the last of April. At Deep River a brig of 400 tons for a New York firm has been nearly completed at the yard of Mr. Denison. At Essex in Mack’s yard, there is on the stocks a schooner of 200 tons, and at Starkey’s yard they have just laid the keel for another of nearly the same size for New York parties.

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Heard From.—The friends of Mr. Starr Dunham, formerly of this city, have the past week had intelligence from him, the first, we believe, since the war broke out. He had established a newspaper at Van Buren, Ark. Since secession he has been unfortunate. Although he stood up for the secesh at first, they have ruined him at last. He writes that his office has been “cleaned out” and he is left almost destitute.

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The Weather.—Average temperature for the week at sunrise has been 20 degrees. On Thursday morning the mercury stood at 11 degrees, on Friday morning at 4, and on Saturday morning at 3. The sleighing lasted through Thursday. For the last three days the weather has been mild and spring-like.

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Navigation.—The ice on the river broke up on Sunday, a single warm day being sufficient to set it floating down stream. The river is now in a navigable condition, and the Granite State may be expected to commence her regular trips the last of the week. A propeller passed here on Monday on her way to Hartford. This is the first boat of the season.

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A Social Hop will come off on Wednesday evening this week at McDonough Hall. A. J. Spencer gives it. The music will be by the Hartford Cotillion Band. Tickets 75 cents.

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For more articles from The Constitution, go to the Middlesex County Historical Society blog.

 

 

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