President Barbicane’s Communication

           Onthe5thofOctober,ateightp.m.,adensecrowdpressedtowardthesaloonsoftheGunClubatNo.21UnionSquare.AllthemembersoftheassociationresidentinBaltimoreattendedtheinvitationoftheirpresident.Asregardsthecorrespondingmembers,noticesweredeliveredbyhundredsthroughoutthestreetsofthecity,and,largeaswasthegreathall,itwasquiteinadequatetoaccommodatethecrowdofsavants.Theyoverflowedintotheadjoiningrooms,downthenarrowpassages,intotheoutercourtyards.Theretheyranagainstthevulgarherdwhopresseduptothedoors,eachstrugglingtoreachthefrontranks,alleagertolearnthenatureoftheimportantcommunicationofPresidentBarbicane;allpushing,squeezing,crushingwiththatperfectfreedomofactionwhichissopeculiartothemasseswheneducatedinideasof"self-government."

           OnthateveningastrangerwhomighthavechancedtobeinBaltimorecouldnothavegainedadmissionforloveormoneyintothegreathall.Thatwasreservedexclusivelyforresidentorcorrespondingmembers;nooneelsecouldpossiblyhaveobtainedaplace;andthecitymagnates,municipalcouncilors,and"selectmen"werecompelledtominglewiththemeretownspeopleinordertocatchstraybitsofnewsfromtheinterior.

           Neverthelessthevasthallpresentedacuriousspectacle.Itsimmenseareawassingularlyadaptedtothepurpose.Loftypillarsformedofcannon,superposeduponhugemortarsasabase,supportedthefineironworkofthearches,aperfectpieceofcast-ironlacework.