Large public meetings. They were first so called, says Bartlett, in the campaign of 1840.
1847–54. MASS-MEETING. A large assembly of the people, to be addressed on some public occasion, usually political.—Webster’s Dict.
1848. No single constitution has ever been altered by means of a convention gotten up by mass meetings.—Daniel Webster in the case of Luther v. Borden, 7 Howard 32.
1850. A large and enthusiastic mass meeting of the citizens of Alabama, held at the City of Montgomery.—Mr. Inge of Ala., House of Repr., Aug. 26: Cong. Globe, p. 1652.
1855. Those tumultuous mass-meetings, where boisterous freemen, armed with the weapons they loved the best, and arriving sooner or later, according to their pleasure, had been accustomed to elect their generals and magistrates, and to raise them upon their shields.—J. L. Motley, ‘Dutch Republic’ (1861), i. 23. (N.E.D.)
