The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-11-14

FIood-The New York Election
Presidential PrOspects-A Popular
Uprising for RefOrm-The Constf-
tutiOnal Convention.
Correspondence of Register.]
CINCINNATI, o., November II.
The trip from Charleston to Cincin-
natl by boat with almost an empty
river may be pleasant work to one
whose chief aim is to "kill time" but
to one who feels that 'life is short and
time is fleeing" the trip is an agoniz-
ing one. 1t took me just four days to
make the journey. Our boat was
brand new one, and cleverly differed.
The fare is far superior to that fur
liished at any Wheeling hotel, and the
cost of the trip, including the four days
board, elegant music and dancing every
evening, was Sc.
THE RIVER AND NAVIGATION.
A few showers OF rain have fallen
during the last few days, which, being
unusual in this latitude, set people to
racking their brains for means OF escape
from the impending flood! To-day,
the weather is cool and clear and all
old river men with whom have con-
versed, agree in the prediction that we
shall have no important rise in the
river this fall, but that Jack Frost
will embrace an early opportunity to
close navigation. This to be followed
by an overwhelming flood in the winter
or spring. This conviction seems to
have taken possession Of the minds OF
all the people along the river, for at
every landing at which our boat stop
ped some expression OF the kind was
the first to greet our ears.
THE NEW YORK ELECTION
has rather unsettled the calculations OF
some of the politicians. | believe this
evil, as cur average Democratic poll
tician regards it, is not unmixed with
good. With the imperial power OF
Tammauy broken, the rank and file OF the
party will be permitted to- make their
nomination for President, and, with not
a very cheering prospect Of success, the
nominee will he selected with great eau
ton and prudence. 1t was in the power
of the Democratic party to succeed in
1868, as many shrewd politicians be-
lieve, but, unfortunately, our leaders
were too confident and, hence, too
reckless. Many believed great reac
ton against the usurping and corrupt
party in power had set in among the
people, which would carry us on to
victory almost in spite of ourselves.
This was grand mistake No. |. And
the next great political crime OF the
delegates to the National Convention
was their permitting Tammany to run
the Democratic organization.
COLONEL TOM SCOTT
may be the man with whom to beat
Grant next year, but the probability is
he is not. The result Of the New York
election shows that there must be a
popular uprising, not simply in favor OF
q man, hut in favor Of a principle. In
New York it was the principle OF Gov
eminent by the People vs. government
by Ring; pure government We. scoun-
drelism and thievery. Apply the
same principle and arouse the people to
a Just appreciation of the national stu
alton. and the family Ring Government
at Washington, which is strangling our
republican system and centralizing it
for the benefit of the few, cnriching the
Ring and impoverishing the masses,
will be hurled from power with as
laundering an emphasis as was the less
powerful Ring in New York. 1t mat
tiers little who the people name to rep.
resent them if they themselves are thor
oughly aroused to the necessity of re-
form. 1t they are not so aroused, 1t Is
not in the power Of any man or combi-
nation of men and interests to succeed
against the consolidated power of the
National Government, with her power
full Treasury and Army, the bond
holders and tariff monopolists, organ
lied and banded together, as they are,
for future power and plumber. 1t is
more important that we be looking
about for means Of arousing the people
than for a candidate to represent them.
Accomplish the first, and the Moses
will be raised up that will lead them to
victory.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
In nv travels through West Virgi.
MIA, l have found the movement for
holding a Constitutional Convention
much more popular than the vote in
August seemed to indicate. The fact
is, the necessity of the Convention was
but little discussed before the public, no
general canvass was made, but few
local meetings were held, and Of the
forty or fifty newspapers in the State,
not to exceed halfa.dozen discussed
the questionwith anythinglike thorough
ness. l have been told by a large num-
Der of people who did not attend the
polls in August, thatif they had known
as much about the necessity of a Con-
vention, at that time, as they learned
during the late canvass, they not only
would have attended the polls them
selves but would have used their best
exertions to bring others out to vote in
favor OF the call. Again they all say
they were favorable to a.Convention
from the beginning, but not zealously
and actively so; they thought success
was certain at any rate. The fact is, it
only lacked the personal effort that was
given by candidates, in the last election,
to bring out as large q vote in August