The New York Herald Newspaper, September 17, 1875, Page 4

4 ~ MASSACHUSETTS POLIS. NEW YORK HEKALD, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1875.—TRIPLE SHEET, think, next to him, will make the best Governor. | formally announced that he will take no part, ‘a8 he ditfers with the party on the finance question. ‘The truth also, that the General is not so well physically as he has been in former years, and his busi- ness is all he cares to cope with. For once the republi- cans have a lively fight on hand without him, and he can sit on the fence calmly and placidly and see the An Interesting Fight Over the Row | procession go by without fretting, publican Nomination. DR. LORING THE FAVORITE. The Chances of the Democracy—Butler in Private Life. Bosros, Sept. 15, 1875. The main fight in the politics of Massachusetts now is over the republican nomination at Worcester. There ‘are no piatform planks or party issues prominent. The vital question of @ third term has not been heard of. Civil service reform and hard money are not on the sur face, and the whole subject as debated in republican and democratic circles is whether Dr, George B. Loring, of Salem, or the Hon. A. H. Rice, of Boston, is to get the nomination at Worcester. That is the one promi- nent question, as the withdrawal of ex-Governor Talbot has left the field to these two gentlemen. Both are widely known throughout the country, and numerous gentlemen in other States are doubtiess watching their Progress with considerable interest, Both men aro well known in Washington, but it does not appear that the administration sides with either. I don’t think the question bas been asked by a single repub- Wean as to where the administration stands in the matter, and it wouldn’t make a difference of five dele- gates if it were to take sides, Collector Simmons, who, by the way, is giving entire satisfaction to Boston mer- chants, takes the very reasonable ground that it is unfair for one candidate to use the machinery of the Custom House against any other man who is a member of the republican party in good standing; hence the Custom House men have divided according to their personal preferences. i ‘THE INTEMPERATE ALLIANCE, ‘The contest which is going on in the republican party 1s calculated to m rather than strengthen it, as more or less bitierness is coming to the surface. Thero are various elements which are conspiring to produce this result. One of these is the State Temperance Alhance, which is composed of temperance men who are usually republicans. Their acts have more or less influence on temperance men throughout the State. ‘The leaders in the alliance are an exceedingly contrary” set, and nobody can ever tell what attitude they are going to assume, They are doubtless intensely sincere and measurably honest in their intentions, but are wholly impracticable when the rules of common sense or of ordinary political sagacity are applied to them. For instance, to-day sixteen or twenty of them held a meeting, at which Dr. Loring and Mr. Rice were both denounced in unmeasured terms, The meeting attracted much attention in the newspapers, but their direct personal influence could be measured with a tape Ine. They are temperate men, dram-atically speaking, Dnt fearfully intemperate in their language. They will @buse Mr. Rice or Dr. Loring to-day asif they were Pickpockets, but to-morrow they would send an agent to either for $100 for “the course,” and gee no inconsistency in such a proceeding. They are not likely, however, to have any great weight attacued to them. In the repub- lican or democratic party, on general principles few, if any of them, would ever be heard of as men of any influence. Ifthe theory is that it is better to bea Dig toad in a small puddle rather than a small toad ina big puddle, then, I presume, they are supremely happy; but they don’t seem to lighten the burden of any of the rest of the sinners who are plodding along the highways of political life. DR. LORING AHEAD, It seems to be conceded in all circles that Dr. Loring is clearly ahead, so far as the nomination is concerned. Mr. Rice is expected to carry the larger part of the Boston delegates, who are to be chosen on Tuesday evening of this week, and some more in this vicinity, with here and there a city or town through the State, The Doctor, it is believed, will carry Essex county largely, & good share of Middlesex and Worces- ter, and the greater portion of Plymouth, Bristol, the four western counties, Barnstabie and Dukes. Good judges in both political parties think he will have seven or eight hundred of the eleven hundred and thirty delegates who are to be chosen, and Mr. Rice the remainder. Myr. Rice may get more than thia, butthe universal opinion is that the Doctor will carry the Con- vention by a good majority. WHO CAN CARRY THR STATE. As is generally known, we have a democratic Gov ernor, anda strong one. Elected by the votes of his opponents, as a Harvard College speaker aptly said, with a republican Legislature and a republican Council. He has behaved splendidly, and bas made a good rec- ord as an Executive, He will, undoubtedly, be renom- inated by his party next week, and he is a formidable Candidate. Should he be re-elected Governor Gaston will certainly joom up as @ prominent candidate for the Presidency, with bis own State at his back. Some re publicans say he will beat either Loring or Rice; others maintain that Loring can beat him and Rice cannot; while others claim that Rice can whip him and Loring cannot. In the midst of these conilicting opinions the ‘actual vote is the only sure test, of course. The democrats are anxious for Dr. Loring’s nomina- tion, They will make a vigorous onslaught upon him at once in reference to his war record, although they will be in the rather equivocal position of convicting | a democrat for having been a democrat, for he was one during the war until the Lincoin-McClellan campaign, | when he cameout for Lincoln, His frieuds say that he can answer any charge that can be brought against him, and that afver tis nomination ho will have to stump the State from Cape Cod to Pittsfield, and go over the State like a roaring lion, as he is roused by the attacks which are being made upon him, as he never has been before. They think that he can convince the people that his record will stand examination, He is certainly one of the best orators in America, and a first class orator, mad, is sure to draw a crowd and make an impression. THE OTHER CANDIDATES, Governor Talbot withurew go late that it has not been Possible to bring another candidate in between Rice and Loring. Ii may be stated, parenthetically, that Talbot's letter placed hirn in about the best position of any repudiican in th It took the edge off of last year’s defeat, aud, with the exception of the “In- temperate Alliance,” be has the strong regard of the entire republican party. Vice President Wilson is spo- ken of as a compromise, and it has been said that If he ‘were nominated and elected it would help his chances for the Presidency amazingly. He said last night in conversation, however, that he positively would not be considered acandidate, aud is thus placed out of the question. Cbaries Francis Adams has been suggested by one or two papers, but his name has thus far met with no popular response, although bis ability is admitted. No other names have been proposed seriously, and the fight appears to be clearly between Mr. Rice and Dr, | Loring, as clsewhere indicated, BUTLERISM A “LOST anT.”