The Democratic Meeting—The Ferries

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THE DEMOCRATIC MEETING.—THE FERRIES.

As the election draws near, political news more and more crowds out the ordinary contents of the paper. The Democratic Ratification meeting was held last evening, and as it was a successful demonstration, and probably the only one of the sort this fall, we have reported the proceedings more fully than we should otherwise have done. We cannot pretend to estimate the numbers present, for the stand did not afford a sight of the entire concourse; but so far as we could judge, the audience compared favorably with those of last year in point of numbers, while in respectability of demeanor and attire it far exceeded the generality. This we attribute to the hard times. Had it not been for the stringency of the money market, there would doubtless have been clubs from the Eastern District, with banners and music and various appliances for diverting attention from the speakers; there would also have been a freer consumption of liquids, and a far less orderly and attentive congregation. The absence of these things caused that of boys and rowdies, and the meeting therefore was a decided success. The twenty distinguished gentlemen whose names were on the bills did not appear—and to our mind the meeting was much the better for their absence. Four of them, Messrs. Van Buren, Tucker, Tremaine and Meagher, sent letters of apology. Consequently the managing committee had to fall back on local speakers, and the audience were probably far better pleased with them than they would have been with strangers, however distinguished. It is of much more importance to the voters just now, to have the sentiments of candidates like Mr. Spinola, than of men like Ex-Senator Dickinson, simply because the former is about to be voted for, and the latter is not. The best use of a mass meeting is to afford an opportunity to candidates to set forth explicitly their own views on local subjects, and this Mr. Spinola did in very decided and unmistakable terms.

The ferry resolution introduced by Mr. Peck is a new feature in meetings of this kind, and a good one. Its reception evinced the depth of interest with which this ferry question is regarded by the people of this city. Mr. Beach was present, and we are sorry that he did not speak on the subject. If the ferry rates are reduced during the next session, as they probably will be, Mr. Beach, more than any other man, will deserve the credit of bringing it about.

While on the subject of ferries we may mention that the following letter has been set in a lithographed circular to every candidate for Senate and Assembly in the county. We hope to publish the answers of these gentlemen in a day or two.

Brooklyn, October 10th, 1857.

SIR.—The undersigned, members of the Executive Committee appointed at the mass meeting of the Citizens of Brooklyn, held at the City Hall on the 9th of February last, deem it proper, in the discharge of the duties their assigned them, to request of every candidate for election as Senator or Assemblyman to the next Legislature, from Kings County, a distinct reply to the following question:

Will you, if elected—recognising public ferries as public necessities, and the right of the people to demand the lowest rates of fare upon them which is reasonably practicable—exert yourself to the best of your ability, in all proper ways, to procure the passage of a law limiting the rates of fare charged on each ferry between Brooklyn and New York, to such sum or same as will, after defraying its necessary expenses, yield to the ferryman for ferry company, a profit not exceeding ten per cent. per annum upon the capital invested?

Your reply to this question (adressed to the care of A. H. Dana, Esq., 194 Henry street, Brooklyn, or 67 Wall street, New York,) will be made public at an early day, and should no reply be received before the 26th inst. that fact will be stated.

Respectfully Yours,

D. O. Kellogg,	C. Kelley,
Edward A. Lambert,	Aleur. H. Dana,
E. T. Backhouse,	Jesse C. Smith,
Edward E. Bowen,	John J. Merritt,
Thomas Douglass,	John N. Taylor.