The New York Herald Newspaper, September 1, 1873, Page 4

DAES ARISM WS THE REPUBLIC IN DANGER? An Interview with George Wilkes Upon the Monarchical Tenden- cies of the Re-Elec- tive Principle. IT AMBITION OR TREASON? A New and Interesting Analysis of the Liberal Movement and the Causes of Its Defeat. Adams a Decoy Duck for the Future Nimrod. TIE CONSTITUTION IS NOT SILENT. as The Plans for a Successful Seizure of the Reins of Power Already Laid. Cesar Will Not Fail for Want of War. TWO MILLIONS OF COURTIERS The Demoralizing Influences of This Adminis- tration Have Converted Politics Into a ‘Public Industry.” The First Act of Monarchy Will Be to Strangle the Press. A REPUBLIC OR A MONARCHY? To ascertain the opinions of Mr. George Wilkes, editor of the Spiritos the Times, upon the third-term discussion, now more familiar to every one under the name of “Casarism,” a HERALD representative called last evening at this gentleman’s residence, The HERALD representative was cordially wel- cemed by Mr. Wilkes, and a general conversation followed for some minutes, An expression of deep regret for the sudden death of Mr. Horace Greeley led the interview back to the boisterous days of the last great struggle with the very element which ow rules and threatens to strangle the public lib- erties of the American people, An Analysis of the Grecley Campaign. HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—It is the prevailing opimion that the liberal republicans made dn un- fortunate choice at Cincinnati, and that had j Charles Francis Adams or Mr. Trumbull or Judge Davis, or some other man less distasteful to the demecracy than Mr. Greeley, been nominated the campaign might have had a different result. Mr. WILKES—Well, sir, if that is the prevailing Opinion it is a prevailing error, We chose the best candidate and fought a great fight, and, had the democracy been faithful to tne compact made at the commencement of the contest, Grant would have been defeated. Never in the pelitical history of the United States was so conspicuous a suceess achieved over a party in possession of the gevern- Tent as was achieved over that of Grant by the Cincinnati movement until it was betrayed. The administration was seized by the collar while in THE VERY HEIGHT OF ITS POWER, shaken out oF its prestige, and in four months the liberals were 30 completely victors that, had the election taken place in Angust following the May nomination, Mr. Greeley (as it has generally been conceded), Would have almost walked over the course. The nojaiest ofice-holders had at that time stopped betting in Grant's favor, and Grant himself was about the only Gragt man who ‘‘knew | that Mr. Greeiey had no chance.” The liberals ‘were justified in the mest unbounded confidence. ‘They had kept pace with their pretensions by cast- ing more than their expected vote; but it was im- possible for them to know—what has since been revealed through the developments of the election, and especially through the investigations of the Crédit Mobilier—that Grant owned many of the chiefs of the democratic party and that the liberals would be DESERTED AT THE POLLS. So far as we were concerned, the combinatiou and the contest were complete, while our candi- date (Mr. Greeley) exhibited abilities which not only stood immensely over those of Grant, but elicited the admiration of the country. In every way, therefore, we had provided for and had de- served snccess, and only failed because we could bot foresee or provide against abandonment by our allies. A SHABBY SUBTERFUGE. REPRRSENTATIVE—But the democrats | HERALD Say that they could not control their forces in favor of @ man against whom their prejudices had | been 80 deep. i Mr. Winkes—Oh! that is a poor evasion in face of the fact that the democracy had abandoned all the principles which they liad disputed so hong { with Mr. Greeley, and now stood practically on the same ground, This evasion is made by the chiels who had been beught up by Grant, and ts only | echoed by those who are wise on past events. There never was a time when the democratic | feaders could oot control their rank and file, aud | Grant knew this well when be distributed his patronage among them at Louisville, in Pennsy!- | vania, Indiana and in other leading States. As to | the superior eligibility of DAVIS, TROMBULL OR ADAMS, or some other caudidaie more agreeable te the democracy than Mr. Greeley, that proposition is simply absurd. There was but one great point te be considered in the selection of 4 candidate, and that was to choose some man whe would most | effectively split the republican majority. No demo- | cratic name could do this, and it was obvious, from the temper of the country, that just in the degree that the nominee of the Cincinnati Convention ‘would be agreeable to the democratic party (as it was claimed Trumbull or Davis would have been) to that degree would it be ineffective ip dividing the republicans, Indeed, it was urged befere those chiefs of the democratic party, who met in Wash- ington just previous to the Cincinnati Convention to hear the views of the liberals on this subject, that the democracy ought not only to hold them- selves completely aloof from the nomination, but prepare to accept the candidate who should be most offensive to them. Whe common object being ° DEFRAT THE RE-ELECTIVE PRINCIPLE, in the person of Grant, was therefore held to be of suficient importance to justify to the democrats present the acceptation of Mr, Greeley, shoutd his candilacy become necessary to success. The name even of Mr, Sumuer was at this juncture men- tioned in the way of {lustration, but, under the Prompt protest of Senator Blair, it failed to receive any consideration. If, therefore, Mr. Greeley was orTenave to the democracy, he became THE LOGICAL OHOICR Of the fusion, and it cannot be claimed that his DoMuution took tue Convention by surprise. On the AAPL TA DULAIMOOAL ID ‘Dat Conan: | Make LAA MEDEL Jp Heglect the duby of vo ” “OY yD: eho had been promised, to have rescue :country from the alarm which now oppresses Lt. | style him emperor. a A aa a acta nem aa aC en? fo i gear aw orcas mee NEW ‘YORK HERALD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1873—TRIPLE SHEET. tion when any other candidate had @ substantial chance. The large votes cast for Mr. Adams seemed to imply that he was the favorite of the Convention, but they were ingentously: bargained for to be used only in the preliminary skirmish. The majority of the delegates sat pencil in hand, counting the ballots, ready to change their votes to Mr. Greeley when the Adams tide should swell to the boundary of a decision. It le doctrinaires who managed Adame’ case for him, aud who Siimatelx, im large part, wansferred themselves to Gi ME. GREELBY THR ELIGIBLE MAN. HERALD REPRESKNTATIVE—Well, Mr. Wilkes, 88 you do not seem to think well of the Adams move- ment you probably do not agree with the opinion } ir. Adams would kave polled a larger vote inst General Grant thap Mr. Greeley? r, WILKES—By no means, The Adams move- / ment was Grant's first play. Mr. Adams was not conly in his employ, but in the enjoyment ef the ‘first great prize of his administration—the British