New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-07-18
MANCHESTER. ONO. July L.. Is


lection to hear how matters, political and
otherwise, are moving along here in this part
OF Ohio, propose to give you a sketch OF
things in general, that have come under my
observation within the past week or so.
In the first place commencing with my own
town, (Manchester,) we hayH no Greeley
Republicans here, not one. There are Gree
ley men here, but they are Democrats and
are Greeley men from necessity. There is
not the least bit of enthusiasm manifested by
them for him, such as is usually manifested
by party for its candidate for President. 1
think | am perfectly safe in saying that,
taking the mass of the Democrats as find
them in this county, they will go into this
Presidential canvass with less respect for
their candidate, and feeling more certain of
defeat, than any they have participated for
a number of years. Let any one go around
among the masses of the Democrats and
sound them on this question, and they will
come to the same conclusion L have; they
will find that the Democratic party, through
its politicians and wire-workers, has been
burdened with candidate that they have no
respect for, and in fact many of them say they
will not support him at all, but will let the
election go by default.
The Republicans here are all serene ;"
they are not at all alarmed at the movements
that are being made on the political chess
board, they have confidence III the integrity
and popularity of their leaders, Grant and
Wilson, therefore they are not giving them
selves any uncasiness as to the result. will
say here for the benefit of those persons
who are ignorant as to the status Of Man.
chester, that it is town of 200 inhabitants,
Republican in its politics, and not with the
soldiers widow Government official in
the place, SO it can easily be seen that
Grants popularity here is not due to any
official patronage whatever. But enough of
this for the present.
The 4th of July has come and gone with
the usual number of bonfircs, picnics, and
stump speeches by spread eagle orators.
am happy to note though, that there is quite
an Improvement in the quality of the speeches
that are made on the 4th now, to what they
were some years ago, which Dickens so aptly
describes in one of his works. When the De-
claration of Independence is read now, we all
feel that it has a meaning, and is not an
empty boast as of yore. There not being
anything of any consequence son the bills"
to come Off here ON the 4th, l concluded
would pay visit to Portsmouth, Ohio, and
see how they " did" such things there.
found Portsmouth to be thriving little city
is situated on the northern bank of the Ohio
river, one hundred and fifteen miles above
Cincinnati. 1t has large wholesale trade
i'll the adi dining counties in fact it is quite
n city in many respects. Among the many
improvements they have lately added to their
city is the erection of water works on the
I" Holly system - and if any stranger who
visits Portsmouth should doubt this, he will
soon have his doubts removed if he will take
the trouble to walk along any of its main
business streets, for, if he is not on the lNDk-
out, he will soon be treated to "shower
BATH free of cost, and, on looking around,
will discover a little urchin lodging behind
a shade, hugging a rubber hose" in his
arms, and laughing at your discontinue |!
But, beyond this little unpleasantness,"
one cannot be otherwise than favorably inn
pressed with the appearance Of the city; its
business men and citizens, with few eXcep-
tons, are models of integrity and pOliteness
The Fourth was generally observed by all
classes i'll some form or other, either by street
parade or picnic excursions to the woods.
The colorcd people here, who number about
eight hundred, were not behind their white
brethren in their preparations for the days
observance. There are, believe, seven
fire companies Six white and one colored :;
the title of the colored company is "Hope :"
they stand No. in the list of organization.
1t seems that few days previous to the
Fourth, Germania Fire Company No. 3 held
a meeting and resolved to celebrate the
Fourth by grand parade through the city
so they forthwith made preparations to that
effect, and sent special invitations to all of
the other fire companies to join with them in
the parade, with the exception of one COM
pany, (No. 5, colored.) Now, l don't sup
pose they could possibly find any reason
why they snubbcd the colored company, I'M
less it was their prejudice of color. But l
am glad to chronicle the fact as Il sample of
American honor, under the new order of
things, that with one exception every one Of
the other companies refused to accept of the
Gcnnania's invitation to join with them in
the parade unless the colored company was
invited also! SO there were but two compa-
MES that paraded together, the No. 3 Ger
mania) and No. I, the balance of the COM
panies refusing to take any share in it for the
above reason.
The colored company later in the day
donned their uniforms, and, headed by fife
and drum, paraded through the principal
streets; they carried banner with them
which bore the following motto: "In Union
is Strength" which was a neat bit of sar-
casm on the conduct of the Gerrania."
find here, as in other places, but little
or no enthusiasm for Greeley among the
nap,pnratc <ph;la har nd fbara hear nf