The New York Herald Newspaper, April 30, 1872, Page 8

6 NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1872—QUADRUPLE SHEET. THE MORMON CONFERENCE. Reappearance of Brigham Young Among the Faithful. HE DELIVERS A PACIFIC SERMON. A Deep Laid Scheme to Judicially Murder Tim Frustrated by the Integrity of the Government, Examination of the Indicted Danite Assassins. The Prophet is Thantcful That He is Not Himself God Almighty. Sa.v Lake City, April 28, 1872. ‘Tho last day of the Conference has been largely attended by the faithful. The great attraction was the promised REAPPEARANCE OF BRIGHAM YOUNG for the first time since his arrest. The prophet scemed to be in very good health and strength, and the enthusiasm with which he was received doubt- ess put him in the best of humor with himself, BRIGHAM’S SERMON, In the afternoon he spoke for three-quarters of an hour, his discourse partaking about equally of the character ofa sermon and a political speech. He began by expressing his joy at again meeting his people, but immediately afterwards boldly attributed the present threatening state of the situation to the failure of certain people in paying their tithings, as well as their neglect of the duties of caring for the poor and attending regularly at church, Atfairs would never be better, he said, until these people obeyed counsel in all things, HE LIKES PERSECUTION, He wanted the prosecution against him to go on, but the proceedings should be held in the proper courts, and he wished that the prosecutor would turn over all records to the Territorial attorney, 80 that posterity might know what the Mormons had been subjected to and what kind of men they had had to deal with. He challenged examination into his moral conduct. SMOOTHING THINGS OVER A LITTLE. He'then bore testimony to the kindness of the Marshal, and the remainder of the discourse was unusually mild and temperate in its tone as com- pared with some of his former efforts, CHARGE OF JUDICIAL ASSASSINATION, First Councillor President George A. Smith fol- lowed the Prophet, and sald that there had been a deep laid scheme to judicially murder two of the Presidents of the Church—Youngand Wells. He in- sisted that it was murder of the worst kind, but he thanked God that there was.enongh integrity in the government to defeat it. He, too, was remarkably quiet and peaceful in his remarks. MORE FROM BRIGHAM, Brigham in his speech also admitted that the Mormons and Gentiles were in opposition, and were ready to destroy each other. In this regard they were both equally to blame, and it was only through the marvellous mercy of God that they had survived. THANKS GOD THAT HE 18 NOT THE DEITY. He thanked God that he himself was not God, for, if he were, he might destroy and obliberate all his enemies, and he hoped that none of his brethren would have the power of God, until they also were endowed with Divine wisdom to exercise it rightly. GENERAL STATE OF AFFAIRS. penal statutes.” To Brigham Young and an im- mediate ring of a few men, who were his counsellors and his apostles, were granted neav'ly all the water and wood privileges in the mountains surrounding Salt Lake Valley. In a country where there was seldom rain the control of the waters issuing from the canyons was to give them the complete mastery of everything. The defence offered by the Hon. Mr. Hooper, the Utah delegate, was the worst that could have been made. Instead of rebutting the facts cited from “the laws of Utah,” he tried the tear and sympathy dodge, and spoke of what the Mormons had done for humanity, by first travelling across the Plains, killing the snakes and subduing the Indians, and how they had done all this and fed the emigrants to California in its earliest days, &c., “for the glory of,” &c, Now Mr. Hooper knew that the Mormons never killed a snake, nor built a bridge, nor made an inch of road for the benefit of the Gentiles going to California. They did it, of course, for thelr own convenlence and benefit, the same as has been done in all pioneering explorations in every mile of this great country, and more, the Mormons have never done, On the contrary, as exhibited by Mr. Stevenson, they never built a bridge or established a ferry without fixing exorbitant toll rates, and they never sold a pound of breadstums, vegetables, or fruit to the passing emigrant without maging him pay dearly for it. The debate on Thursday did at least one good thing—it settled forever the eternal clamor about what the Mormons have done for the opening up of the Continent. They did what they were forced to do for their own good. So did the Gentiles in Colorado, Nebraska, Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Nevada and California, This crow- ing is, therefore, fortunately ended. HOW BRIGHAM GOT HIS WEALTH, The Hon. William H. Hooper did not think It proper to relate the following facts, of which he was perfectly cognizant :— The State of Deseret, a political organization which the United States have never recognized, did, on the 9th December, 1850, ordain “that Brigham Young have the sole control of City Creek and Canyon, and that he pay Into the public treasury the sum of $500 therefor.” As Governor of the “State of Deserct,” Brigham Young, of course, approved of this action of his own Legislature, and for twenty- two years he has controlled the waters of City Creek and the timber of that canyon, and the Territorial Legislature, the only legitimate political organiza- tlon that the federal government can recognize, has never interfered with Brigham’s privileges. This City Creek Canyon is the nearest of all the mountain gulches where firewood is accessible to the people of Salt Lake City. There is not another cafion within twenty, miles of the place, and, there- fore, the poor, helpless people who go there for wood are taxed by Brigham—not a tithing, but every third load that passes his gate. In this way he suppiles his seraglio with fuel at the expense of the poor. In 1868, when the building of the Pacific Ratlroad became an indisputable fact, Brigham Young, to prevent it passing by Salt Lake Clty, sot his man Friday—that firebrand, A, Milton Musser, who speaks to-day of making Salt Lake City a Moscow— to take up all the land between Weber canyon and Salt Lake City, and in every quarter of a section of would say no more, he would drop the subject; stiilhe thought that it was but right. Well, he knew that there could be no objection offered to anything that he desired, and in a moment a bishop sprang up and proposed that Brother Brigham take up all the lands that he wanted, Still they did not see the Prophet's hand. Before the two great roads met at Ogden in May of that year there was a great uncertainty about its exact location. He had already, with the ald of Hooper, secured Ogden; but there was still Taylor's Mill, the nearest objective point to Salt Lake City. They might decide upon that place, and it was then, and had been for montha, the actual depot for pas- sengers and merchandise to Sait Lake City, Bright and early the next morning the man Friday (Mus- ser) was at work with a surveyor, and close upon his heels were all the men who could be roped in with spades. Before at: stopped their operations a ditch was dug in the line of that survey, as an evidence of possession, over a track of land five miles square! Had the junction