1860-10-24-New York Herald-Union Now and Forever

Union Now and Forever! Tremendous Uprising of the People

New York Herald, 24 October 1860, p. 3

Grandest Popular Demonstration Ever Witnessed in New York

Turn Out of the Conservatives Last Evening.

Seven Miles of Sovereigns in Procession

37,000 Conservatives Afoot.

Over Half a Million of Spectators in the Streets

The Wide Awakes Completely Squelched

The City in a Blaze of Fire

Bonfires, Illuminations, Pyrotechnics

The Minute and the Union Men turned out in immense numbers last night. On the third of October the Wide Awakes had their great procession, so long talked of, and introduced, like a stage display, with blast and flourish of trumpets. The procession was large, though not so large ans the republicans claimed, and was composed, for a great part, of youths able to carry torches, but unable to vote, either at the approaching election in November, or, from appearances, at several subsequent elections. …

Capt. Isaiah Rynders saw the procession, and determined to surpass it. With the aid of the Union men of all parties he has succeeded in doing more than he intended—he has given us a genuine torchlight procession, the greatest New York ever saw, in numbers and general appearance unsurpassed—a procession seven miles in length, and which was over three hours in passing any given point; organized upon a principle directly opposite to that of the Wide Awakes, the procession of last night was composed, with the exception of a few invited clubs, entirely of our own citizens, men who can and will vote here in the city and State. …

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Second Division.

… The Seventh Ward Rangers, under command of Captain James Ennis, paraded 450 men. Preceding was an illuminated wagon, with a painting on either side representing a boat, in which is seated a miscellaneous number of white and black personages, with the editor of a well known republican paper at the helm, who is supposed to be saying, "Free love and free niggers will certainly elect Old Abe if he pilots us safe. Colored folks have preference of state rooms." The boat is about to land, but Brother Jonathan with a vigorous push is keeping it off, at the same time exclaiming, "Don't land that crowd here!" Around the lower part of the wagon is the inscription:—"Steamer Abey Lincoln, Captain Greeley, for Mormon Settlement, Nov. 7, 1860." …