The Kentucky Gazette

Ratification in Danville.

They had a grand ratification meeting and torch-light procession in Danville on Saturday afternoon and evening last. The Advocate thus alludes to the speech of Gen. Preston:

We cannot attempt an elaborate description of the interesting incidents of the day, or a full report of the speeches that were delivered by the orators, who came in response to the invitation of our committee. Of course the post of honor among the speakers was assigned to our honored guest from Lexington, General William Preston,--a gentleman distinguished at home and abroad for the courtly bearing and firm adherence to political convictions. He spoke in the afternoon: in the Court House to a very large and attentive audience of representative Democrats from this and adjoining counties. He presented the issue in a bold and manly speech, characterized by utterances which showed he was in dead earnest, and that it was his purpose, at least if the Democrats won their victory, (as he felt they assuredly would,) not to be again cheated out of the fruits of it as in '76. General Preston made substantially the same speech that he did in Louisville, on a recent occasion, which was seized upon by the Republican press and distorted as the indiscreet utterances of an "unreconstructed rebel." We read General Preston's speech in Louisville, and we heard him in Danville, and we are prepared to say that he did not utter any sentiment that he should not repeat on any stump in the North. Let it be distinctly known everywhere that the Democratic party understands the purposes of the Republican leaders and is fully prepared to meet them. We expect to win this victory according to fair and constitutional methods; the Republican Legislatures cannot take the place of Returning Boards and Electoral Commissions, and put in a man who has been defeated at the polls by a majority of electoral votes honestly counted. This was the leading idea of General Preston's speech, which he elaborated and presented with great force, clearness and eloquence.