mission, ou will recoliect that he slipped away to England just previous to the sitting of the Cincinnati Convention, leaving & flippant letter for its consideration, which, while Spparently holding him open to its choice, kept him distinctly free for a refusal. It was an obvious artifice and destined to be followed by a declination from be- yond the seas when too late Yor the evil to be reme- died by & reassemblage of the Convention. We are justified in believing, from many circumstances in connection with this Adams performance at Cin <cinnati, from HIS OWN DECEPTIVE, DOUBLE-DBALING LETTER, |, his immediate disappearance aiter that letter was written, his neglect to express any gratitude to the Convention which had treated his name with such distinguished honor, and above all, from Grant’s own subsequent and unprecedented eulogium of him (alone of our other Geneva Com- missioners) in the centre of an inaugural address; . | say it is fair to conclude, from ali these circum. stances, that the Adams movement at Cincinnati was devised purely TO PLAY INTO GRANT'S HANDS. Doubtless Mr. Adams had been made to believe that his reward for lending himself to the Cincin- nati movement would make him Grant’s suc- cessor. He wiil find, however, that Ulysses has already paid him as much as he intends, and will see to it that he is mis own successor. The same little free trade and tarii? doctrinaires who then served Grant behind Mr, Adams’ name wiil again appear in the anti-Grant Convention of 1875, pro- ‘ claiming that the questions of REVENUE, IMPOST AND TAXATION are more vital to a@ people than personal liber ty or the iorm of government, but holding themselves ready to relapse to Gran when they bave finished their disturbing part. Ido pot know that I can present a greater likelihooa of this than by refer- Ting to the part played by Mr, Stanley Matthews at Cincinnati, who alter baving accepted the first honors ef the Convention by act as its tempo- rary chairman, reiused at the end to be bound py its nominations and declared himself for Grant. ‘This is quite in keeping with the conduct of Adams, who permitted his name to go before the Conven- tion and who repgdiated its action because he was net mominated. Mr. Greeley was therefore ‘THE TRUE CHOICK OF THE CONVENTION; he was the logical representative of the triumphs of the period; tis name made @ deeper incision into the republican majority than any which could have been put forward, and he justified his pomina- tion by exhibiting a power of discussion and finally polling @ vote which needed only the suppers e 1t is very easy for DEMOCRATS WHOM GRANT DEBAUCHED, and for republicans who are fattening upon adminis- tration spoils, to sneer at Mr. Greeviey’s merits, and to denouuce his nomination as the cause of the liberal defeat; but the true causes of that de- jeat were the corruptions I have named, and which, in our then ignorance of the Crédit Mobilier and other Grant combinations, it was impossible to joresee. Let me remark, however, that it is due to the mass of the democracy and to the majority of tneir teaders, to say; that they adhered honorabl, to the pledges of the Baltimore Convention, allude only to those speculating members whose movements at the Louisville Convention and else- where were paid for out of the Grant treasury, and who, to this day, are as much members ol the Grant ring asthe Tammany republicans were the scouts and skirmishers of Tweed’s columns, THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—Am I to come to the couciusion trom what you say, Mr. Wilkes, that Grant will try to run jor a third term? Mr. WiLKEs—I regard nothing as more certain. Indeed, I constantly expressed that opinion throughout the last canvass, and made the danger of a third term the point of my opposition to Grant’s re-election, Then my apprehensions were regarded as absurd, and many intelligent people were even of the opinion that the constituuion protubited more than two terms to the sume Presi- dent. UNCONSTITUTION AL, HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—Yes, I have myself | found that unpression to be very wide. Mr. WiLKEsS—The very fact that that impression is so general, is proof in itself that the constitution did not meditate the re-election of a F dent, and certainly a proof that the people never compre- ‘The constitution is not hended nor agreed to it. entirely silent on the sub d sages have erroncously sta the constitution tacitly torbids re-election by curtly stating that the President shall be elected for four years. There it stops, and there it was intended He should stop. it was for that reason and because the term was made so briel that it was INVESTED WITH IMPERIAL POWER, in order that it might not, from the very brevity of its duration, be rendered effective. Washington, who was cognizant of this object, wished to stop at the end of the first term, and finally refused to go beyond a second. He knew that to do so would be to become a standard king. Jackson, during | his first term, was startled at the despotic powers ot the Presidency, and WARNED THB PEOPLE, im all his annuul messages, to limit the occupant to @ Single term. Being persuaded to accept a second term, lus sturdy patriotism again tri- umphed, and he retired, like Washington, urging his countrymen in his tarewell address to amend the constitution tn this fatal oversight. Jefferson, the fatner of the democratic party, appealed to the nation to the same etfect, So .did Henry Clay}, while De Tocqueville, that ilustrious Frenca writer, Who exhibited such surprising insight into our institutions, alluded to this feature of the Aterican constitution as “the fatal detect upon which our liberties would probably be wrecked,” A MERE VERBAL DISTINCTION. There can be but little doubt that the imperial powers of the American President, which far ex- ceed those of any Kuropean monarch, except those of the Czar of Russia, were conferred upon him under the expectation that he wouid wield them but lor a brief period. And we have only to comparejhis prerogatives with those of the British sovereign to perceive that but for the clever deception of cailing him President we should have been obliged to If he 18 to be re-elected in- delinitely we shall make him one. A DANGEROUS EXPERIMENT. HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—You regard the re- elective principle as a very dangerous one, and that it fosters many evils? Mr. WitKes—ludeed, I do, It is this principle which is responsible jor all this corruption and pa- tional deterioration. No sooner is a president in office than he begins to intrigue to be returned again, and it is obviously his interest to appoint sinart knaves to place in preference to scrupulous, honest men. The result 18 that his dependants | serve him instead of serving the country, and they pay themselves—as the late revelations Of political depredations show. The same system of re-eligi- bility and patronage is followed throughout the political machinery of the States, and the demoral- izing practice iucuicates nothing but roguery and crait. But the great well-spring of demoralization is the White House at Washington; and the only civil