New-York tribune., 1869-02-27
MASSACHUSETTS.
THE POLITICAL NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ACTION.
rrRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE

rnents poltically here in MASSACHUSETTS, sihce lne
wear begap. The Senatorial Election was shocKlhgy
tame. Mr. Sumner got all the RepuOncah votes III
1o.h hrorcbes excepttwo Mr.. Davis of Charlestown.
rhostves himself an American Republican" and is
as infer sort of resduary legatee OF the old Know
NothinR organization, voted for Gen. Banks, and MI
Wells OF ChicOpee who was set down as on ahtl-Suh
ner Republican, was so strongly that way that ne
vent for j. G. Abbott who received the compliment
ary vote of the score of Democratic members Mr.
Sumner now enters upon his fourth term People
speculate little as to who would succeed him or
Senator Wilson, in case either should 60 into Gen.
Grants cabinet, and il is commonly thought that
although Gen. Butler would make bold push for
the place he would fail to get it, and that Gov Bout
we'll would stand the best chance. We are just now
little exercised over this Cabinet question l find
many people sanguine that Gen. Wilson is to be
called to the War Department after Gen. Schofed's
temporary occupation of the place. while Others are
as sanguine that the Hon. Alexander II. Rice will go
to the Navy, and others that 0Ov Boutwell, will have
charge of the Treasury. / was told yesterday that
Gov. Boutwell, was making certain domestic arrange
ments which indicated that he would be called into
the Cabinet; but then, it is not q month since
very well posted gentleman told me he
kneD Admiral Porter was to 60 to the Navy
Department because he had ordered house TO DC
got ready for him in Washington the 4th OF March,
IL Wilson or Boutwell, should be seclected there
would be a chance for promotion OF some one; Dut
Mr. Rice is now III private life. cannot hnd any
body who is anxious on the subject Of the Cabinet,
except those who are chronically fussers and antc
pators of evil The Springfield Republicans, which is
rather fond of scanning this class OF people, thinks
Mr. Fessenden is to be SECRETARY Of State. suppose
the Maine Senator is a member Of the Republican
party in good and regular standing. Indeed in some
l. Zee GoxyiOr thOOU oh
honor must be divided with Ross, Henderson
and Van Wrinkle, if not with johnson himself.
But what reason there is for supposing
Gen Grant willing to pick up such dead wood as Mr.
Fessenden cannot imagine. There is not even the
excuse that it would be desirable to make place for
Mr.. Morrill, in the Senate for 1T cannot be supposed
that Fessenden is in anybOdys way, just now
should as soon think of taking Robert c. Winthrop
in order to give chance here in Massachusetts, for
some modest and worthy person, like Gen. Butler
for instance AS to the Speakershp Of the new Con-
gress find impression has gone abroad that Mas
sachusets people are Indifferent to the success OF
Mr. Dawes. do not think such is the case. Every
body here regards Mr. Dawes one of our best Con-
pressmen. He lives so far west of Boston, and so
seldom comes to Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex
md Norfolk or even to Worcester, that the
political people do not have chance to see
him often but he is universally esteemed for his IN
dependence and ability. How much the Speaker OF
the House can do to promote good legislation or
check corruption do not know; but most people
here as everywhere else fancy believe that Mr'
Dawes would do much more in this direction tnan
his Maine competitor, Mr.. Blaine. And In this con-
viction rather than in any personal popularity OF Mr.
Dawes among the Republicans of this part of the
STATE lies the principal interest we have IN the con-
test There is moro or less ilfeeling between the
Maine and Massachusetts, men relative to the Vice
Presidency. There is tradition that Massachusetts
Is in some degree responsible for the defeat OF Mr.
Hamlin in the convention of 1864 and the nomination
Mr. Johnson There is very good foundation forit
that is to say not guilty above others, though
recolect very well that Mr. Stephen H. Phillips OF
Salem on his return from the Convention boasted
that it had done very great thing in nominating
Andy over Mr. Hamlin. Mr. Phillips is now Attor-
ney-General of the Sandwich Islands. have always
supposed remorse a good deal to do with his change
of residence and although he gets well paid, sup
pose for performing the duties of his Office have no
doubt that selfAaggelation and hair shirt are part
of the penalties he nicts on himself for his miscon-
duct Mr. Clafin has suffered more or less from the
suspicion. that the was engaged in this maneuver,
but don't think he was responsible for it, At any
rate, Maine paid off Massachusetts, in 1863 by reius-
ing to vote for Wilson for the same Office. Mr..
Blaine is held partly responsible for this, though
u
Hamlin himself. As do not believe that Massachu-
setts could have nominated Hamlin in ES4 or that
Maine could have nominated Wilson in 1868, / do
not think this small feud ought to affect the Speak
ership. And surely, on general grounds, Mr.. Dawes
lie to be preferred to Mr.. Blaine.
The Legislature has been in session nearly two
months and it is six weeks since the Committee on
the License Law was appointed. Yet it has not re-
. ported. The State Temperance Alliance assumes,
though without the least ground for the assumption
that the prohlbitory majority in the Senate and
House was chosen upon the liquor issue; and it is
driving the members with whip and spur to the re-
Enactment of the law of 1855, in its full force.
and word for word. There is resistance to
this pressure on the part of members
of the party who believe in the prohibitory law as
firmly as the Alliance does, but have vivid recol
lection of the vote of 1857 which, when the issue
was tried was against the law by $1,000 10000
jority. This class thinks it best to make certain
ceptions in favor of cider and lager beer and per-
baps. alsO in favor Of the sale by apothecares. So
hear good deal about the cider clause" will
tell you secret however. and that is, that it was
not the cider clause the lager beer clause mainly
which caused the reaction Of 1867; but the whisky
clause, the wine clause, the rum clause, the gin
clause. and all the other clauses especially the sez-
ure clause. The truth as to public opinion
here in Massachusetts seems to be, that q
majority of the people would be very glad
to see the open sale of liquor in bar-rooms and
, saloons put Fan end to but that when the law is
pushed to the extent of subecting them to personal
inconvenience in obtaining cask of cider, basket
of wine, glass of lager they will rebel against
it. whenever good opportunity OFFERS that is to say,
when the Democratic party in the order of politics,
experiences q revival of strength and the Republi-