182. CLXXXII.
MR. NASBY ATTENDS A CONVOCATION OF THE
DEMOCRACY OF NEW YORK.
Noo York, November 20, 1869.
I attendid, by speshl invitashun, a meetin uv the inflooenshl
workin Democrats uv Noo York, wich wuz called to lay
out the work for the incomin Legislacher. The meetin wuz
held at Hiberny Hall, wich, ez the occasion wuz one relatin to
the Government uv the State and city uv Noo York, wuz perfoosely
decorated with the green flag uv Ireland, harps, sunbursts,
and other emblems uv a patriotic nacher, while a brass
band on the platform enlivened the perceedins by playin, at
regler intervals, “The Wearin uv the Green.”
Dennis Macarthy wuz called to the chair, and Patrick Maloney
wuz made secretary. Some one sejested a man named Biggins
for secretary, urgin that Biggins cood rite; but his name wuz
agin him, and Maloney wuz yoonanimusly chosen. It wuz
afterwards discovered that Biggins wuz really an Irishman, and
they immejitly made him assistant secretary. A committee,
consistin uv Messrs. O'Doherty, O'Malley, O'Grady, O'Toole,
and O'Shaughnessy, reported ez committee on resolushens,
Messrs. McShane, McDonoho, McGragan, McEvy, and McVay,
wich reported ez follows: —
That, representin the Democrasy uv Noo York, we demand
uv the new Legislacher the immejit repeel uv the Excise Law,
all the laws bearin on whiskey, all the laws takin control uv the
city uv Noo York out uv the hands uv the Democrisy uv the
city, the repeel uv all the Metropolitan poleece laws, and the
restorashen uv the appintin uv the poleece to the Mayor, where
it ought to be; in short, the repeel uv all the laws passed by
the Ablishun Legislachers uv the past ten years.
Mr. Patsy O'Brannon urged the passage uv the resolooshens
yoonanimusly. He shood, uv course, be a sargent in the new
poleece force, and in addishen to that he hed a brother wich
landid the day before the eleckshen, wich brother, like a troo
Amerikin, votid four times, wich must hev a place on the force.
He (Mr. O'Brannon) felt that he coodent support him much
longer, and onless he got his brother a place soon he wood hev
to go to work.
Mr. O'Shaughnessy wantid to know ef men landid in November,
and who hed only voted at one eleckshun, wuz to step in
and take office over the heads uv vetrans wich hed bin here
two and three years? Ef sich things —
Mr. Baldwin moved that no man be recognized ez eligible
for an offis, or even contrack, wich hed bin in the country less
than three months.
Mr. McShane shood vote agin that moshen. He hed one
brother to whom he hed written to come to-wunst, who wood
be cut out for three months if the moshen passed, and he
(McShane) coodent afford to board him so long.
Mr. McGrath should also oppose it. Anticipatin a repeel uv
the ojus laws wich hampered the Dimocrisy uv Noo York, he
hed got a frend to write to two brothers and four cousins to
sail immejitly, to fill posishens uv poleecemen and skool directors
and sich, and he hed another brother who wood come ez
soon ez his time wuz out in the prison at Liverpool, who must
be provided for. He wood vote for no sich moshen. It wuz lost.
Mr. O'Shaughnessy wanted a moshen instructin the Legislacher
to not only put the appintin power in the hand uv the
Mayor, but to immejitly double the poleece force uv the cities
uv the State wich hev Democratic majorities.
Mr. McCoole moved to amend, by requirin all sich cities to
commence to-wunst the buildin uv Court Houses, in which
shape it wuz carried.
Mr. McGeoghegan wished to call the attenshen uv the meetin
to the fact that the Mayor uv the city hed appinted two
janitors in the City Hall, one uv wich wuz born in Connecticut,
and the other in Noo Jersey. A committee wuz about to be
appinted to call upon the Mayor to remonstrate, when it wuz
made known that the places hed bin originally given to two
brothers named McGrath, who hed sold em to these men, and
the subjick wuz dropped.
Before the explanashen wuz made there wuz much feelin
manifested, but when the facts were made known three hearty
cheers wuz given the Mayor.
Mr. O'Sullivan desired to know whether, with a Dimocratic
Legislacher, there wood be hangin for killin naygurs?
Mr. O'Shea remarked, in answer, that he didn't see wat the
Legislacher hed to do with that matter. Ther never hed bin
hangin in Noo York for nigger-killin, the Lord be praised, and
he hed no fears ther ever wood be.
Mr. O'Sullivan wuz pleased to know it. He hed bin in the
country but a short time, and did not fully understand the
customs. He rentid his house uv a naygur, but he shood pay
rent no more. It wuz acknowledgin ther superiority.
It wuz also resolved that to prevent mistakes and errors,
when the appintments for the different offises in the city come
to be made, that each applicant be required to state wich
county uv Ireland he comes from.
After some other bizness the meetin adjourned.
Wunst on a time a native uv a Western State, lookin at a
Democratic procession in this city, remarked ef he hed enuff
inflooence at Washinton he wood ask to be appinted Amerikin
Consul to Noo York. I see now the pint to the remark.
Ef I conclood to stay here I shel change my name to Michael,
practise the shellalah, and take to short pipes. O, why wuzn't
I born in Cork?
Petroleum V. Nasby
(wich wuz Postmaster).