service reform which I know of that can correct it is, the limitation of the Executive to A SINGLE TERM. Then the President will have no interest but to appoint good men to office, and his successor would have no temptation to remove them, A similar system of single terms, adopted through the | | states, Would be attended with like effects, and the American peopie would then have a lair chance to recover their original wholesomeness and virtue. As things go now they must grow worse and worse. There ts which the people are subjected to suca terribly demoraiizing imf@uences a8 under ours, and the wouder is that the inherent soundness of the America people has withstood such pernicious iuiuences 8o leng. WORSE THAN A KING. S no form of government in the world uuder | one rae ae eesti: ie ortme o voting aud the false voting to be done, Indeed, tne CORRUPTION OF THE FRANCHISE is the highest crime that can be committed in a republic. It is precisely (according to the theory of our governinent) what regicide is in « mon- archy, for it is the assassination of the sovereignty. 1 would not visit it with the punishment of deat! only becanse 1 am opposed to the death penalty, but I would make it the greatest felony, inside of murder, known to the law. THE DANGER IMMINENT. HERALD R&PRESENTATIVE—Your views agree, then, with he HERALD upon Ciesarism? Mr. Witxes—They do, entirely; amd the HERALD has not uttered its warning & di too soon, Already has the administration opene: its campaign for 1876, im the nomination of General Butier; and the tari tail campaign will be used to reinforce the Crédit Mobilier majorities in both the Senate and the House, This application ant Be Executive patronage is in logical accord wi THE PRESIDENTS BE-BLECTION OF HIMSELI Itts calculated to provide him with @ tried and permanent Parliament, and it is my firm belief that the present republican majority of both houses of Congress no more intend to leave office, than Grant himseli intepds to icave, and that if the third term plan, succeeds they will sailin asa perma- nent part of the new monarchical machinery, THE POLITICIANS OF 4 PAST AGE, HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—YOU May have ob- served since your return that such Veteran poli- tictans as Francis P. Biair, Reverdy Johnson and Alexander H. Braphans, in their interviews with correspondents of the HkBaLD, have expressed their confidence that the patriotism of the people of the United States will ultimately defeat this ambition of the White House ? Mr, WiLKEs—I have great respect for the sa- ty oi Mr, Blair; but these Old gentiemen are Very apt to reason trom too early & period of ex- perence. For theirideal of the people, they dream k, a8 tt were, tothe American people of tity years ago, before the demoralizing maxims of “all's fair in politics” and “to the victers belong the spoils” had corrupted the popular imagina- vale and converted poiltics into @ “public indus- ry. THE GREAT PROFESSION OF POLITICS. HERALD REPRASENTATIVE—A public industry ? Mr. WiLKks—Yes, an organized public industry, as much 80 as the raising of hey or any branch of munufacture or of trade. [tis alarming wnen we look at the bumber of persons who can be con- trolled hy the patronage of the administration. Aceording to the 7rivune there are 60,000 oltice- | holders under the national gorentanns. It may be safely said that there are five active expectants Jor each of these offices, and certainly five persons who depend upon each of the incumbents in the way of iamily or followers. Here are 650,000 per- sons dependent upon the favor of the national ad- ministration alone, and moving 10 politics respon- sive to its will. For this 650,000 there may surely be said to be three for each one (following tue lead Of tue administration) under the sub-system o1 the States, making altogether an army Of over TWO MILLIONS AND A HALF OF COURTIERS, who deal in nothing and depend upon nothing but politics for a living. Surely this 1s @ Vast regular industry; and the melancholy feature of it is that it is an industry founded in great part on the sub- industries of lying and stealing. ‘This vast industry has created a speciai allegiance to party, which is superior in its ties to love of country. It was pre- dicted by monarchists at the beginning of the American experiment of tree government that re- publican institutions could not withstand the strain of party spirit. THR PUBLIC SPIRIT OF THE NORTH succeeded in pulling through against this prophecy during the contlict of the war, but Ido not kuow that | can give a better illustration of how near the monarchical prophets were being justified in thelr predictions than by the conduct of the democrats at the outset of the war. Losing sight of the outrage of the _ rebellion, and in the face of the trailing of our common fag through the mud of Southern streets, their Hist exclamation was, at the opening oi our guns upon Fort Sumter Why, d—— it, this black republican administration is firing upon the democratic party!’ And upon this cue, the bulk of the democratic party sympathized with the rebel- lion throughout the war as @ natural act of policy against the republican party. THE PEOPLE WILL BE POWERLESS. HERALD —REPRESBNTATIVE—I perceive, Mr. Wilkes, that you have not much reliance upon the intelligence of the peopiec, Mr. WiLKEs—On the contrary, 1 have the highest opinion oO! tue intelligence of tue American people; if they were only as generally worthy as they are intelligent, there would need be no tears of the coming crisis, ‘The main difvculty 1s, the Ameri- can people are too smart; and the next, that they have been corrupted by too sudden a prosperity. it 18 & moral impessibility tnat a virtuous and worthy people could oe indifferent to such rascalities as are perpetrated every day upon the public prop- erty and contentedly retain in public place the rogues who perpetrate thei, The American people, through: THEIR UNWONTED PROSPERITY, are very much in the position oi the success- ful gambler at a faro bunk, who, having won nearly all the money of the’ dealers and of the players, was infurmed by some en- vious loser that one of the bankrupts was pur- Jomung hus gains irom under lis ara, and Wuo, on iving the iniormation, carelessly replied, cil, 1¢ don’t make any ‘difterence; I can win | them jaster than he can steal them!” ‘Suca I take to be the moral condition of American public honesty, under the demoralizing influence of “Crédit Mobilier” and “Tammany” corruptions. I feei at liberty to say this as an American to Ameri- caus, and because | think there has been . TOO MUCH HUMBUG constantly repeaied about the virtue and patriot- by defeating the laws of primogeniture and en- tail in devising their perty, after the Astor fashion, from eldest to eldest son—and the commercial classes, who in all countries have always stood mcst prominently in the road to liberty, not to overlook the little tariff’ and free trade who, making their evolutions on the edge of a cent, will play their Cincinnati Convention pectorssenve over in. te ma} likewise count upon the great railway kings, an financiers, and speculators and stock-jobbers of all sorts. THR SOUTHERNERS