been formed at ‘Taylor's Mill, Brigham then possessed the only piece of unoccupied land fit for occupation adjoining that junction, and if the junction becomes permanent at ‘Ogden, and the stations, round houses, machine shops and rolling mills once contemplated are erected, it will bring a population of thousands to Ogden, and Brigham Young possesses every foot of land for their houses. : Bad as all this is, the worst has to be told. By the simple act of surveying and Givching he knew that he could not hoid the five miles of United States land without purchase. ‘This A. Milton Musser got hold of all the young men in the country who had not taken up a quarter section of land for their own homesteads, to go and enter land on that five iniles and afterwards transfer the deeds to the control of Brigham, and thus he euchred these young men out of their inheritances as citizens of ‘the United States, or will force them in some future day to per- jure themselves, Hooper, and Eldredge, bis part- ner, had a share of this, There is probably no county in Utah Territory where Brigham Young has not gobbled up valuable estate, through the aid rendered him by the Legis- lature and local governments. No one the least ac- quainted with Utah will honestly dispute this, and when the Delegate in the debate denied this fact the Hon. Mr. Stevenson sprung upon him the aets of the Legislature, whieh perfectly astounded Con- gress. More than a dozen members of the House entertained the proposition of asking for the ex- pulsion of Mr. Hooper from Congress for seeking to mislead the nation by his dental of the facts. In the next debate all this will come up, for. the Hon. Mr. Claggett has been in Utah and Is fully advised. HOW HE Gor HIS LAG This pliable Legislature of Utah, that gave him all the waters and wooded canyons that he wanted, were afrald to see that he was robbing the Ameri- can people of their rights in Salt Lake Valley, and when he asked for a whole strip of land on the northeast side of Salt Lake City, commonly called “The Bench,” which ts now the most populous ward in that city, they gave him that also, He had it surveyed into blocks of five acres, and divided these into four parts, and he mado f immense amount of money out of their sale. With hig stealings from the Church and.the robberiag. of his brethren the nation has no particular right to grumble, for if “the Saints” are willing to be fleeced that Is thelr business; the rest of the world can only look on ana gare with astonishment at their meekness and humility. On the next debate the whole budget hero fore. shadowed will be unfolded, and the Delegate will need all the patience for which he 1s ordinarily pro- verbial. It was a mistake for him to lose temper with Delegate Claggett. Before the feud is ended Brigham’s eae for and attachment. to the Union will be well ventilated, and the nation will s9e how easily the people of Utah have been swindled. There are here energetic men from Utah, fully conversant with its history and extremely urgent for proper legislation. DELEGATE FULLER'S SPERCH BEFORE THE COMMITTER ON TERRITORIES. Frank Fuller, the dentist, spoke before the Com- mittee on Territories on Tuesday last, urging the admission of the State of Deseret. He represented the Mormons as the most loyal people in the United States. One of the National party’s delegation, 160 acres, between the range of the Wahsatch Mountains and Great Salt Lake, the whole oountry ‘was taken up and entered by the brethren, so that it was impossible for any Gentile to have taken up an inch of land on tho line of the railroad, and the railroad compat would have been foragd to pay high prices for the right of way. Lewis S. Hills, Hooper's clerk then, and now associate director o the Deseret Bank, was sent by Brigham Young to Denver, Colorado, to make the. entries of these homestead claims, and for the purpose that I here state, for at that time Utah Territory had no land omce, There is now on record in the Surveyor’s OMce of Denver the facts I state, and not one ina hundred of the names there registered for home- steads 1s possessed by the persons represented. This was one of the ways in which the inspired prophet bothered tho Gentiles and gave himself the entire control of the lands, When the merchants and moneyed men among the Gentiles in Salt Lake City created a breeze about Brigham’s ears and asked for some action on the part of the citizens to bring the Pacific Railroad by The audience also seemed contented and thank- ful, but the Conference exhibited but little, enthu- siasm over ita labors, and was adjourned by Brig- ham until October 6, next, TUB MURDER TRIALS. A large number of persons indicted for murder will be examined to-morrow on a writ of habeas corpus before Judge Hawiey. A woman named Luce, aged sixty-five years, was found dead in the street this morning. It is sup- posed that intemperance was the cause of her death. Attorney General Williams, en route from Wash- ington to San Francisco, passed through Ogden last night. UTAH’S INCUBUS. Grand Expose of Mormon Matters Before Congress, Brigham Young's Land-Grabbing Schemes—How He Outgeneralled the Central and Union Pa- cific Railroad Companios—Delegate Hooper in the Ring—Swindling the Brethren of Their Homesteade—The Utah Legislature Gives Him All He Asks. ‘Wasmrnoton, D. C., April 23, 1872, (0B DEBATE BETWEEN THB DELEGATES OF UTA AND MONTANA. The warm debate in the House a fow days ago be- tween the Hon. Mr. Claggett, delegate from Mon- tana, and the Hon. Mr. Hooper, delegate from Utah, over the bill to incorporate the Great Salt Lake and Colorado Railway Company was not only itself spicy at the time, but It is leading to developments un- looked for and undesired by the representative of Mormonism. It has been the settled policy of Brigham Young to not only discourage the settlement of Utah by Gentiles, but he has taken the most efficient means to prevent the possibility of their settling there, by causing the people to take up, in some form or other, every acre of ground that was at all promis- ing and inviting, thereby forcing the emigrant Gen- tile passing through to look only upon the God-for- saken, sterile, unwatered lands that were yet open to pre-emption. It was this policy that induced him, twenty-five years ago, to lay out Salt Lake City two miles square and to since extend Its dl- mensions whenever 4 pretext could be found. In taking possession of a new country it was reasonable enough to expect that he would give expression to his pecullar ideas in the expan- sion of his grass plot, kitchen garden and orchards around his dwelling, and with that no one had any right to find fault—it was his own labor and the labor of his people alone that was consumed, But in the discussion tn tho House the other day there was brought forth the most startling evidence of @ system of land robbery without parallel, and beyond what was then stated there is evidence forthcoming to exhibit Brigham Young as the most impudent, unblushing swindler of public lands that was ever known In the country. He went to Utah in 1847, and, according to his own showing, was then utterly destitute of wealth, The very clothes he wore and the teams that took lim there he was in debt for to some of tho brethren, and in his public speeches he is reported to have sald time and again, when