? It is certain this is one of queerest politica! con- fests that has ever beon k State. Politics makes strang ut this year the affiliations t ruous, A Butler | fight has of Massachu- setts volitics of lute 4 has been o sition in the republican pa who has fw ent suppe” of In the f re have been prominent tn squelebing © vier ut now a fair section of the Custom House and man g Butler meu favor his pomivation publican Convention and they are received as prodigals for whom Parker's best fatved calves are not good enough packing caucuses or of (Le ‘worst elements combining to thwart the will of the people,” and the Butlerians seem to have really bet condition for having offended the South cans, especially, by their past record. If any man had been rash enough during one of Butler's raids, or when Collector Simmons’ confirmation was hanging fre, to have predicted any such state of affairs as this he would bave been Voted insane. Nevertheless, \t now exists, and a Butler man’s record docs not seem to be considered objectionable. GENERAL BUTLER'S POBITION. For weeks the probable position Geveral Butler might assume has caused some uneasiness to both candida’ and it was not ex, that he would remain « But he seems to have tired of politics and to be per. fachix willane 10 lo} BURROK the Mad Whom ere is no more taik of | barbarians, become a democratic State, POLITICAL NOTES. In California the republican and the independent vote would have exceeded the democratic, General Ben Hull, of Georgia, can use a greater num- er of words to @ square mile than any other man in the United States, and he tears a passion to tatters. The Massachusetts Republican State Committee have selected Senator Henry L. Dawes to preside over the Convention which isto be held at Worcester Septem- ber 29. Mr. McCreery, of Kentucky, had the largest vote ever given a.candidate for Governor im that State, His ma- jority was 36,101, though he ran some 4,000 behind his ticket, The democrats polled 126, for the principal candidate, and the republicans polled 90,795. The Richmond Dispatch is rather absurd when it ridicules the President for submitting to the Attorney General's request of Governor Ames for federal inter- ference in Mississippi. The opinion of the legal adviser of the President was required with as much reason as the Richmond Dispatch requires the assistance of its paper maker for its paper. General Winfield S. Hancock, the handsomest man in the army, is the reserve democratic candidate for the Presidency. He is very popular inthe South, It 1s urged against him that, at the order of the government, he sent Mrs. Surratt to her death, and that therefore the Roman Catholics will never forgive. The Washing~ ton Republican says it wus that fact that prevented his nomination in 1868. The whig party asks to be revived. This time the | old whigs who have been in the democratic party since 1856 wish to change the name democratic to whig, There might have been some excuse for this proposition if the democratic party in its latest contests had not been generally victorious, Such a proposition might reasonably come from dissatisiled republicans, headed by Adams and Wilson and Schurz; and, indeed, there are not a few indications that the name will be revived before 1876, Hon. Alexander H. Rice’s friends arge him for the republican nomination in Massachusetts because he is so eminently aclean man, He is no rough-and-tumble fighter. In Congress, where he served three terms, he ‘was chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs. No doubt it is true that he would receive a large democratic support. The objection that he is not known widely in the western part of the State is nota good one, He is as well known to the western part as the other caudi- dates are to the eastern. The position of “Colonel” Peter Donohue as chair- man of the California Demoeratic State Committee seems, after the democratic victory, to give him con- siderable political importance. He is an Irishmur by birth, went from New Jersey to California in 1849, started a blacksmith shop in a tent, and is now owner of immense iron works, of an interior railway, of the San Francisco Gas Works and of two or three lines of street railroad. It was he who sent Mr. Ralston a check for $50,000 to help him on the day of the bank failure, Mr. Donohue is pot an educated man. The Richmond (Va) Whig believes that next winter the doctrine of State rights will be freely ventilated in Congress, because the republican party in its policy and its force 18 always travelling upon the limitations of constitutional law. There is still, according to that journal, a republican policy of “military necessity,” which transcends the principles of peace. The Whig wishes that Southern statesmen should not while in Congress argue the question, as they have heretofore argued it, on the basis of State sovereignty, but to ad- vocute indissoluble Unionism in the same breath with the advocacy of local self-government. Any other course will give the next Presidency to the republicans, General Grant is, after all, considered to be aman not wholly withont both political and military imagina- tion, His last card, if we are to judge from some of the hints thrown out from Washington, is to defond the Texans on the line of the Rio Grande from the depre- dations of Mexican marauders. The order for gun- boats to proceed to the Rio Grande and for General Ord to co-operate with the feet is read as an indication of new earnestness on the part of the President. The forces are considered too small for the purpose of pre- venting the raids; but it must be remembered that the Mexican war began by the defeat of a small American company. tropical romance; and, as the Baltimore Gazette hints, give éclat to Grant. But would not some other soldier than he win and wear the laurels? Congressman Kelley has at last defined his pedigree. He is descended from a North of Ireland Protestant and aFrench Huguenot, who tmmigrated to America in 1646. He claims w derive from them his ‘French volatility and Irish pugnacity ” He told a Detroit re- porter that he was ‘‘so-so-saturated with the subject’? that he could take it up at any time. He generally speaks without notes or preparation of any kind Kelley further remarked that he was not a Communist, or in sympathy with Communists. What he did say about sans culottes in his Youngstown speech was in the words of Mirabeau, who described them as lank, Jean, lantern-jawed men, ground to the dust with poverty and low wages, hungry and