WILL PURSUR THE SCHEME FOR MONARCHY which was interrupted in the overthrow of the Re- bellion; the colored vote cannot be turned from its tendencies short of anything but a positive dis- aster, and we know enough of the eiice-holders and their radiata, to be sure that they will stand by Grant to aman. Once more a victor, the first proposition we shall hear of from the Parilament, which he will take pains shall be re-elected with him, will be a proposition to INCREASE H13 TERM TO TEN YBARS. This movement will undoubtedly be made upon an appeal from the mercantile and commercial classes, on the ground that too great a frequency of national elections disturbs and decanges trade. After our experience of the suppleness of Congress to his will, can any one doubt that he will be successful? Only the otner day in Parts one of the Court flies whom he sends buzzing about the globe to report upon the private habits of the great and smail legations, declared, with offensive arrogance, amid a large circle of Americans, that Grant would, if he wished it, be elected for a third term, and that then, if he were tired of the Presidential ofice, would indicate who should be his successor. ‘TRE ROYAL FAMILY, HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—DO you think that it is the object of General Grant to 1x himself in the office tor liie? Mr. WiLkKEs—He has at least set out logically for empire by enriching his famuy. ‘There is no other way of beginning the foundation oi a dynasty; and, by all the experience we have had ot his talent for improving his chances, his family bids lair to ve the richest in the United States at the end of his Present term. “THIS IS TREASON!" HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—Vo you think that he is aware of the practical treason of his ambition? Mr. WILKes—ie certainly is not ignorant of it. General Grant is himself the main witness against the re-eligible principle, He told me two days pre- vious to his first nomination at Uhicago, while I was engaged in making the reconciliation which subsequently took piace between him and General Butler, that the rresident of the United States shouldsbe rendered ineligible to re-eleciion, and in this conversation used these words:—You are right, Mr. Wilkes; the liberties of the American people cannot be preserved without @ one term amendment to the constitution.” This was the ebullition of AN HONEST, UNTRAMPLED MIND. I was 80 charmed by his integrity that I printed the conversation during the next week, and was obliged to meet him nearly every day for the next three weeks in the rugged task which | had under-: taken. He took the Spirit of the Times and read it, because he olten reterred to its contents, and the article was reprinced widely throughout the country, This statement did not appear objection- able to bym and was not denied, Now, I am told, he cannot be interviewed upon the subject of a third term without DODGING AND EVASION; but if he were a man of the stern honesty of Jack- gon he would have replied to your correspondent— as Andrew Jackson did in every message ot seven of his messagea—that the re-eligibility of the Pres- ident was the Erept danger of the American plan. This duplicity of Grant and silent practical con- tradiction of himself, is what makes me fear the worst, AndI very much fear from this, and all the other dangers I have stated, that the one hundreth anniversary of our independence 1s destined to be the crisis which shall decide whether republican institutions shall remain as a jorm of government among men. “ALL FOR MY LORD CARDINAL.” HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—But, Mr. Wilkes, do you not exaggerate tts danger? I have heard Many old fashioned, sturdy patriots, who are re- publicans, say that in 1876 they would vote for any man rather than for Grant. I have heard one of them go so far as to say, “I am for any man, even Jeff. Davis, in preference to Grant dr apy other man fora third term, except that the condition of the country (such, for in- stance, a3 the intervention ef a foreign war) might make Grant's re-election necessary?” Mr. WILKES—Ah, yes; but that latter clause shows that I do not exaggerate the danger. Notn- ing can be more obvious than that le intends a foreign war from what has taken place under his patronage in the invasion of Mexico, That is his reserve card, Cesar will not tail for want of war. But this reason on the part of these republicans will be dishonest, for there would be no difficulty in General Grant’s being employed a3 a general under the next President. GRANT AND BUTLER. HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—You have mentioned General Butler, Mr, Wilkes, and the reconciliation efiected by you between him and General Grant. Can you give me the particulars of that arrange- ment? Mr. WILKES—NO, I cannot, for I was requested by General t to say nothing about it, All that Tl feel at liberty to say is, that General butler had de- cidedly the best o1 it. “OUR CAESAR” IS AMBITIOUS, HERALD KEPRESENTATIVE—General Butler seems to believe in Grant and to nave no fears of a third term. Mr. WILKES—General Butler wants to be elected and Grant is the man to do it for him. General Butler probably thinks that Grant cannot be de- feated, and he doubtless believes that if Grant is to be re-elected he (Butler) had better be elected isu of tue American people. 1, ior one, feel at liberty to say 1t, because 1 do not want anything irom the American people, and am all the more free to say it, because I Lave never had anything Irom the American people. It is about time that somebouy. told the truth upon this subject; and the truth is, and our great danger is, that THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE THEMSELVES TO BLAMB. In other countries, Where the people have not been intoxicated by an undue prosperity, and where they are consequently comparatively honest, they rise every now and then against great oppressions and clear the poilti atmosphere by revolutions, A new dynasty comes in which for a while is just, but which in turn becomes corruyit, and in turn 13 blown away. Here is a salety valve in the honest simplicity of thé peop; vut what, in Heaven's name, 18 to be the ultimate destiny of the country, the people of which is in large part corrupt? PATRIOTISM AT A CHEAP FIGURE. HERALD KEPRESENTATIVE—You seem to have no faith in the patriotism of the American people at all. Mr. WILKES—Oh, yes, I havea great deal. The average American is the most patriotic man in the world, 80 long as you don't invade his pel symi- pathies or touch his profits; but the “industry of politics” is so vast and comprehensive and insinu- sting that it touches him at almost every point, and he is only too ready to yield to the subordinate allegiance of party in preference to what his per- sonal interests have taught him to be THE MERE ROMANTIC INTERESTS OF PATRIOTISM. And in analyzing this sentiment of patriotism as it exists in our country we must not overlook the fact that, during the last flity years we have been breeding to foreign races, which have signalized their emigration to this country by teariug from their bosoms every sentiment of nationauty