in il] humor, that his brethren working for him in his saw mills, his Krist mills, his farms and his gardens stole more from him than ever they earned for him, and that everything that he had touched by way of business had been @ greater loss than gain to him. The Secret of his wealth, therefore, was tabe sought for in otter directions, THE LAND GRABA, PS ng expiration of the time allotted to the egates in the debate on Thursday, the Hon, Mr. Stevenson, of Ohio, evidently in sympathy ‘With the delegate from Montana, ol alps ti from the statutes of Utah Droogeded to read evidence of the wind! Sroasest swindling over perpetrated by @ local or a6 the honorable gentiema; age he southern end of the great lake and contiguous to the city, Brigham called a meeting in the Taber- nacle to take some pours action in favor of that poe ; but he himself, and the Hon, George Q. ‘’annon, now here, looked upon this acquiescence as ouly a “sop” for the Gentiles, for ‘the Lord” aid not wunt the railroad there. Hooper knows well that tho claim of patriotism and sympathy with the nation on the part of Brigham Young ts all fudge. There is nothing in it; for, while Hooper claims in Wash- ington patriotism for the building of the Utah Cen- tral Road, Brigham assured his brethren in Utah, whom he, a8 contractor, could not pay for work done on the Union Pacific Railroad, that he was obliged to take iron and rolling stock in pay from the Union Pacific Railroad Company for he could not get greenbacks from them, Hooper knows all this to be true; he knows that he is humbugging Con- gress when he puts on “the agony” and claims to be patriotic in all these measures. HOW BRIGHAM SWINDLED THE BRETHREN. It has been a mystery to the travelling world how itoccurs that the Central and Unton Pacific Rall- roads have never come to a definite conclusion about the Junction of that great tran-scontinental route from Omaha to San Francisco. There is evi- dence everywhere of a thorough system except at Ogden, in Utah, the present junction. Here there are no evidences of stability. While the Hon. Mr. Hooper is relating to Con- gress the story of Brigham Young's anxiety for union with the rest of mankind and his desire to be in railroad and other courteous relations withthe world, he fails to enrich the Congressional mind with the following piece of Bred — On the ist January, 1869, at the city of Ogden, Utah, Brigham Young and William H. Hooper did buy up all the lands on the line of the raflroad oppose Ogden, where the junction was intended and where it has been in operation ever since, for $50 an acre, and therby obtained possession of the land and prevented the two railroad companies from building the junction, as they would have done but for this sharp practice on the part of the Prophet and his Congressional delegate. Had there been anything lke @ fair commercial transaction in this affair the smartness of the Prophet and the Delegate would never have been alluded to, but while so much patriotism is claimed it is not amiss to show how the work was done, Brigt™m called a meeting of the Ogden men, and, after singing ahymn about glory in the world to come and prayer about Zion and the New Jeru- salem, he got oR in the blandest style of Uriah Heap and Tartuife and spoke of the interests of the kingdom. The ungodly Gentiles, he said, were of ap iy oitre and they would bring with them all their civillzation—gin mills, bowling alleys, &c. He proposed to prevent the engrafting of such institutions upon the Territory, and If the brethren would sell him all the lands in the neighborhood of the railroad he would give them $50 an acre for It, and he would make the Gentiles pay him enough for the privilege of sitting down at Ogden. The poor, hard working, unthinking men were taken by surprise, as some portions of the land had already been sold for $200 an acre, and otters of much more had been made and refused. But then this was “Brother Brigham, the anointed of the Lord,” who was seeking their interest, and they could do no better than follow his counsel. All but one man consented, and “ Brother McGaw was sure to come to it.” Of course he was sure to come to it. Brigham took care to bring him to it, and held him up to ridicule before the congregation until he did come to ft. So eager was Brigham to complete the transac- tion that on the very Sunday his son-in-law was sentinall haste to Salt Lake City for money, and Brigham Young furnished $15, and the Hon, William H. Hooper $10,000; th purchasing and taking the deeds for 500 acres of land at what is now nominally the junction of the Union and Central Pacific Railroads, When the two reat companies accepted Ogden as the junction Brigham Young offered them the land necessary for their stations, engine houses and machine shops, but another inch was not to be had, and there sit Brigham Young and William H, Hooper, who are eternally prating in Congress of their patriotism and of their anxiety to be in har- mony with the nation and of the services they have rendered to the railroad in the development of the country—as dogs in the manger, Over three years have yoused since then, and the great trans-conti- nental route from the Atiantie to the Pacific is Without a proper junetion- because Brigham Young's lust of gold indaced him to swindle his brethren, and Mr. Hooper helped him to the funds to do it with and became a partner in the prospec- tive gains, HE GOBBLES UP PIVE MILRS OF LAND. When these poor haif starved, ill clad, worshipping victims of the priesthood parted with their lands, which they knew to be of five times more value than what they got for them, and _prospectivel were worth a fortune to them, they doubtless real- ized their Tham go and pitied Brother McGaw; but before Brigham got through with them that da; they were forced to witness the most barefaced piece of raecality that ever he trated. His hirst for gold was not yet satiated. He got up in that same assembly at Ogden a second time, and, uutting on his blandest smile, won the good ear of isi venerg, Gently rubbing his hands, and mild TY S dove, 1¢ began his story of what he had lone for jeu ~ and how much they were infebted to hit oF aid fendered & cord | pa ears, fore, and he thought that if his | ethrén In Ogden had no objections he would take alittle of the unoccupied Jands to the south of the city. He was so aweet, so kind in his tone. Hr Brigham has right on his side~he ts “The ion of the Lord,” but when he is about to swindle ¢ 18 & perfect adept at the greasing ‘process: then after hearing this speech, furnished the writer with some Interesting points on Utah loyalty. He affirms of his own personal know! co that the Mormon priesthood have imposed upon the entire adult population, in their order of endow- ments, to regard the national government as re- sponsible for the murder of Joseph Smith; and that it is the duty of all the Saints to page for the over- throw of the republic ant 0 teach the same to their children, and to seek by every means that ia in their power whenever favored by opportunity to annoy and work for the over- throw of the national government. In their pri- vate “circles” for prayer they do constantly im- plore “the overthrow of all who are in authority till those shall reign whose right it is to reign’— namely, the Mormon priesthood. Personally Mr. Fuller cannot