ferocious, with shabby garments, and, as their name implies, “without breeches,” the victims of bad laws and tyrannous edicts, the sufferers by a ystem of political economy. Keljey asked if there were any sans culottes in America, and whether it was desirable that there shpuld be any. Horace Maynard, now Minister to Turkey, writes from Constantinople to a resident of Knoxville:—“If those peuple who are always complaining ot radical Tule could spend a few months here, under the worst pronounced conservatism, they would probably go home better satisfied. But my instructions admonish me to be careful in corresponding with newspaper people, and probably I had better not go into details ‘There is much here that is very attractive and full of interest. The climate is @ good deal like ours, and the growths—trees, vegetables and flowers—much the same.. We have had a fine season, and, as crops go, the crops will be abundant. The place is not a sinecure by any means, The great European Powers keep ambas- | sadors here, and all others except ours and one or two little States are represented by envoys. Leaving pay out of the account, our government should give her representative here the rank of envoy. This vast Em- pire, with 40,000,000 of people, isa checker board, on which is played a wonderful game.” Florida 1s to be reconstructed by the republicans, In the olden time runaway negroes from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabema went into that portion of Florida which was set apart for the residence of the Seminole Indians. They gradually became incorpo- rated with that tribe. Their power finally became great, and in the Seminole wars they were more cruel and ferocious than the Indians themselves, When it became necessary to gather them together as a comma- nity they lived for a while in a town separate from the homes of the poles, but after much difficulty they were induced to go to Texas, and locate ona reservation west of the Sabine River, These Indianized negroes have lost none of their savage and merciless character. Since it is claimed that they have rights in the Seminole reservation in Florida it is proposed to transport them back to the latter State; and the Mobile Register thinks this effort is a political scheme, con- | ceived by the republican managers, who fear that Flor- ida may, without the presence of these negro-Indian Tho story is romantic, if not true. Judge Cyrus L, Pershing, who has becn nominated by the democrats for Governor of Pennsylvania, ts a native of Cambria coynty and was born In 1825, He has prac- tised jaw at Johnstown for many years and has devoted his life to his profession, Although a democrat tn his convictions he was oot a violent partisan and was often called to take a place on the ticket In 1856 he came within a few votes of defeating Colonel Edie for Oon- | gress in the strong republican district of Huntington, Clair, Cambria and Somerset, and in 1858 he was re- nominated for Congress, but defeated by 8, S. Blair by some 2,000, although leading his ticket. In 1860 he ‘was elected to the Legislature and served five years consecutively. In 1869 he was the democratic nomi- nee for Supreme Judge, but was defeated by Judge Williams by 8,701 majority. Two years ago the people of Schuylkall county, without distinction of party, nom- (nated him for President Judge against Judge Ryan, and he was elected by over 3,000 majority. Since then he bas devoted himself to his judicial duties and die- charged them most acceptably, Mr. Pershing is per- sonally in favor of hard money, but the temptation was aullicient vo sacrifice his views Wo party policys i | | } | * | reduce your tal | will go forward with leaps and bounds into THE CURRENCY. ME. WENDELL PHILLIPS AND LEGAL TENDER CURRENCY—A REPLY, To Tae Epiton or Tue HeRALD:— As a Scotchman, travelling in your great country,’ who bas for many years taken an interest in all monetary questions, my attention hag been re- peatedly directed to a letter which appeared in the New York Henavp of 28th August, on legal tender currency, by Mr, Wendell Phillips, in which he concludes by urg- ing “the United States government to issue all cur- rency apy business man Wishes and can give rity for at @ low interest and convertible long bonds, make greenbacks a legal purposes,” &c, &e, “England,” he says, “never knew more prosperous years than from 1800 to 1820, during which time she neither had gold nor wished to have it, nar promised to pay gold to any one whatever. All that while she extended and contracted. her currency without regard whatever to gold. Her enormous trade and expenditures were all paper, and only paper, resting on credit and nothing else, In 1820 England, yielding to theorists and dreamers, tried to put this new wine into old bottles and dragged her business back to methods a century old—to specie and bankruptcy.” Now, sir, my object in writing to you is to say that this is by no means @ true picture of the condition of England during the period which Mr, Wendell Phillips describes. He does into tender for all not give the source of his information, but, trom all = the historical records I have , | am warranted in saying it was a period of great suffering. Let Mr. Wendell Phillips consult “The, Life and Times of Sir Robert Peel” and read the debates of the House of Commons, which are both a faithful record and true mirror of the condition of the people, and I venture to say he will arrive at a conclusion precisely the reverse of the one which his lew contains, Why, in 1814, no fewer than 240 «banks stopped payment in England, thousands of in- dustrious individuals were sunk into an abyss of misery and wretchedness, and doubt, debt, confusion and want met the eye at every turn, “It was said in Parliament that the national miseries at this time had risen to a point wholly without precedent since the Norman conquest,” and it was only after the resumption of cash payments in 1819 that confidence was restored and trade revived. There were theorists in those days—dreamers, if you will—just as there are many of them among your people now, who imagined that all the evils could be cured by an increase of in- convertible paper (legal tender, of course), and it was actually proposed by Mr. Vansittart, in Parliament, “That the Bank of England notes had hitherto been, and were at that time, held to be in the public ea- timation equivalent to the legal coin of the realm. I think it was Brougham who laughed the pro- posal out of the House, by suggesting that the absursdity of the resolution only required a paragraph added to it, asserting that two and two make five to rendet it complete. Common sense and arith- metic would then be both equally outraged. Thanks to the wisdom of Parhament, we got our currency restored to specie payments and bank notes made payable on demand, which is the only sure foundauon upon which paper money can rest, if you wish to guard against overissues and consequent depreciation, no matter whether the notes be issued by the State