New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-09
New1lork DAILY Gribn,se
FROM BOSTON.
From Our Own Correspondent


BosTON, Nov. 4, 1859.
We have had prodgious excitement about the !
ouality of our rum; not our general, universal,
cosmopolitan everyday rum, but our Official rum;
rum covered and protected by the State Commits |
siouer's seal and attested by the Assayers certi'
cate Last Winter there were painful rumors that
this rum had been adulterated, doctored, housed,
favored, weakened, strengthened, or extended
las the latest phrase but although the Legislature
undertook TO investigate, the proof was somewhat
detective During the Summer, the Revision Com
mttee at the instigati0n OF young MI Sponora Oh
Newburypert, took into consideration the exPe-
diency of abolishing the State Agency, out nnany
concluded to stay their Vandal hands In due pro-
cess of revising the laws, the question came up
again last week. Mr.. Spoford again made bis mo-
tion. and loudly detained against the quality OF
the official liquor, which he pronounced ruinous to
the health of the people. But the representatives
refused to heed his appeal Alter the vote was
taken, Mr. Russell OF Boston proposed Commit
tee of Inquiry into the dealings OF the Liquor Com.
missioner with the firm of John FELTON, * Co., and
the Committee was appointed. Up came John
FELTON,. and up came his partner, Mr.. Jaques, and
thew swore to certain transactions with Brookhouse,
the foreman of the Agency, which on the face OF
them had bad look In brief, Bro0khOuse had
sent IN FELTON, g. Co.'S establishment some high
priced French brandy, and had 1t extended
with alcohol, 80 that it became very moderate
priced brandy, and not peculiarly ffench' II m'gn.
he considered. perhaps of French descent, but
nothing more. | believe that something was added
for aayorinq and cOlOrng, and this was all. IL Is
claimed on the one side that this il adulteration
in any sense of the word is so in harmless sense;
that the alcohol and the coloring and favorng mat
ter did not make the original article more POISONOUS
| On the other hand, as Judge by the camor, some
neonle suppose that this I" extended" French BRAN
\ DIV Mould be fatal to the drinker the "mortal
| drug" which the nameless apothecary OF Mantua
sold young Romeo.
"Put this in liquid thing you viii and drink i on and u
!yt Gai ssf the strength '"'"' ''' w
Well, the law against adulteration of liquors by
the State agent is not as severe as the Manuan law
against selling poison; it is only official death, and
| that has happened to Mr. Burnham, the agent. He
has taken himself Off TO prevent himself from being
taken of; be has resigned and the public is resigned,
| though suspect he is not The Hon. Jacob Sleeper
was appointed to take Mr.. Burnham's place. Being
| strict temperance man. il was supposed that ne
would not aduterate with anything worse than the
| best of Cochituate water and this would certainly
| do no HARM Bat be has declined and there ia no
appointment yet made. The investigation is still
| continued but its main purpose is probably an
swered and already the public interest in it seems
TO decline The report of the testimony is not half
| so interesting as The TRIBUNE's comments, last
/ Summer on Dr. Somebody's circulars There are
several morals TO be deduced from the transaction
First for Mr.. Burnham and spectators of his class.
| If you have been engaged in any dishonest trans
1 actions don't put them in book, like the His
| "t tory of the Hen Fever" If you mean to do an
honest business, don't trust it to dishonest Book
i houses Second, for the Governor, look more
sharply TO the antecedents of your Appendices, and
inquire more closely to the degree OF confidence
the people will have in them. Third, for the people
| don't drink agency rum, any other.
| Our State election takes place next Tuesday.
The vote ia likely TO be smaller than last year. but
Gov Banks's relative majority over all other candl-
dates, and his plurality over the Democratic candi-
| date is likely to be as large, and perhaps larger
| than il was last year. There is shocking degree
of inactivity in the canvass and much less fun than
| usual. The Republican State Committee sent all
| their money TO aid their friends out West, and the
public have heard nothing from the army Of
| orators who are always on hand when there IL any
danger of defeat when any deep interest Is ielt
| in politics Gov Banks has not spoken word,
| and nobody seems TO have noticed the fact that
neither he nor the others on the State ticket have
| acknowledged the fact that they were nominated.
| Gen. Wilson is helping you in New-YOrk; Buriin-
| game is shooting bufaOes in Kansas; Cushing,
| nobody has heard from for months, IN the line oil
politics; Winthrop and Hillard are IN EuroPe
| Hallett has bored nobody but the Lowell people,
| and Gen. Butler who was going to make the can
yass so interesting has not been Obliged to neglect
| his business to any great extent for the purpose
OF responding TO invitations to address the people.
| The caucuses and conventions are, however, FULLY
attended; the politicians interested if the people
are NOT. So the Commonwealth is safe. You may
| announce, in advance, the triumph Of the Republi-
cans infer that some Of your Democrats are IN
the hopes that Massachusetts may do something Tor
| their encouragement. For find the manifesto OF
the Watts Sherman Vigilance Committee printed IN
| The Boston Courier as 90 an advertisement. DO
these men suppose our Hunkers cannot do their
own lying, that they send on such batch OF false
hoods Let me tell them that they are msta.
ken. We have half dozen men (out of the State
| prison. too. J who could do as well as Sherman
| 4 Co. Quite a number Of our unpunished forgers
| thieves and swinders are well-educated men, who
would be glad to have their talents employed in the
same line Of business. Offer a prize OF $500 for
the biggest series of lies aud the Sherman Commit.
tee would have to look for their laurels. You will
b. amused to see that The Courier speaks OF the
Sherman Committee as body which seeks TO re-
form politics in 'NewYork, and points to their adj
yertisement as evidence Of their admirable qualIf-
cations for their work. The appearance OF sneh
men as Rsf0rmeTs is calculated 10 give Us lively
idea Of the character of the men who need re-
forming.
The Legislature moves slowly and II viii not