and love of country, This must nave and must have had its effect. Still you must not misunderstand me as on too poor an idea of the virtue and patriot- ism of the American people. They are just as good, and, in my opinion, not a bit better than any otuer people. THEIR AVERAGE MORALITY may be well illustrated by that of any chance audi- ence in the pit of the Bowery Theatre, ail of whom Will sympathize with a lady in white satin nying from @ra@Man, and even shed tears jor her dis- tresses, but the majority of whom would forgive tne rufian if he should succeed in attaining a high ofice, In all of this I am not so severe on the American people as the Scriptures are upon the world in general. ‘they do injustice to mankind by saying that he is “as prone to evil as the sparks to fly upward,” while every day gives proof that he igs inclined to good, and that he sympathizes with good so ronan it costs him nothing. I myght say, In general terms, that there ts patriotism enough in the American people at the bottom, but the hour is not favorable jor it. At present we are too much mixed, but that will wear itself out in & natural way, and a littie adversity wid bring our best qualities to the front again, THE MARCH OF BM{PIRE. HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—Do you think there is much downright monarchism ia the country ? Mr. WILKes—Unpleasant as the idea is, I am forced to come to that conciusion. ‘Twelve years HenraLD REPRESENTATIVE—You seem to regard @ | ago such @ sentiment was deemed to be impossible ; re-eligibie president 48 Worse than a king? Mr. WiLKRS—Most assuredly Ido, A lereditary monarch, veing reasonably safe in his position, has bat we saw the entire Soutn revolt against repub- lican form of government and exhibit itself read to accept an English prince, and 1 am convince but one leading motive, aud that is todo the best | that it ig ready to resume its theme under General he can for his people, in order that he may render lis pesition ali the more secure and leave a good na chind him, | king (for the name of President is simply a decep- | tion) is forced, by the mere tenure of his post, to Geuberately corrupt the franchise at the beginning of every term. king. The re mast be | ERM OR FOREVER, | Herat Re: TATIVE—Do you share the no- | tion entertain ome army | be mi and associa with the pictur & coup delat; Grant has quietly gon by his military coups d’états in L southern States. ie ground already to take it away from him. with so many myriads of | partisans interested in keeping it in bis possession, COMPULSORY SUFFRAGE. HERALD REPRESENTATIVR—Your remedy, then, is to defeat him now, and then pass Mr. Sumner’s one term amendment to the constitution? Mr. WiLkES—I tink such an amendment, imitated through the sub-system of the States, supported by compulsory sudrage, with tax penalty in defauit of its exercise, would bring the American people back to their old political honor, without tne in- vention of any technical system of civil service re- form. kd be refor , would’ insist upon compulsory sufrag that tho political intustrit should not have all the expression of the country to themselves. I would ——_ But an American re-elective | Grant, You will find much monarchism, too, among the rich retired families of the North as well a8 among prominent old ruffled shirt politicians of the Hamilton Fish brand. As @ proo! in point I may reler to Caleb Cusning, who is A PRONOUNCED MONARCIIIST, in order that he may remain a | and who declared himself so to me more than clive prineiple wili not work; it | Six years ago. Since then, Grant’a administration has been furnishing him constantly with profitable employment, and he was made one o! our Commis- sioners at Geneva. Charles Francis Adams was his favorite at the last election, and I should judge, by his grasp now, and the great looming dimiculty is | rican people themselves need to | sand negro am this Proud give them @ chance, | holders and executive attendants, most of the 6, 80 | rich men of the North—who his eulogy Of him in his recent book on the Geneva Pag ie think that | Commission, that he 1s now hls candidate for king. or such purposes, | He scouts at the obj idea of that Kind of revolution | should not be continually drawn upon for Chief struggle, or at least | ueir innocent souls, | afford the best, This is very plausible; but, the ction that the same fami! Magistrate of the Union, provided they constantly fact is, he finds in the Adamses a hereditary Ameri- uisiana and otwer | can aristocratic family, and that, doubtiess, is his He has got the gevernmentin | idea of the necessity of a logical American monarchical beginning. GRANT WILL BE RENOMINATED, HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—What are General Grant's chances? Mr. WILKES—Alarmingly in his favor, and those who foid their hands upon the patriotism of tne American poopie to deleat him «now nothing of the danger, Inthe first place, he intends to be with him as Governor of Massachusetts. Then, if Cwesar’s open ambition should split the country into three parts, General Butler would be in the proper position to be President of New England. nd it ig very easy for any man to persuade him- self that he has been desigued by Providence to soothe and reunite the angry sections under his redestined self: but I ain a friend of General But- ler, and | do not wish to criticise him too closely. THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS IN DANGER, HERALD REPRESENTATIVE—hen you think, Mr, Wilkes, that Mr. Bennett was in earnest and not premature in putting the country upon its guara against the apparent march of Cwsarism? Mr. WILKES—No; I have said beiore that Mr. Bennett was not an hour too early. Without being ostentatious in his qualities Mr. Bennett has a shrewd and an alert mind, and he has, furthermore, great imterests to pro- tect. He is now at the head ofa power which hag an authority of expression more desirable even than that of the President of the United States, But what becomes of him and his position should Grant become a king? There is no class of men more interested in the defeat of Grant's sordid and illegitimate ambitioh than the press of the United States. If he succeeds, they fall. RgPoRTER—Looking back over our whole conver- sation, you seem impressed that Grant will succeed in forcing a-third term? Mr. WILKES—I do not see how he can be pre- vented. Already he has his legs locked around the throne, and the real question is, ‘How can we get him out?’ Let rainbow-eyed poets and mouldy political sages, whose minds are fixed in the earlier portion of the century, depend upon the triotism of the people for the safety of our in- stitutions; my fear is that before we can get rid of Grant we shall have to run to our muskets to «dis- lodge him. He has no coups d’¢tats to make in ad- dition to his military despotisms in the South. The next coup d'état wiil have to come from the people. After some general conversation the HERALD representative thanked Mr. Wilkes and bade him good evening. NOTES FROM LONG BRANCH. tee Lone Brancn, August 31, 1873, The memorable August storm, 80 unusually se vere and protracted, cut the Long Branch season in two at the middie, and although there has been @ great revival during the hot weather of the past ten days, the life and spirit of the first half has never been thoroughly revived since the rude in- terruption. Some of the hotels already show in- dieations of @ clearing out, and next week will no doubt take away many of the families who have been here since the commencement of the season. Nevertheless the new arrivals are not inconsidera- ble, and the weather Is the most delightful that has been enjoyed here since the early part of June. From present indications September will be a most enjoyable month at the seaside; neither too warm nor too cool, and as the accommodations at the hotels are much better than during the more crowded time, people will display good sense who determine to spend the next four weeks at the Branch. September and October are, indeed, in the opinion of many, the most delightiul months o1 the twelve here, and many of the cottage residents are accustomed now to extend their summer so- journ on the beach up to November. The days are not so oppressively warm a8 in July and August, and the evenings are especially beautiful. There ig no doubt that a large number of pepsons will soon discover the attractions ot Long Branch in ‘these later months of the season, aud will either remain here all the summer though or will take the Branch as the closing up of their round of visits. A GAY TIME AT THE OCEAN HOUSE. So far as the Ocean Hotel is concerved, one might well have supposed the season to have been at its height yesterday and to-day, trom the num- ber of the guests and the gay time they have been enjoying. The hop last night, for the benefit of Professor Ruttledge, wno has acted as Master of the Ceremonies during the season at that hotel, was unusually successful. The rooms were crowded, the costumes exceedingly elegant, the company unexceptionable, and what was better for the beneficiary, the subscriptions reacted the handsome amount of $1,500. Yesterday there was an excursion of Philadelphians to the Kast End Hotel, and’ some fifteen hundred persons re- nominated, and I do not believe that be entertains any solid doubt of being re-elected. For my part, I fear he has too much reason for his hopes. He will, I think, beyond @ question, collect under tis bauner the entire South, the nine hundred thou- 0 votes, his immense legion of office- are of equailty with the poor, and who been, like the prominent rich _ whe South fpraigigg jor tical ave mained over until this evening, Last night they were out on a serenaaing tour, visiting the Ocean, Howland’s, the West End, the Mansion, the United States and tlie Metropolitan, os well as several rivate individuals, including the President, Mr, Uhilds and Mr. John F. Chamberlain. THR PRESIDENT AND BIS FAMILY will bly remain at the Branch until the last week of September, but President Grant will visit Washington next weex. Commissioner Van Nort eure ke Now York Q } STATEN ISLAND. A Tour Around the Sea-Girt Isle. FRIENDS AND FOES OF THE ISLAND. What One Sees in Week’s Tour. HEALTHY OR UNHEALTHY ? Opinions of Residents Con- cerning the Climate. MOSQUITOES AND WHAT THEY ARE. The Advantages and Disadvan- tages of a Residence. al Bos PROJECTS OF IMPROVEMENT. A Bridge To Be Built to Connect the Island with the Jersey Railroads. SraTen ISLAND, August 81, 1873, In a recent letter from Long Island I commented at some length on the neglect of this interesting place by our Summer wanderers, and now, alter a week’s sojourn on this Qeautiful island, during which I explored every part of it, I have to further express my surprise at their extraordinary want of appreciation of Summer retreats within easy reach of the metropolis. A strong prejudice against Staten Island has been-created by real es- tate operators for their profit, so that thousands associate the name with malarious diseases and discomfort in every form, while thousands more, to whom the island should be as well and favorably known as Brighton is to the average Lon- doner, never heard of tt. at all. Stil, it seems strange that people of means, or even people of limited incomes, who annually fy from the heat and dust of the city for health and re- cuperation, should overlook this charming island in the bay. The only reasonable explanation that can be suggested is that parties concerned in the progress of other localities are better advertisers, Of course, it is not all couleur de rose ; there are cb- Jections to Staten Isiand quite as weighty, per- haps, a8 any your correspondents in the watering places of America during the summer, now fading into autumn, have not failed to record as charac- terizing the most fast and fashionable retreats of the rich and well todo, What those faults are and what the virtues that pecullarly distinguish Staten Island I propose to show in this letter; and if, alter I have concluded, AN UNFOUNDED PREJUDICE ora too high opinion respecting the merits of this . locality remains in the mind of the reader I am mucn mistaken. It has ever been the curse of places like this, that ought, by their position, capacity for improvement and acknowledged beauty, to be the favored resort of the city’s crowded thousands, that specuatiorsin land have been their only exponents, When it suiteda “bull” in real estate on Staten Isiand no language was tooextravagant to extol the scenery; when the state of the market and his immediate neces- sities made the same party a “bear” he suffered terribly from fever and ague, all his family and other relatives were “down,’’ and the plagues of Egypt made havoc among his relatives and friends. No rampant Taurus of Wall street ever tossed gold over the heads of the multitude with more glee than your real-estate man “long” of land “bulls” his property, nor has ever the sulky bear prowling about the Stock Exchange exceeded in profundity of growl the party anxious to depreciate the value of lots. With these, then, Ihave no sympathy whatever. I wish merely to write of the advantages and disadvantages of Staten Island as a summer resort for the people of New York, and as a future Mecca for citizens of wealth and taste who now insearch of pleasure go farther and fare worse. “THE ISLAND IN THE BAY.” Staten Island is peculiarly favored by nature, Her waved lowlands and slopes of green touch the broken waves of the Atlantic where they come white faced from Sandy Hook, are on the opposite side watered by the washing tides, ever renewed and fresh, from the inner bay; on one flank ts a running estuary, and on the other the green waves that dash ona splendid stretch of sand miles in extent; while over and overlooking all are hills of verdure separated by valleys of surpassing beanty. The roads—especially the leading ones—are excellent. The road from New Brighton village way round to Fort Wadsworth— and, indeed, from there to where, at the race- course, the Island" faces the far Navesink, mixing with the clouds and gray in the sunlight—are all that could be desired by lovers of fast driving. Turning from a drive of about eleven miles along the north shore of the island by one of the now opened, broad and well laid streets into the in- terior, one is