or by the banks It may be interesting for the American people to know that while Pitt, by an order in Council, commanded the Bank of England to suspend cash payments in 1797, the Scotch banks were not interfered with, and they never altered their mode of payment during all that protracted period of trial; their notes were always pay- able on demand and never were depreciated. On one side of the Tweed Bank of England notes were circulat- ing ata depreciation; on the other side Bank of Scot- land notes were circulating at their full value, An illustration of the same nature 1s to be found now on this Continent. About a fortnight since I passed over from Canada to the States. In Wind- sor I found Canadian bank notes circulate at their full value. In Detroit United Statos greenbacks were subject to a heavy depreciation. The other day Ichanged a Canadian bank note in the city of Boston into your circulating medium, and received thirteen per cent premium on it of your currency. Could anything be more conclusive in showing the eu- pertority of the one system over the other? It appears to me the first principles of a sound cur- rency are not understood by those who are agitating | your country from ocean to ocean for political pur- A conquest of Mexico would revive our dead | national and political sentiment; it would be filled with | poses, otherwise, in the face of a currency already de- preciated, they would never moot the idea of increasing its volume, with the sure and certain result of still fur- ther debasing it, unsettling all values, robbing the working man, the poor and the ignorant, and dofraud- ing existing creditors by paying debts unjustly. ‘The volume of the currency must and will depend upon the trade and commerce of the country, whether it be metallic or paper, or partly both the one and the other, The currency is the effect, not the cause of commerce; just as commerce is the effect, not the cause of capital Tbe currency is merely the medium, and represents for the time being the articles you are willing to exchange. If trade is active and stocks of grain, &c., large, more currency will be required to move them, which we have found the banks in Scotland to supply im the most admirable manner, according to the requirements of the public, A redundant currency can only exist where it is legal tender and issued tn excess. The first duty of your goverument is to reduce the volume of your currency 80 as to bring it toa par with the world’s currency, namely, gold. In France there is no depreciation, although since the Franco-German war they have been similarly situated to you, the only dif- ference being that their debt is heavier and their credit worse, but with their former experience of assignats they have acted prudently and not issued more paper than the country could absorb. On a former occasion they thought there was no limit to the issue of assig- nats until it came to be that 500 of these wero required to purchase acup of coffee, Let Mr. Wendell Phillips’ scheme be put into force and you will have the same result in the United States, with all its after con- sequences of chaotic ruin, I regret to find in my travels—East, North and West—great complaints of bad trade, extreme depres- sion existing everywhere, no elasticity, no prosperity, aperatives at Lowell leaving the country, and working- men poorly paid in relation to the cost of living, which with your boundless resources onght not to be, and is a clear proof of bad government, In my opinion yours tariff is all wrong aad the chief cause of this prostration, Everything has been so artificially enhanced in price that you cannot now produce cheaply, and the remedy is to work* back epeedily toward freo trade, If you wish to know the secret of Great Britain's success during the last thirty years it is to be found there, and the arguments which induced her to adopt this pokey apply with tenfold greater force to your country, I know I shall not get credit for offering this opinion; but if selfishness governed the British people in offering it they would advise you to rotain your protective tariff, for with It you will never compete successfally in the markets of the world. With = free trade you would very soon be our fhost formidable and keenest competitor. I am very much amazed to find the American people repeating the stale old arguments which Cobden demolished more than thirty years since, The exploded theories of the Old World are taken up here, and the old garments brushed up anew, which Adam Smith pronounced worthless 100 years ago, Restore your currency to a sound basis, s, and, a8 soon as possible, adopt free trade, and, with an honest government, your country great and STEPHEN MASON, Yours, & pt. 14, 1 mighty future. New York, UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINAR The Unton Theological Seminary (Presbyterian), ta University place, was reopened yesterday after the an- nual vacation, More than 160 students and friends of the institution assembled in the chapel on the occasion, The Rey. Dr, W, T. Adama, the President of the Semi, nary, addressed the students, advising thom of the ne- cossity for real, honest work, both in the period of Scholarship and in the future time of ministration, He deprecated love for notoriety, and said, figuratively, | that he who aimed to go forward on the lightning ex- press would probably be handed a return ticket, With words of encouragement and hopefulness he closed his interesting and instructive address. During the vacation the Seminary building has beon entirely renovated. The chapel has been refitted and @ new five story dormitory butiding has been erected on | Greene street, The institation can now furnish acoom- modations for 120 resideat pupils aud class instruckon for twenty otbers | | GEORGIA. Political Condition of the State. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MORIBUND Democratic Party Leaders and Policy--The Independents. 4 Axpivs, N, J., Sept. 16, 1875. To THe Eprror or tis HeRaLp:. T conclude my account of Georgia with a few remarks about the political condition of the State. In the first place there is no republican party worthy of the name in the State, There is but one republican newspaper, and that is a weekly, One of the most zealous republicans in the State said to me, ‘The re- publican party, so far as its white members are con- cerned, consists mainly of federal office-holders and men _ Seeking office—mostly natives of the State.” He added, } “There are not more than a hundred active white republicans im Georgia who are honest and out of office.’ Another zealous republican said to me, “The white republicans of Georgia are made up almost entirely of federal office-holders whose aim is to keep their places, and of men who are trying to get these places. There is substantially no- body else, white, in the party.” Another said, “White men put themselves forward for Congress on the repub- lican ticket, knowing they will be beaten, with the sole object of rushing to Washington as soon as the election is over to set upaclaim for a federal office on the ground of their defeat.” “The Civil Rights bill killed the republican party in this State,” said a federal officer to me—‘“it put us back to 1867.” Less than 5,000 whites voted the republican ticket at the election of 1874 In 1872, a republican told me, at least 10,000 Dlacks voted the Greeley ticket, and ‘ore and more negroes yote democratic all the time.” I notice that among the grievances of the blacks mentioned in discussions of the so-called insur- rection is one that they are disfranchised if they do not pay their poll and road taxes, This is perfectly true, and, I think, perfectly just. Poll and road tax is all that the greater part of them pay toward the sup- port of the government, and if they ovade this they do not deserve to vote, The same law applies to we whites, In the Georgia Congressional delegation there is not now a single republican, One reason for this is that, in some cases, the party nominates mon who cannot get the support of honest republicans, One such man I was told of, who was no sooner beaten than he proceeded to Washington and set ap a clam to all the federal _ patronage of the district in which he had been cat by every honorable republican. Nor are claims of this kind always disallowed at Washington, For instance, not long ago, a man was appointed Collector of Internal Revenue in a Georgia district who, according to general republican testimony, had been a Ku Klux in Ku Klux times, and who actually could not take the office because he then stood charged with offering a bribe. One of the most prominent federal officers in the State, a native and a zealous republican and bitter op- ponent of the democratic party, said to me, “I don’t know that there is any republican party in the State, The negroes will not vote in general because they have no white vote back of them. The blacks are almost totally distranchised by their neglect to pay their taxes, At least two-thirds of the colored voters are thus disfranchised. Then, again, in some counties where there are large negro majorities half a dozen black demagogues insist on running for the same of- fice, and then democrats run in between them. Wherever independent tickets have been put up in counties the supporters of these strove for the negro vote, and in such cases the election was always peace- able and full, because there two parties were anxious for this vote. Ido not think that for a year or two | past there has been much cheating in wages; the peo- ple have learned to do better.”” DEMOCRATIO RULE IN GEORGIA. Georgia has been longer and more continuously than any other cotton State since the war under the rule of the democratic party. Bullock, the republican Gov- ernor, chosen at the adoption of the constitution in 1868 for a term of four years, abandoned his office and the State in October, 1871; Smith, democrat, was elected to fill his unexpired term; was re-elected in 1872, and is still Governor. The Legislature, which is elected every two years, was republican by a small majority in 1863; but the body which assembled in November, 1871, was strongly democratic, and both houses and all the executive officers have been democratic ever since, It follows that, since the winter of 1871, the State govern- ment has been entirely in democratic hands, and the county governments have also, with but few excep- tions, fallen under the same control. The Legislature has been overwhelmingly democratic in both branches. It would be strange, considering the circumstances and the party strength, if the ruling party had been always wise; but it must be said that they have done very few wicked or very foolish things. They have been for- tunate in the possession of a few wise and conservative men, with courage enough to make their sentiments known, For instance, in the last Legislature a stupid old Bourbon introduced a bill to make a breach of con- tract by @ negro a penal offence. But Mr. Furlow, & strong democrat, but a sensible man, rose at once and declared that he would oppose such a measure as long as he lived; that in his experience if you pay a negro and treat him “honestly he will work fairly and stick to his contract. Furlow ts a popular man and has the courage of his opinions, and the result was that in a House of 120 members only twelve votes were cast for the bill, In like manner tho Toombs men, who are the Bourbons in Georgia, have tried on different occasions to get a constitutional con- vention, but have always failed, the constitution being @ sufficiently good instrument. So, too, in his last | Message Governor Smith, who has cohducted himself so well in this “insurrection” —_ business, urged the Legislature to stop the university, and the Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion supported him, believing, as he told mo, that a nor- mal school for colored teachers was more necessary than a university. But, in spite of a foolish prejudice against tho teachers in the university, the Legislature refused to do the Governor's bidding. It is but just to add that if the dread of “social equality” was likely to die out this would be skilfully prevented by some lead- ing republicans, chief of whom is the Northern Motho- dist Bishop Haven, who has on several occasions openly declared himself in favor of “social equality,” and who appears to me to have quite a genius for keoping alive a subject which naturally stirs up rancorous feelings, and which is best left to settle rtself. *DEMOCRATIO POLITICS, ‘The prostration of the republican party has given the democrats such great power that they are now on the verge of a quarrel among themeelves, In two Congres- | stonal districts, in 1874, democrats ran against demo- crats; in many counties independent candidates were put forward, and where the republicans were wise enough to support them wore elected. There are at this time eight or ten candidates for Governor, and I hear that Mr. Stephens is not unlikely to run as an in- dependent. By the way, Governor Smith is a candi- date for ro-election, and in view of this fuct his firm and just course during the “insurrection” excitement shows that he at loast believes that the white peoplo whose votes he would like to geture in favor of justico to the nogroes, Georgia has somo able and many influential public men. Unfortunately for the republicans they are ail in the democratic party. Governor Brown, who is ro- puted the ablest aial most popular man in the State, was a republican in 1868; but ho is one no longer. He isa man of moderate views, a lover of justice; and if the republicans in Washington had been wise, one would think they would have tried to keep him in the party. Of Mr. Stephens I need not speak, He is deeply respected by all Georgians, who forgive him all his vagarics and will support him for what ever place be desires, conscious that he will serve them honestly, General Toombs is a man of but little influence, He has but @ small and decreas- ing following, composed of a few