speak of this on his own knowledge, but he fs as well satisfied with its being a fact, as he possibly can be, on the strength of the most reliable evidence. While this delegation is ple A for the admission of Utah into the Union would it not be well for the Committee on Territories to put the Apostle Cannon Sey his oath and question him upon these points? If he denies it or prevaricates let his statement be published, and it will FS back to Utah and open the eyes of that ata deluded people. My informant affirms that what I have written can be vouched for by hundreds of person’ now in Utah who are willing to testify to the facts. Mr, Fuller, who is now so loud on the loyalty of Brigham Young, knows that during the reverses of the federal troops in the early part of the rebellion Brigham Young did, Sunday after Sunday, mock at the nation’s calamities, and predict with joy that the North and South would eat each other up like the — fabled iikenny cats. Mr. Fuller knows this, for he-was Secretary of the Territory and Acting Governor at the time, and he knows that when some Mormons and some “Jack’ Mormons urged upon this same Fuller to telegraph to the Secrctary of War, in order to restrain General P. Edward Connor, who threatened to arrest Brigham Young for his copperhead speeches and for inflaming the people to rebellion, that Fuller refused to do so, stating that he could not give the government any assurance that Brig- ham would desist, but, as he then said, on the con- trary, he would probably enter the Tabernacle the following Sunday ond belch out again his treason- able speeches. My informant was there during that time, and aftirms that Fuller's course as here stated can be substantiated. These are the loyal leaders of the Utah people seeking to become a part of the national govern- ment. PIGEON SHOOTING, A small number of South Brooklynites assembled ina field in the rear of Greenwood Cemetery, yes- terday afternoon, to witness a pigeon shooting match between J. P. Robertson and J, Tester, of that locality. It had been given out that the con- test would be twenty birds each, for quite a large sum aside; but when the principals arrived on the ground they agreed that fourteen each would be quite enough, and it 1s questionable, from various circumstances, whether the stakes were for a great amount, The conditions were twenty-one yards rise, eighty yards boundary and one. and a nalf ounce shot, Robertson won easily, killin; eight birds out of ten, when his opponent, who h: scored but three out of nine; resigned. After this exhibition, J. Collins and D, ‘Robertson shot at three birds each for $10 aside, same conditions as the first match, which Robertson won handily, The follow- ing are the scores :— ROBERTSON V8. TESTER. Robertson—1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1—Total, 10, Killed, 8; missed, 2. Tester—0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, O—Total, 9, Killed, 3; missed, 6. ROBERTSON VS. COLLINS. Robertson—1, 1—2. Collins—0, 0—0, ROWING AT OXFORD. Rumored Intention of Sending a Unt- versity Crew to Contend Against the Atalantas in the Henley Regatta, From the Sportsman (London), April 17.) On Monday the river at Oxford once more awoke to life, The weather, as it is now set in, isa marked contrast to what it was a week ago; then the floods were out, now most of the colleges are thinking of transferring their practice to the cool of the evening, We should think all the college crews would be fixed and in training by the end of the week, as the May races, on account of the schools, cannot begin later than the 11th, and that (late gives but little more thaa three weeks to get ‘ogetherin. Itisimpossible at this early stage to tell what the various crews will eventually do in the races; we can only tell what colleges have known rood men to pick their eights from. University, fie head of the river, has lost most of its best men, and we should think would have but little chance of retaining their place of honor. Balliol we Gare’ to see head for one or two nights, after which Christ Church will probably pippince them, This latter college will have all their winning four, besides other fair men. Pembroke also ought to be strong, as they have a first rate stroke and No. 7, in Lesley and Mitchison. Brasenose has no one now of much note, though they have several goodish men ; we should be sorry to see them descend, as they have never been lower than sixth; nor, indeed, do we think there !s much danger of this happening, as there are several indifferent boats nex! below them, and they had a very good Torpid this year. New College and Trinity be good. Mag- dalen, for a lower boat, will be very strong. They have all their last year’s crew to pick from, among whom are two Varsity oars and a trial eight man. During this term will also be rowed the Challenge Sculls and Pairs, For both events a large field is expected. Most of the men who are going in for the sculls were in practice last term. There is a rumor about that the Oxford University Boating Club intend sending a four to Hentey (June 20, 21) to contend against the Atalanta Boat Club, &¢., in the race to be rowed without coxswains, If this intention be carried out the crew would proba- bly consist of Lesley (stroke), Mitchison (No. 3) Nicholson (No. 2), Ormsby (bow). ‘The four would go ae training almost immediateiy after the gights. A NAVY YARD DISCHARGE, A} ABD D Two hundred and forty hon we'e discharged from the Brooklyn Navy Yard on last Saturday, in con- sequence of the funds for the construction depart- ment, in which they were employed, becoming ex- hausted. There are only 200 meu remaining in the & magnificent swallow. If the brethren , stom Of COUTN® be | Navy Yard AMERICAN NATIONAL CONVENTIONS. The Methods of Electing Presidents of the United States Since 1800. The Arbitrary Congressional Caucus—The Enmity of Party and Greedy Office-Hclders—The State Legislative Gatherings and Democratic Innovations—Introduction of the Sys tem of National Conventions— Death of the Whig Party—The Inception and Secret of the Cincinnati Liberal Re- publican Movement. The arrival of the “convention season,” in which the several political organizations of the country are expected, through a concentration of the wis- dom, talent and experience they possess in a great representative assemblage, to select each “the best man in the party’ to offer for the support of an enlightened public, invites attention to the history and peculiarities of the system by which Presiden- tial candidates are now presented. It may seem strange to the present generation, which has be- come thoroughly habituated to the prevailing mode of choosing party standard bearers, as the nominees of political bodies are denominated, that the method now in vogue 1s of comparatively re- cent introduction. Buta very little reflection will show that in the nature of things it could not be otherwise. Until the means of locomotion were made easy and expeditious through the agency of steam the assembling of large collections of men from distant parts for mere political purposes was impossible, The general convention system conse- quently has only been attained, and by gradual ap- proaches, being one of the outgrowths of modern innovations and improvements in the methods of travel. At an early day, when State Legislatures, and