sensibly impressed with the beauty of the surroundings, Elegant residences mark each few hundred teet, and cottages struggle to view through groves of trees and hedges, made odorous with flowers. For miles an@ miles the scene extends; cultivation and improvement everywhere, and evidenc>s of wealth and taste abounding. Beyond ail question THE DRIVE ALONG THE SPLENDID ROAD that winds round the face of the island at its northern side is in every respect the finest in the United States. The waves that alter a day gr two look 80 monotonous at Long Branch and Newport, are here covered with ships of all sizes, styles and nationalities; steamers are constantly passing to and fro, while fora background tothe picture of lle and animation there is the ever-varying pano- rama of vessels coming and vessels going, which the inner bay presents from the rising of the sun until the going down thereof, To the bigest 4 of the changing sea isadded the poetry of motion. An account of an island with a water iront with- out mention of its Pane factlities would be an unpardonable omission. Bathing can be had here almost at any point. The cottages on the coast line have, generally speaking, bathing boxes. By getting up early you can always nave @ skin bath, and as for those who prefer THE SHADED STRIP OF SAND on the cast side the modest waves rippling in, al- ways extend a welcome. There 1s no undertow and a father need never fear, as he must at certain fashionable watering places i wot ol, being sucked into inextricable diniculties at which blue fish laugh, but bipeds smile the smile of death; or shud- der at the thought of having their life hammered out by rolicrs of great height and tremendous jorce. The waves on the coast of this island are, on the north siiore, invisible towrdinary sightseers, and on the opposite side, called Prince’s Bay, loll Javily vo the sand in that wishy-washy, soft and in- sinuating Way so gratetul to timid bathers. But there is just enough of surf uproar on this white beach of graveily sand to excite most adventurers in bathing dresses and never enough—except when the weatuer is too cold for bathing—to deter the most timid. THE LOWLANDS AND HIGHLANDS. , The island is divided into two political part: Edgewater, which from Quarantine lanuing tends to somewhat near Fort Wadsworth, and New Brighton, Which from the first landing stretcnes round to where the lap of the island almost touches Port Elizabeth in Jersey. The former com- prises the village or commercial part, a8 commerce is here understood just now, she latter the locality of weuilth, the home of the rich and cultured. There wide difference betwoen them. Edge- water is governed by a little ring of very small politicians, who, while trying to make bay while the sun shines, manage to conserve a dunghill of corruption; New Brighton, on the other hand, is well and wisely governed by a Board of Trustees fully alive to the wants of the isiand and who looked forward oftener than they look back. The Edgewater people have still a lingering affection jor cesspools and tumble down tenements, but, fortunately for the rest of the isiand residents, have f ns. In my opening to the depreciatory remarks the island stimulated and supported by real estate men, aided by venal ne PETS 5 and for the purpose of a an example of what Gia be dager or tinged. fa fas ne ‘al ence Pi concert prise, reproduce the following, from an anonymous person with a humorous turn of mind and an eye to business :— A CYNICAL HUMORIST. To tux Epiror or tax Henalp What have become of the Hm they suppose that after the discovery of Livingstone ai Captain Jack thore is hothing else of interest lett to seek It they labor under thisimpression let one of them come to Staten Island, Hardship endured and discoveries made constitute th V4 the HxgaLp correspondents. nd them here, and we shall provide these greater abundance and intemsity than did Stanley's Afri- can jungles. Let your correspondent go down to the sea in the packets that ply between New York and Staten Is ,, and we can sicken him quicker, and keep him sick longer than could be done by @ Polar expedition, we can plunge him deeper into street mud, vite him with bigger mosquitoes, shake him with intenser chills, robhim with larger taxes, govern him with xreater scoundrels, kill him wiih flercer Modocs—in a word, im- flict hin with the superlative of misery in all its forms, with greater facility than any other people on the face of the earth. If you know of any robust, act daring, Youthful correspontient who seeks for glor: spirited, gr: “glorious roe © m NSRUKEN DOWN. “FEVER AND AGUE,’? The foregoing 1s malicious on the face of it. I have been im many houses, travelled over every road and conversed with dozens of people during my week's residence 0a this island, and can safely gay that the strictures contained in the letter of your broken-down correspondent are, with the ex- ception of what I said concerning the village of Edgewater, entirely unfounded. As to the health oi the isiand, I made particular inquir! Fever and ague 1s unknown On the north shore, People who have lived there for thirty years tell me they never knew @ case of it, and as for the highiands, which torm the largest part of this water surrounded territory, malarious disease has never showed itself, People who live beside green .coverea in Edgewater aud back at Cliiton, wuere the land ts low, complain of ague; but even in these places J found, apon dil- igent inquiry, that there was not as much of it ag exists in New Jersey, Westchester and some parts of Long Island. From its position Staten Island should be, and actually is, one of the healthiest places on the American coatinent, This! say after carelul inquiry, notwithstanding that 1 have been assailed by parties who tried to make me believe that here one can imbibe the real elixir o/ life, and thus had my spirit of opposition aroused. A gentie- man told me, with a3 Much seriousness as he could command, that all the physicians on the island, with the exception of those haviny property, arer suffering greatiy on account of the too healthy condition of the island, HORRIBLE CONDITION OF THE DOCTORS. “Why,” said this gentlemen, “these stories about fever and ague on this island are suggested by people Owning property in Jersey and West- chester. Doctors can't get a living here—I mean on the north side. Those we have are in a horrible state of destitution, They are out Bt elbows, have no knees to their breeches, and as for small clothes, not a man of them—such is their peverty in pocket handkerchiefs—can afford to blow his nose more than once a month. Why, sir, there are only two doctors on the island who have horses. And you should see these horses, sir! Their tails look as bare as bean poles, because the wives of their owners had to keep up to the fashion in chignon and hair azings. They never knew the taste of oats, and as for hay they ony see It in the felds, Look at the ribs of any of these doctors’ horses, sir, and, hang it, sir, you will know some- tning of the health of the ‘island. Yes, sir, you will understand that this island is healthy, sir.” A MAN OF SHAKES. Though somewhat pxaagerated: this