extremists, Mr, Ben Hill, who is a member of the next Congress, is spoken of in Georgia as @ prodigy, and as certain to make career in Congress. He is a ready speaker, and has spoken, in his time, on both sides of several jmportant ap- | propriation of $8,000 per annum for the colored | public questions, There are other notable those I have named are the leaders of opinion. “When the democrats are so likely to split, especially on the nomination for Governor, I suppose the republi- cans will stand ready to support an independent demo- crat,” I gad to a leading republican, He replied, “That is not so certain. It is more probable that some republican will be selfish enough to demand # nomination for himself, will get it with the help of the negro, and will of course be beaten, The fact is,” he added, “you can see that there 4s no room here for a republican party such as exists, composed of a few ambitious leaders and a mass of ignorant blacks; It is a nuisance.” He was right; such aparty iaa@ danger to the community; and I cannot help but admure the self-control of the democrats, who, with such overwhelming majorities in the Legislature, have committed so few follies, Their management has not always been wise, and in the parts of the Stato remote from railroads there has been maltreatment of blacks, which was scandalous, and which the press did not properly report. Such things are getting rare, as I was assured by republicans who were well informed, But it seemed to me that both the press and many of the public men of the State are foolishly timid in rebuking both folly and wrong. They have not sufficient confidence in the people. It was laughable to me to see how timidly @ part of the press and some of the prominent public men supported & movement In Atlanta to celebrate last Fourth of July; and to seo, nevertheless, in what crowds the people turned out in the city and came in from the country to join in the celebration when it was finally determined on. I ought to add, on the authority of several federal office-holders, all earnest republicans, that the Bar of the State, in matters where jus- tice to the colored people is concerned, is not chargeable with neglect or cowardice. They told me positively that lawyers all over the State, from the highest to the least, were always ready to defend a negro in a court of justice “fcalled on, The conduct of the recent conspiracy trials shows this to be true. ‘The difficulty in Georgia is that blackand white re- publican and democratic demagogues unite in main- taining the color line in politics, The bad democrat does not object, for it enables him to control the State, ‘The bad republican iikes it, for it makes him a martyr and gives him what he longs for—a federal offllce— or at least the excuse for demanding one. Governor Smith spoke wisely when he said to me that only when the color line was broken could the politics of .the State be settled, and this would bring absolute security to the negro. There 1s no doubt, too, that the Civil Rights bill and the Force bill and all the other efforts made to maintain in the South a spurious republican party, such as giving many of the federal offices to men who have no real hold or influence i their State—all these things have only tended to band the white voters together ina more and more inflexible opposition to the federal ad- m‘nistration and to band the ignorant blacks together and subject them to the rule of demagogues, leaving the moderate men of both sides without their just voice or influence, CHARLES NORDHOFF, RAPID TRANSIT. THE QUESTIONS AT ISSUE BETWEEN THE COM- PANIES AND THE COMMISSIONERS—WHERE TO PLACE THE STRUCTURE—PROPOSED AMALGA- MATION OF THE NEW YORK AND GILBERT COMPANIES, The Commissioners of Rapid Transit held another meeting yesterday, President Seligman in the chair, Mr. Harrison, the Secretary, being still away at Syra- cuse, here he, no doubt, is to represent and guard the Mayor’s interests, Commissioner Canda continued to act in his place as Secretary. The session was con- sumed by discussions of the various features of elevated railroad plans, the various members of the Board ex- pressing their respective opinions frankly. Thus far no decided or irreconcilable differences of opinion have appeared, The Commission seems to be perfectly har- monious in this important work. ‘The probability, from present indications, is that only the general outline of aplan will be adopted, and that the details of con- struction will be left to the judgment of the respective companies, The Commissioners aro afraid that thoy might otherwise stultify themselves; for, while a cer- tain structure might be advisable for certain streets, contingencies may arise which may Nemand alterations, ‘The outline of the structure to be adopted by the Com- mission will only indicate the capacity of the road, its strength, the gencral plan of construction, & A CENTRAL STRUCTURE PREFERRED, One of the principal questions still undecided is the situation of the structure, whether it is to be placed in the middle or on the lino of the curb, On the wide avenues—notably on the Sixth and on the Third—there is no doubt that the middle of the street will be preferred. The reasons which seem to have led the majority of the Commission to this conclusion are mainly these:—It is considered, in the first place, that a span across the street would dis- figure it more than if the structure were only in the centre. This seems tobe correct, forthe view along the street would certainly be much more interrupted by the complete span. Another argument in favor of the central situation of the structure ts that the light and ventila- tion would be better, which is also sound. But the greatest advantage which is claimed for it is its cheap- ness and greater strength. Tho engineers consulted by the Commissioners agree that a track placed right over the posts must undoubtedly be stronger than if it rested on a girder spanning posts twenty-- five feet apart, and this would seem to be also the common sense conclusion. Coincident with this is the question of expense, Tho girder, in the complete span, must be of very remarkable strength to possess the sane endurability ‘in its centre as when the posts are in close contiguity. To give it thatstrength a large outlay is required, which, it is claimed, could be saved by placing the structure in the middle of the ayo- nue. TIE NUMBER OF TRACKS. Another important question still at issue between the companies and the Commissioners is that of the number of tracks. The New York Elevated Railroad Compan; are in favor of four tracks on the Third avenue, which they deem necessary for the accommodation ‘of the enormous trailic along that thoroughfare, while several of the Commissioners think two tracks would be suili- cient for the present, and are disinclined to grant more than three at tho utmost, in order to leave as much space open to the unhindered traffic of vehicles as possible, It will be seen that the Commissioners are ina delicate position, They have to harmonize # great many conflicting interests. They are unwilling to do anything which might perchance defeat the practical success of their work, For in- stance, in the question of expense they must conciliate the capitalists. They might adopt the best structure the human mind could devise, and if it were one 80 ex- ponsive that capitalists would withdraw they would ave done the very thing to kill rapid transit THN QUESTION OF EXPENSE, It is a great consolation that the capitalists who mean to take this great enterprise into their hands—George M. Pullman, José Navarro, C. K. Garrison, David Dows, Wilham L.’ Scott, &c.—dre public spirited and lib: eral men, who’ look at the question broadly, and will not stint a few thousand dollars to make the structure so solid and ornamental as to render it worthy of Now York. The New York Company computed the cost of the road at $300,000 per mile (of double track), while the Commissioners’ plan will probably bring it up to $400,000, which is still a low figure fora first rato structure.’ They say very confidently that it will be a pleasing as well as a safe structure; that it will have three different coats of paint, for instance, and that screens reaching up to the windows of the cars will hide the lower portion of the moving trains partially from the horses’ view, There is considerable talk of an amalgamation of the New York and the Gilbert companies at no distant fu- ture, In view of the determined opposition of the horse car companies with their “reptile fund’? of $3,000,000, as the German radicals would call it, a union of their strength would certainly seem to be just now in the in- terost of rapid transit, ‘The Commissioners will meet again to-day at twelve | o'clock. ext week they will advertise the day on which they intend to adopt the plan. TEXAN EDITORS IN TOWN, Yesterday afternoon a delegation of editors from tie State of Texas, at present on a visit to this city, called Among this delegation are Messrs, W. 1. Lecler, of the Leader; C. A. Van Horn, of the Advertiser; J. J. Alston, of the Journal; A. H. Abney, of the Transcript; W. N. Bryant, of the Railroad Guide; M. 8. Pierson, of the Star; G. A. Cutter, of the Commercial; F. D. Allen, of the Visitor, and some dozen others, Tho delogation is accompanied by several lady relatives, The visit to the Mayor yesterday was simply one of compliment to that gentleman as chief magistrate of the city. A few minutes were spent in social conversation, after which the editors were shown through the ’ Governor's Room and City Hall by Mr. Newman, the Mayor's ser- geant-atarms. SUFFOCATED IN A VAT. At noon, yesterday, as Isaac Marshall, a colored man, Fosiding at No. 833 East Sixty-first street, was engaged in cleaning out an ink vat in Lightbody’s Ink Factory, at No, 345 Hast Sixty-first street, he was overcome by the foul air and, before he could be taken out, expired. The Coroner wag notified and wl bold ap inquests | men, bat) THE SEVENTH’S ARMORY. COLONEL CLARK I REPLY TO COMPTROLLED GREEN—THE, REGIMENT'S CLAIM—THE CIT} SHOULD ERECT A BUILDING WORTHY OF NEW ‘YORK, Under date of the 26th ult, Comptroller Green wrote acolumn and @ quarter letter to Mr. Osward Otten dorfer condemning the project now-on foot of building a new armory for the Seventh regtment, N.G.S.N.¥. The communication of Mr. Green has caused a good deal of comment among the militiamen generally ané those of the Seventh regiment particularly. A representative of the Hexatp waited upon Major General Alexander Shaler to ascertain his views upoa the subject of armories and the rumored reduction is the number of regiments composing the First division, N.G.S.N.Y., of his command, The General said that, while it is desirable to reduce the regiments onder hit orders from thirteen to ten and augment the numerical strength and effectiveness of the remaining corps, it is difficult from one cause or another to fnerterd with regiments which have a good sorvice record and y friends behind them to sustain their right to recognition, A reduction in the number ot tactical units, which form the division, would, ot course, lessen the armory room requisite to accommo date the troops remaining in service, and thus reduce the amount of revenue to be raised by the city, In view of the enormous debt of New York city the commander of the First division, while recog nizing the need which there ts of providing the National Guard regiments with comfortable accommo- dations, had abstained from pressing even the carrying out of existing legislation touching the important question of armories. He is in favor of drawing as lightly on the city purse as may be consistent with the dignity of the Corporation and the proper carrying om of the several departments of the city government Colonel Clark, commanding the Seventh regiment, ‘was visited and requested to state his impressions of Mr. Green's letter, The gallant Colonel expressed him- self as follows:— COLONEL CLARK ON GREEN'S LETTER, “The principal reason why the Seventh regiment needs @ new armory located in the upper part of the city is that its present location (Third avenue and Sixth street) is not central or convenient of access to the members, The centre of the population which it par. ticularly represents has moved rapidly toward the Har- lem River during the past fifteen years, and at the present time a large pare of its officers and members resido above Thirty-fifth street. They find it difficult and onerous to atiend the frequent drills which are necessary to maintain the military efficiency ot the regiment. While the armory 1s so distant from the residences of the members there will always be delay in assembling the troops if called upon by the city authorities to preserve peace and order or to protect public or private property. The present location of the armory also renders it dificult for the regiment to ob- tain recruits or new members, who are constantly nevessary to its continued efficiency and prosperity, and thus its future welfare and its existence as a large, tnoroughly drilled and well disciplined organization is endangered. Acting upon these facts, the officers and men of the regiment have been anxiously seeking during several years for a new armory in'the upper part of the city.” The regiment at first selected Reser- voir square (Forty-second street) as a desirable site for @ new armory; but it was Fg by a@ strong publia sentiment, on the ground that no square or park or any part of the same should be devoted to such pur- pose. ‘THE PRESS OF THE CITY strongly reflected thig opinion, but at the same time conceded in most complimentary terms the claims of tho regiment to public favor, and advocated tho erection of a suitable armory for it in some other location. The regiment, therefore, abandoned the project of a new armory in Reservoir square, and in 1873 voted to ac- cept a3 a site for one the ground belonging to the city on Fourth avenue, between Sixty-sixth and Sixty- seventh streets) To show the unanimous public