in one instance Congress, found it impossible to organ- ize at the stated time for lack of the constitutional quorum, owing to “horrid roads” and bridgeless torrents, it could not be expected that the most resolute party zeal would carry men a great way simply to elect partisan candidates. In fact, politi- cal conventions for nominating purposes—now 60 common—were for a long time after our govern- ment had gone into operation quite unknown. Nevertheless parties existed in those days as well as now, and candidates were equally necessary. OUR FIRST PRESIDENT, WASHINGTON, was supported and elected by common consent, although clearly defined parties, owing to the dis- cussions and dissensions that attended the adop- tion of the federal constitution, then existed. His re-election was not opposed, notwithstanding there was considerable dissatisfaction with his adminis- tration, both in and out of Congress, although chiefly directed against his Cabinet, and particu- larly Hamilton. By the time his second term had expired and it had become necessary, by reason of his declension of a third, to find another sucvessor, the old federalists and republicans were in full blast against each other, both being anxious to se- cure the seat of power. On the federalist side the candidate was determined by circumstances, John Adams was not only a very eloquent and worthy man, but as Vice President had a claim to the succession which was then thought to be very strong, although now sucha thing would be laughed at, His only for- midable rival in the federalist ranks, Hamilton, was ineligible to the Presidency by reason of his foreign birth. On the republican side the candi- date was almost as clearly defined in the person of Jefferson, who had led the anti-federalist opposi- tion in Washington’s Cabinet, and upon being beaten there had retired to his “clover flelds” at Monticello with the honors of martyrdom. No formal nominations at that election were, there- fore, required, JEFFERSON THE FIRST NOMINATED PRESIDENT, But at the next and fourth Presidential election, in 1800, a departure was found necessary. Jeffer- son was still the first choice of a majority of the republicans, but he had a rival in Aaron Burr, who was the favorite of a portion of the party; and, besides, Jefferson had become obnoxious to a good many republicans in consequence of his supposed sympathy with the views and heresies of the French Jacobins. To reconcile these differences and satisfy the discontented and suspicious, the ex- pedient of a regular nomination was re- sorted to—the first of which we have any record in our history. Nine Senators andj thirty-seven Representatives in Congress got to- gether in Philadelphia, where Congress was then in session, they being @ majority of the republican members of Congress, and publicly nominated Jef feraon for President and Burr for Vice President. They did more than that: they adopted a plat form. To quiet the fears of the anti-French element in their party they laid down certain propositions in the form of a series of resolutions which they sup- posed would be satisfactory, and which Jefferson, in a aes letter addressed to a political friend, took occasion soon after to endorse. Here, then, was the first of our nominating system—platform and all—seventy-two years ago, and after the gov- ernment had been twelve years in operation, the invention Of that astute politician, Thomas Jeffer- son, who, inthe course of his subsequent corre- BpCRGEn OS, acknowledged that he was the author of the whole scheme, The plan was completely suc- cessful, as well as decidedly ingenious, for Jefferson was elected, and a political revolution was thus brought about. This was enough to secure its repetition. THE CLINTONIAN GENERAL CONVENTION. But although at the time probably no fairer tem could have been pursued in the selection of candidates, a delegate convention being out of the question, it was not long before serious exceptions were taken to the Congressional caucus. No objec- tion was made to it at the time of Madison’s nomi- nation as Jefferson’s successor, but when a renom- ination was given him by it a cry of Presidential interference and control was raised by the advo- cates of the one-term principle of that day that would have been not unworthy of the clamor we now hear about office-holders ruling our conven- tions. This complaint caine chiefly from the friends of De Witt Clinton, who was anxious to supplant Madison, and whose supporters did all in their power to prejudice the people against the agency by which Madison's renomination had been secured, eee ate it the mere instrument of a Presidential clique and unfair to the party, Of course, while urging this objection, it was neces- sary to show the public that some other and better system was attainable, Ee ere the Clinton- fang adopted two methods of bringing their man formally before the people. One was by the recom- mendation of a State legisiative caucus—a majority of the republican members of the New York gis lature having got together and endorsed Clinton as their candidate—and the other by what was called a “general convention.” The last, and which may be regarded as the first snggestion of our present national convention system, was the invention of the federalists, who, despairing of their ability to elect a member of their own party, held a “general convention” in the city of New York, which was attended by representatives from all o} the States north of the Potomac and from one south, and there adopted Clinton as their nominee. HENRY CLAY DENOUNCED THE CONGRESSIONAL cavers, But, notwithstanding Clinton's double nomina- tion, he was beaten, and the C ssional caucus sustained, Still, opposition to it continued, and gradually grew stronger. At the next Presidential election it manifested itself in a way that was well calculated to command attention, When the cau- cus had assembled, embracing pretty much all the republican members of Congress, Henry Clay, then Speaker of the House of Representatives and a re- publican in good standing, offered a resolution to the effect that it was ‘dnexpedient to make in caucus any recommendation to the good people of the United States of Lights in the ia ment of this meeting, ft}and suitable to he offices of President and Vice President of the United States.” That having been voted down, John W. Taylor, of New York, another very distinguished republican, supplemented it by another declaring that ‘the practice of nominating candidates for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States by a convention of the Senators and Repre- sentatives in Congress is {nexpedient, and ought not to be continued.” This resolution shared the fate of Clay’s, and Monroe, with Daniel D, Tomp- kins for Vice President, was nominated and subse- peri elected. That was the last triumph the ngressional caucus enjoyed. When Monroe's first term expired an attempt was again made to put {tin operation, but only about fifty out of nearly one fundred and fifty Be longreps- mei dould be induced to attend the meeting, which accordingly adjourned without action, Monroe and Tompkins were re-elected without any nomination, pnd without opposition. a = ey ~- DRATH OF THE NOMINATING CAUCUS, ~~ One more endeavor Was made to revive the sys- tem when Monroe's successor was to be chosen, in the