The crowd outside Alfred Town Hall was as large, if not larger, than the crowd inside – made up of those who had arrived early enough to grab a chair and wait to hear the from a Texas congressman who talks of liberty, freedom, following the Constitution and abolishing the Federal Reserve.

Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul bounded up the narrow outside fire escape steps to the second floor of the 1862 town hall at just about 5 p.m. Saturday, where the capacity crowd of 154 folks eager to see and hear him had been waiting.

The audience roared their pleasure as Paul, clad casually in blue jeans and a blue shirt, appeared in the doorway and then nimbly stepped up to the tiny stage.