senti- ment as to the necessity of anew armory for this corps over 25,000 of the largest taxpayers and leading busi- ness men of the city signed a petition to the Legisla- ture in 1873 in favor of an act to provide not only a site for a uew Rae but also for the erection of one for tho regiment. The Legistature, in 1874, passed, with grea unanimity, an act authorizing and requiring the ‘ommissioners Of the Sinking Fund of the city of New Yerk to lease to the tleld oificers of the Seventh regi- mentthe plot of ground above referred to asa site for an armory and drill rooms, and the act was promptly signed by Governor Dix. ‘This act contains nothing ex- pressed or implied requiring the regiment to erectan ar- mery at its own expense, It is true that some officers and members of the regiment were ambitious to erect the armory M4 subscription, and hoped to avoid the no- cessity of calling upon the city for any pecuniary aid; but neither the regiment nor its Board of Otlicers ever took official action in that direction. It is not true that the lease of this land to the regiment by the Commis- sioners of the Sinking Fund was made upon a promise that we would erect the armory at our own expense, The Commissioners had no discretion in the matter, but were required to make the lease in the same form as leases of land have been heretofore made by the Commissioners for benevolent and charitable purposes, ‘The lease contains no clause requiring the field officers to erect or cause to be erected an armory at their own expense or at the expense of the regiment, and the regi- ment has the undoubted right to obtain the money for such purpose by sabscription, by AN APPROPRIATION FROM THE CITY or the State, or in any other way proper, practical or possible. After the lease was duiy executed and re corded, the practical question as to obtaining money for the erection of the armory was next in order. Upon consultation with leading citizens and friends of the regiment there was but one opinion upon the subject. Why (it was said) should the young men of this regi ment, who are spending their time, money and labor in maintaining an efficient military organization, which ig liable in the future, as in the past, to be called upon ta defend and protect the lives and property of the people of the city, State and nation, be required to build an armory in which to drill and store thetr arms, uniforms and equipments? Their services are voluntary and without pecuniary reward, and why should they tax themselves or their friends to erect a building for pub- lic purposes upon tl a tigen g of the city? A military force i8 necessary in this city and is sometimes called upon to aid the police; and are Pye required to build their own station houses? When military and civil oticats of rank and experience wer, consulted upon the subject they said, peremptorily, ‘No mi organization should be so 4 i sits INDEPENDENT OP THR CIVIC AUTHORITIES as to own its own armory.’ The precedent is dangerous and the project is not feasible. The city should build anarmory. And thus the most sanguine of those offt- cers and men of the regiment, who were ambitious to build and own their own armory, were obliged ta abandon any project of raising the Toney by subscrip- tion, Sincé 1862 it has been the duty of every county of the State of New York to provide armoriés for the regiments located within its limits, and the Boards of Supervisors have been authorized and required by the military code to ercct or lease the necessary buildings for military purposes, The law of 1875, amendatory ta the military code, simply reailirms the law of 1862 in this particular, but its provisions are evidently designed and are certainly ample to prevent any abuses in the future, This act was passed nearly unauimously by the Legisiatare, and was approved by the Governor, who 19 known to be not only familar with all public’ affurs, but is also wise, cautious and experien¢ed. Under thia act the Adjutant General and the, Inspector General of the State and the Major General of the First division have officially certified to the Board of Aldermen that a new armory in another location {s necessary to the Seventh regiment, and that it has the number and mili- tary efficiency to justify a proper expenditure for thia purpose, The demand has been made upon the Board of Aldermen, and this Board, with great unanimity, has passed the necessary resolution, and in so domg has truly represented, it is believed, the wishes of tha people of the city, An architect has been selected, and the plans and specifications are nearly completed, and estimates have been obtained which justify the asser~ tion that the cost of the building will not exceed the appropriation, As the Tompkins Market Armory, when vacated by the Seventh regiment, can be appropriated to the use of some other corps whose members mostly Tetide in its vicinity, thereby saving to the city the ex- pense of leasing an armory for such regiment, it will be seen that there is no material addition to the burdens of the taxpayers by the erection of anew armory for the Seventh, The interest upon the cost of the buildi will be considerably less than the amount paid for the Jease of some other armories in the past, and it is not an unusual sum to be paid for proper accommodations for the largest regiment in whe city, numbering about 1,000 men, The Seventh regiment has expended over $100,000 in furnishing and decorating the Tompkins Market Armory, Unfortunately ite property there has 1 ruined by reason of vhe delay in repairing th e by fire in July, 1874, and since that dave ment has been OMLIGED TO DRILL OUT OF DOCRS, or in rooms flooded with water by every storm. Tha groat damage to public and private property at Tomp- | king Market ig not, however, chargeable to tho Mayor, | Alderme riment of Public Works, Thi: upon Mayor Wickham at his office in tho City Hani, | Aldermen or the, Depal nia Togiment has mado no public complaint in respect to this unnecessary destruction of its property, but has gone choorfully forward, knowing tuil well that the city of New York would in due time provide for its wants, There is no reason to doubt but that in two years from this time it will be Fre’, quartered in ite@ new armory. As the law of 1875 wisely lays down that the city shail not provide anything but what is absolutely necessary for the military exercises of any regiment, the Seventh and its several companies hava already commenced raising money for furnishing and decorating its new armory, and itis intended that the expenditures in that direction will make the building creditable to the great city which this regiment has for half a century served freely, faithfully and honorabiy,'* A NEW MASONIC LODGE ROOM, Anew Masonic Lodge Room was dedicated in tha German Savings Bank Building, corner Broadway and Boerum streets, Williamsburg, last evening, by tha Grand Lodgo of the State of New York. Grand Master Elwood E. Thorne conducting the ceremeaig, & bans quet ay Turn Hall followed the AOI