interest of Wildam H. Crawfora, and under the ¢ engineering direction of Maitin Van Buren, then a Salvo Revaier fom Now Yor Thy move: ment ally failed. Only about sixty persons could be induced to attend the meeting at all, and when they had put Crawiord in nomination the re- publican party treated their recommendation as of no consequence whatever. There were four candi. dates—all claiming to be republicans—of whom Crawford was third in the race. His defeat put an end to the Congressional nominating caucus for- ever. Then, for a short period, recourse was had to State Legislatures as bodies more immediately representing the peopie, and less likely to be under the control of cliques and rings. But this system, besides being more complicated than the other, soon became obnoxious to the same charges 0! Fed influence. Then it was that the last depar- ture in the nominating business was made, THE NATIONAL CONVENTION OF 1331. As the Presidentiai lection of 1352 approached there were three parties In the fleld—the democrats under Jackson, the Rational republicans under Clay, and the anti-Masons, The last named took the initiative in the new method, issuing a call fora national nominating convention to assemble in the city of Baltimore on tie. 26th day of September, 1831, One hundred and eleven delegates attended, representing ten States, who nominated Wirt, of Maryland, for President, and Elimaker, of Pennsyl- vania, for Vice President, So little bearing did this action have upon the ending canvass that the anti-Masons carried only the little State of Vermont, but their example in selecting candidates was thought to be so excellent that both of the other parties immediately followed it. The national republicans met in December of 1831 and nominated Clay and Sargeant, and the democrats in the following May, The anti-Masons and na- tional republicans both adopted platforms, but the democrats did not. The Convention of the latter, which renominated Jackson for President and se- lected Van Buren for Vice President, was notable for the adoption of the two-thirds rule, which after- wards proved the source of so much trouble in democratic conventions. The secret of its first in- troduction was the attempt of certain democrats to defeat Van Buren’s nomination for the Vice Presl- dency. In this they failed at the time, but twelve years afterwards, in 1844, they had better luck, SHARP PRACTICE IN 1836, By the next Presidential election the antl-Masons and national, or Clay, republicans had coalesced under the name of whigs, leaving but two parties in the feld, The whigs held no national conven- tion, but, in lieu thereof, their Convention for the State of New York, which assembled in Albany on the 8d day of February, 1! Tecommended a na- tional ticket, consisting of General Harrison for President and Francis Granger, of New York, for Vice President, nominations in which the whigs in allthe other States concurred, except in Massa- chusetts, where they nominated Webster for Presi- dent, and in Ohio, where they presented the name of Judge John Mclean, The democrats held a na- tional convention, and nominated Van Buren and Richard M, Johnson, twho were elected, although, owing to a local disaffection, the States of Tennes- see and Alabama gave their votes to Hugh L. White, of the former State, who had in both of them re- ceived legislative caucus nominations. FIRST NATIONAL POWWOW OF THE WHIGS. On the 4th of December, 1839, the ales held their first national convention, with a view to the elec- tion in 1840, in the city of Harrisburg. All of the States were represented, except South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Arkansas. Twenty-four ballotings were had, and considerable bad blood was excited. Clay confidently expected the nom- ination, and was most grievously ood et at the result, quite losing his temper and indulgin; some very harsh and even profane expressions, it is said, toward the men most active in thwarting his wishes, His defeat was brought about by the use of General Scott’s name to draw off some of Clay's strength, No platform was adopted by this Con- vention, although its President was authorized to announce, ag among objects that were cherished by the party, “the icy of one Presidential term ‘the lemocrats were then trying tore-elect Van Buren), the integ- rity of heres servants, the safety of the public mo- ney and the general good of the people.” ‘The dem- ocrats renominated Van Buren and Johnson at Baltimore, on the 5th day of May, 1840, by acclama- tion, and at the same time adopted a long platform, full of the usual glittering generalities. OLD HICKORY’S PROTEGE BARGAINED FOR. In 1844 the whigs nominated Clay by acclamation, but the democrats had @ much moro dificult time of it. They met im Baltimore on the 27th day of May of that year. Van Bu- ren had a majority of ‘the delegates, and would have been nominated but for his wospeted unsoundness: on the Texas ques- tion. Hig Southeri épponents, with the help of the friends of General Cass, succeeded in beating him with the two-thirds rule. The New York dele- gation, finding the nomination of thetr man impos- sible, proposed James K. Polk, of Tennessee, by way of compromise, and he was nominated. Polk was & rotégé of Old Hickory, who had always been Van juren’s fast patron, and there can be little doubt that, at the time of his nomination, ho was fully committed to the Van Buren interest. But another influence was brought to bear upon him, John 0, Calhoun was then 'Tyler’s Secretary of State, and was Van Buren’s old and persistent enemy, Gather- ing together some of Tyler’s ofMice-holders, they met in convention and nominated their chief for reélec- tion as a democrat. Then he sald to Polk, who was frightened by the movement, that if he would pledge himself to favor his (Calhonn’s) Texas an- nexation scheme, and snub Van Buren in case of his election, Tyler should be got out of the way. The bargain was made and kept on both sides. Polk was elected, Texas annexed, and when Van Buren asked that Azariah 0. Flagg’ should be given 8 place in the Cabinet, Polk responded by taking Willam Marcy, with whom Van Buren had bitterly quarretied, intp his administration. For these multiplied insults and injuries Van Buren took sweet revenge on the South and its Northern man Friday (General Lewis Oass) at the next Prest- dential election by organizing the barnburner movement in the State of New York, which culinl- nated in the BUFFALO FREE SOIL CONVENTION of August 9, 1848, and the nomination of Van Buren and Adams. The democrats that year nominated Cass without diMiculty, but the whigs had an anx- fous time of it, They met in Philadelphia on the 7th day of June, and remained in session three days, finally nominating General ae and Millard Fill- more, to the intense disgust of Webster and other old whigs, Their ticket, however, with the help of Van Buren, was elected; althongh, owing to the death of Taylor, little good did it dothem., The next time, 1852, both parties mgt In Baltimoro, the democrats on the 5th of June and the whigs on the 16th. The democrats were so divided be- tween the supporters of Cass, whom the two thirds rule slaughtered Buchanan, Douglas and William L. Marcy; that they final throw them all over and hunt up a candidate that nobody had anything against, because nobody had