Article taken from The Columbus Dispatch, October 2, 1895
The Democratic Leader Not Overwhelmed by his Reception
Special to the Dispatch, Portsmouth, O., Oct. 2
Ex-Governor Campbell, his running mate on the Democratic ticket and Doc Norton arrived in this city by special train from Waverly at 6 o'clock last evening, escorted by a party of 200, who went to Waverly to meet him, and accompained by the Columbus Glee Club, 75 strong.
After a short parade at 7:30, a meeting was held at the opera house. The building, the capacity of which is 1,400, was comfortably filled, but there was but little of an overflow. Although the meeting was lively and enthusiastic, there was a startling contrast between it and the ovation given Campbell in Portsmouth during his successful campaign for the office of governor when the opera house was full, streets full, everything full.
After a brief speech by Peasler, Campbell spoke for an hour, devoting the greater part of his remarks to a discussion of state and local issues, although he announced that he was not afraid of national issues. George B. Cox and the last legislature received special attention. He was followed by Doc Norton in a half-hour speech.
After the meeting the ex-governor and party were tendered a banquet by Hon. Michael Stanton, proprietor of Spring Lane distillery, other local Democrats to the number fo 20 participanting.