picture of the sanitary condition of the island may be ac- cepted as true. Sickness is unknown on the north side and on the portions liable, by the formation of the ground and want of drainage, to fever, there is positively less of it than in New Jersey in places rapidly filling up with population. Aiter listening tor many hours to the gentieman I have quoted I thought I wouid “interview” a few per- sous who were not so well situated as he was, but did not care to pursue tt® subject further alter learning the opiuions and profiting by the expe- of the first inhabitant 1 encountered. This le and intelligent being was poising himself on a rail fence and gazing wistfully out at a passing vessel, When Laccosted him he looked me over and over until in my eyes his greatness filled all space, and | felt my littleness in my new corn breeding boots. Iasked him concerning fever and ague im Staten Island, ; “You mean the shakes,” he said, and as he spoke he jvoked as profound as Bunsby. ‘fhe shakes are lively where I live; down thar!” and the self. satisfied islander signified with his right thumb and ee eye the direction Of Clilton aud the Bay of cay. “Have ’em all the week,” he added with a grunt. “Never have’m on Thursday, it 1 ken help it; ken always help it if I’ve got money in the mornin’; if I’ve got money 1 ken get drunk, and then I don’t know or care whether shakes are ‘round or no, All the same to a fellow when he’s loaded up. This mornin’ es jes ag bad as the wus Thursday I ’ver saw; Dever 8iook wus in my life, and I’m living roun’ here over titty year.” HON. MR. MOSQUITO. ‘The great pest of ali places in the United States where there are trees aud shrubbery is tiat lively native American the mosquito. No ward politician can make himself felt as does this busybody of the Marsh aud wood. Nor is there living a dry goods drummer of his cheek and pertinacity, nor one Who can buzz more, elude punishment with more agil- ity and roar louder than he. Out and come again 18 his motto. Ihave seen an aged and experienced mosquito on Long Island approach my head in the twilight a dozen times and go purring away again, agit were, musing en the mututions of mosquito atfairs—a fellow who would gently touch the tip of my nose with his hind leg and go off into the dark- ness, uttering @ song that seemed to say to the humming hosts around him:— O tell me where, O tell me where, You found a flat'so fat and tair. And then the brute would invite all his relations and tenantry and make a night o! 1t. The mosquite family have an abiding place on Staten Island and are greatly interested in real estate. They always operate for a rise. But that they are more numerous or more savage here than else- where | am prepared to deny. When the isiand ia weil drained—and drainage is now going on with commendable despatch—the mosquito will “go West,’’ and the poor people who live in the lower part of the island will no longer Know ague, MUD ON THE ISLAND, The soil of the island 1s exceedingly rich, needing only to be tickled by the plow to produce fruit, aud where the roads and streets have not yet been graded there is, of course, much mud in heavy Weather. But here, again, the roads and streets are in @ better condition than the Jersey and West- chester roads, and there is no justification whatever for calling the island muddy. The worst that can be said of Staten isang and I said there were objections te it—is that the communication between it and the city is not what. it ought to be. There are two lines of boats—Van- derbil’s Staten Island ferry from Whitehall (hav- ing good boats, comiortable and delightful to travel in—judiciows repairing and better management being bet Se down the always interesting vay and the Thomas J. Hunt, trom tne toot of Coreandé street. By either route the island can be reached in thirty minutes. There is a third route, that by Jersey Vity and rail to Bergen Point, aud thenee across by ferryboat to Port Richmond, one of the most pleasant spots on the island. This is the present arrangement, but it does not satisty the ts inhabitants of Staten Island. They want and will have better facilities and quicker communica- tion with the city. A BRIDGE TO CONNECT THE ISLAND. Last session of the Legislature a charter was o& tained foracompany organized to build a bridge from Constable’s Point, N. J., to New Brighton, Tae bridge will span the channel where it is only 600 feet wide, and will connect with one of the Jersey railroads. The bridge built, the railroad route from Jersey City to Philadeipmia will rum through Staten Island, from New Brighton to Tot- tenville, where it will cross a draworidge to Perth or South Amboy, and so through to Philadelphia and the South. ‘The bridge | aly is in excel- lent hands, and there can be no doubt that it will be successfully undertaken and finished as designed. This, of course, will open up the island and make it what nature evidently intended it—a “city of tue sea.” There are other projects of the kind im incubation for the improvement of Staten Island, which may be noticed another time. This, however, is the most important, and as such deserves an earlier notice, WHERE ONE MAY STAY. This summer has been rather dull on the island owing to the causes 1 have mentioned, but the hotel keepers @xpect, and not unreasonably, that hundreds if not thousands of people will spend the Lp cor! indents t delightful month of September with them, The hotels are real good. The New Brighton Pavilion, looking out over the bay, 8 as good as any to be tound.in the neighbor- hood of New York; has hot and cold, iresh and salt water baths in the house, and the charges are mod- ate—$3 day. The rival establishment, the St Mark’s, is on the hill, and commands a more elevated view of the bay. I should think from a hasty run through this house that there are worse places in which to sojourn during the last of the summer montis, But whatever the fate of the notels for this season, there 1s no room for doubt that with the butiding of the bridge to Jersey next sprit and the consequent rush of people to the islan they wiil open well next summer. THE MARKET SAVINGS BANK. The reference in this matter, before Register James F, Dwight, comes of on Thursday, the 4th prox., at one o'clock P.M. It is said by the Secretary of the Depositors’ Committee that the assignee, Mr. F, W. Worth, is in Europe, and will not be present. It is aiso said, and Lea gl be- lieved by the depositors, that he prolongs his ab- sence to avoid an investigation into the charge of $83,000 for extra compensation for himself and his counsel, Mr. William Mann. STREET RAILROAD CASUALTY. At about three o'clock yesterday afterroon @ boy named Louts Kessler, aged between six and seven years, in jumping from the front platform of, acar on the North Second Street Railroad, Wil. liamsburg, fell under the wheels and his right leg was frightfully crushed. He was taken to the Fastern District Hospital, in Fourth street, wh he died at seven o'clock last eve: The of the unfortunate boy reside at ond street. The driver of the car, John W. Healey, conductor, Josiah Manterstock, were arm rested and detained at the Stagg stregy avalon nite No. North Seo yO aa