ever heard of him before, in the person of Franklin Pierce. The whigs pitched Fillmore over and united on General Scott, whom Fillmore, out of re- venge, helped to defeat. That was the last na- tional convention ever held by the whigs, The slavery issue, which er were attempting to ride, with one boot to the North and the other to the South, became so sharp as to split this organization in two, and it went hopelessly to pieces. THE SQUATTER SOVEREIGNTY OF 1856, Before the Presidential election in 1856 a mass convention of the opponents of slavery extension had assembled in the city of Pittsburg—Washing- ton'’s Birthday of that year being the time appropriately selected—by which an address, pre- ared by the late Henry J. Raymond, and laying jown the basis of a new party organization, was issued, and 4 conyention to make Presidential nominations was called to assemble In Philadelphi: on the 17th of June following. When that conve: tion met it put on the track the California “Path- finder,” who, however. failed to find the road to the White House. The democrats met in Cincinnati, and nominated Buchanan and Breckinridge on & “squatter sovereignty” platform, and the Know Rowingy brought out Fillmore and Donelson, more as a diversion in favor of the democrats than any- thing else. THE ELECTION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. In 1860, Know Nothingism having disappeared, both of the other parties had trouble in their con- ventions. The republicans expected to nominate William H. Seward, but Horace Greeley, having shortly before dissolved the renowned political firm of “Seward, Weed and Greeley,” with the assist- ance of the Blairs, who were then all furious re- publicans, 80 far succeeded in complicating matters that a new man had to be taken in the person of Abraham Lincoin. But the democrats had still reater tribulations. Having met in Charleston, hey split irreparably in two. The trouble was that the South, having found the doctrine of squatter sovereignty to be a Trojan horse that was bring- ing freedom into their camp, was resolved to have nothing more oo do with it, or with its author, Stephen A, Dougias, while the majority of the Northern delegates were as reso- lutely set in his favor. The South gained an im- portant advantage at the outset by insisting upon and securing a modification of the two-thirds rule, go that two-thirds of the whole electoral vote, or four-fifths of the delegates actually present, should be required to nominate, After nfty-seven inesfect- ual ballotings the Convention adjourned to Baltl- more, where two bodies instead of one assembled, the result being the nomination of bd td by one faction and of Breckinridge by the other, Then came Lincoln's rebel secession, the © Southern confederacy and civil war. In 1864 the republicans in Baltimore renominated Lincoln by acclamation, not- withstanding there was a disaffection in their ranks, the course of which will hereafter be traced down to its culmination in the !!beral movement which, after cropping out at Louisville, Clevelan and one or two other points, 1s about to show itself fully at Cincinnati. The democrats that year met in Chicago, resolved that the war for the Union was a failure, nominated a man who had been a failure in it, and made a sorry failure of the whole business in the campaign that followed, “ THE GREAT BLUNDER AT TAMMANY HALT. In 1868 was the democrats’ opportunity. The ‘war was over; there was a gene’ nd growing feeling towards conservatism, and the republicans were considerably demoralized by their long poases- sion of power. All the democrats had to do Ho make siire of success Was gracefully to accept = situation presented by the new amendments snes constitution, that, after all, were not! more election, the logical results of the war, and put forward a8 their candidate ine whose record: wi corer with that ion, Such @ man Was \. their service in Chief Justice mR i any met in Tammany Hall on the * on f gu and finde _ sittin | ~ Sage? ith the fu crous dénouement of nom- an who had repeatedly told them that buity Candidate’ they then proceeded to handica With a Mont objectiopadle candidate for Vigo Proale dent, The magnitude of the blunder ts now univer. sally understood; but why the New York dele; tion In that Convention, which was responsible for it, and which was made a of eapable iticlans, should ever have been gullty of such folly is still 9 mystery to many, which might as well at once ba cleared up, ‘The explanation, with @ knowledge of two simple facts, 1s easy enough. The first is that the New York delegation in that Conven- tion was absolutely controlled by Tammany Hall, which was resolved that no man should be put nomination who wag not pledged or certain to give it control over the patronage of his administration in the city and State of New York. The second fs that Salmon P. Chase and his friends fatled to give ass ces that were satisfactory to Tammi Hall. Twelve months ago Tammany entertained the same views with reference to the next democratic nomination, and was shaping {ts course accord! . The re- publicans, never counting on such @ blunder by their adversaries, and being seriously alarmed at the prospect before them, in view of what they sup. posed the democratic policy would pe, did what otherwise, many of them would have been very un- willing to do— COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO GRANT. The democrats, however, wilfully sinned against light and knowledge, and 80 lost thelr chance. The “new departure” they have taken since 1868 was well enough, only the movement was two late. CINCINNATI IN 1872, ‘We now come to the latest venture in connection with Presidential matters, which is the Cincinnatt Uberal republican experiment, and to understand the true history and meaning of which it is neces- sary to go back alittle way, When Fremont was removed from the command of the Mississippt de- partment, in 1862, much dissatisfaction was felt by a goad many Western people, and especially in the city of St. Louis, where he had had his headquarters, His partisans at once declared that his real offen consisted of his proclamation announcing freedo: to the slaves of rebel masters, which Lincoln hi annulled, and the President was denounced as lit. tle better than a pro-slavery man, In the State of Missouri there was a division in the Union party; the radicals, or “charcoals,” being in favor of i mediate emancipation, and the conservatives, or “claybanks,” being either in favor of ignoring the slavery issue altogether, or of some very gradual scheme of manumission, The first, embracing retty much all the Germans in Missor who are both numerous and aggressive, sympathized with Fremont, and took decided ground against Lincoln, So active and demonstrative was this radical op- position that it soon attracted the attention of pretty much all the ‘sorehead”’ Pepnblcaes oh the country, who began to look to Missouri for the nucleus of an effectual resistance to Lincoln's re- nomination or re-election, and an extensive corre- spondence was the result. The product of this interchange of views has the appearance of @ call for a ‘‘Freedom Convention,” to assemble in the city of Louisville during the winter preceding the Presidential election of 1864, ostensibly for consulta- iia among the friends of immediate emancipation THE BORDER SLAVE-HOLDING STATES, which were exempt from the operation of Lincoln's celebrated proclamation, but in reality to inaugu- rate an anti-Lincoin canvass in the name of radical emancipation. ‘The call was issued from St. age and was prepared by B. Gratz Brown, then the leader of the Missouri radicals, by whom he had been elected to the United States Senate the winter previous, The Louisville meeting was intended merely for an enterin, weoHe the programme being that it should meet, adopt resolutions denun- pals of the national administration from the radical standpoint, and call a national convention to assemble in St. Louis the next spring for the nomination of an independent republican ticket. The design was identical with that of the coming Cincinnati Convention, and had the same parentage. THE LOUISVILLE ASSEMBLAGE ‘was held, and was attended by quite a number of babes from Washington and elsewhere in the in- erest of Chase and others, either as participants or lookers-on. Nor was the President, as the issue showed, indifferent to its DEO ecES, The failure of the project, so for as the purpose had in view was concerned, was owing to the very simple but quite important fact that when the Convention go! gether Lincoin hadin it more friends than ene- mies. A large delegation—large enough, as it was supposed, to control the body—of anti-Lincoln men went down from Missouri; but, upon reaching their destination, they were met by still larger (in the aggregate) delegations from Kentucky and Ten! nessee, the first headed by Hon. {324 =p ed, of Louisville, and the latter by Josep . Fow- ler, afterward United States Senator from Tennessee, Speed and Fowler were stro Lincoln men, and their particutar aim seem to be to checkmate the President's adver- saries. For two days did the body remain in ses- sion, the main contest being over the DeCooma HOR. to call another and nominating convention, which in the end was voted down, and go the great objeot of the gathering failed, It is true that a convention in the same interest and by the same parties was afterward commenced at Cleveland, and Fremont was put in nomination; but the anti-Lincoln op] sition, which for a time threatened to be formida- ble, never recovered from its Louisville defeat, Speed in the course of time was taken into Lin- coln’s Cabinet as Attorney General, and Fowler—a loyal government poring been organized in Tennes- see—was made a United States Senator, which led to the remark in certain quarters that Presidents were not always ungrateful.’ THE DISAFFECTED SPIRITS, An element of disaffection, however, continued, especially in the State of Missouri, where it con- trived in vartous ways to give trouble to the repub- lican party. For a time it professed great satisfaction with Graut, but when he fatied to satisfy its leaders in the matter of patronage it turned upon him more savagely than it had ever done on Lincoln. Havi managed to divide the party on local issues, ant being folned by the democracy, which, for the time, concluded to play “possum,” {t finally secured con- trol of the State. With that base for its operations and under the same leaders it has onve more sent out {ts appeal to the disaffected spirits, black and white, of the republican party in office, and out of office; disaffected because the tariif is too high and because tt 1s not high enough; disaffected on Lee issues and disaffected generally—with a view to repeating, in 1872, the experiment in which it failed in 1304. HORSE NOTES. = One hundred and ten horses at Jerome Park yes- terday. Fenian, ch. g., 81x years, by Mickey Free out of Splletta, by Stockwell, once the property of Mr. August Belmont, and afterwards sent to Canada, has been sent to England. The filly Euchre, by Brown Dick, dam Odd Trick, the property of General Harding, of Tennessee, lost aneye recently by the carelessness of a colored boy, who in hurling a missile at another boy struck the animal. She is blind in one eye, but it is sup- posed she will not be disabled from participating in the spring races, Mr. J. K. Lawrence has matched hid gray gelding Allagog, five years, by Ulverston, out of Bridget, by Paddy Burns, against Mr. J. P. Whetmore’s bay gelding Newport, four years, by Breckinridge, out of Sophia, for $1,000 a side, play or pay, one mile and aneighth. It will be run on the fifth day of the Jerome Park meeting. Mr. J. G. Beresford will ride Newport, and Mr. J. G. Coster Allagog. Mr. D. D. Withers’ horses have arrived at Jerome Park in charge of Francis Midgeley. The stable consists of nine horses, viz.:—Vespucius, aged; Elsie, four years; King Ernest, three years; Blen- kiron, three years; Minnie, three years; Stone- henge, two years; bay colt, by Marsyas, out of Marchioness, two years; bay filly, by Dundee, out of Barricade, by Kingston, two years; and brown filly, by Saunterer out of Moula, by Touchstone, two years, The committee of the Washington Jockey Club (dat to select a site fora race course have chosen a@ piece of property offered by F. P. Blatr, Sr., located about five miles from the city, near the terminus of the Boundary and Silver Spring Railroad, ¢ At the late session of the New Jersey Legisiature f& DI was passed incorporating the Hudson Connty Fair Association, and naming as the incorporators Francis A. Gautier, Willlam H. Bumsted, Joseph A. Gilmore, Edward D. B. Wakeman and ‘Thomas EB. Bray, the capital stock to amount to $50,000. These gentiemen have secured a splondid piece of prop- erty on the west side of West Side avenue, near Montgomery, Just three miles from the Jersey City ferry, where they Intend eacaniiatiing a if-mile track, to be finished on or about the 1st of ber next. The Driving Park Association of St, Paul, Minn, has voted a sum of money for the construc- tion of a new mile track. ‘The following gentlemen constitute the board of directors of this association for 1872:—George L. Becker, J. 0. Burbank, Butler Comstock, George Re. Finch, . W. Carpenter, i. H Sibley, Peter erkey, jorge Culver, Gilbert Dut- cher, 0, W. Griggs, De Me Robbins, J. L, Merriam and Deorge At ig of the 10th. inst, a number of enterprising citizens of 8: ure, N. Y., held a @ . trotting club, to be known as the Syracuse Driving Park Association, ‘The capital stock 18 $12,000, In $100 shares, The fol- lowing gentlemen were chosen oMicers :—President, John J, Crouse; Vice President, R. W. Jones; Secretary, B. P. Howlett; Treasurer, M, Pirectors, John J. Crouse, R. W. Jones, C, 0. Bri ley, 0. 0. Potter, F, B. Kiock, 0. F. Herbst, 0. Soule, J. P. Hier, 'p. W. Deesz, A POOR MARKSMAN, Timothy Hussey, proprietor of a liquor saloon at 260 Hudson street, was arrested yesterday morning by OMcer Thompson, of the Twenty-eighth recinct, upon complaint of omas ‘arley, @ brother of William Varley, alias Reddy the Blacksmith, who resid in the same house. Varley charges that Hussey, without gay provocation, drew # seven-barrelled revolver ‘om his pocket and fired one shot at him. The bullet missod its intended victim and lodged in the wall behind his back. Hussey claims Varley and his brother attempted to force his place, in order to forcibly eject him, and he fired the shot in self-defence. Tie prisoner, upon belt nrraigned before Jnstice Ledwith, at Jeffers Market, was committed ln default of $2,000 bail t@ pppemE Lor tlie meeting and organized