The New York herald., 1872-08-27
Liberal-Democratic Convention
at Grand Rapids.
Interviews with Governor Blair, John
L. Harmon and Others.
GREELEY STOCK RISING.
Negroes and Indians Represented
Among the Unterrif1ed.


GRAND RAPIDS Mich, August q, 1872.
The political campaign In this lumber State pos
sesses peculiar interest from the detection of
Governor Austin Blair the celebrated war Governor
Of the State and subsequently representative in
Congress from the Jackson district, where he has
above 1000 regular majority, as wen as from the
spontaneous moral, social and political coalition
against Senator Zachariah Chandler, who is to
Michigan State what Cameron is to Pennsylvania
and Mr.. Tweed formerly presumed to be to the
State Of New York.
THE ANTI-CHANDLER WAR.
Although Mr.. Blair had served Michigan as the
war Governor and commander-in-chief between
1851 and 1865 for the patry sum Of ST, 900 a year
allotted by the constitution, which put him in debt
and compelled him to sell his farm, he was still
unable, with all the weight OF his personal and
moral character and services to stand up against
Chandlerism. Mr.. Chandler doomed him to be
Obiterated, he refused to coalesce with the pre-
vailing ''ring," and, is generally presumed he
had too much stature and parts to please Mr..
Chandler's uneasy vanity as a fellow-Senator.
Blair was beaten for the United States Senator
ship In common with william A. Howard, one of
Chandler's associates and other able men; and
young Ferry, Of Grand Haven, amiabe young
man Of some means, but no ability, was given the
Beat by Chandler's will and instrumentalities. This
melted nearly the whole OF the intellectual man.
hood OF the State to rise and declare war against
Chamberlain in Michigan. For some time WilliamA.
Howard wavered, but in the end all the liberal
republicans were whipped back into the party, ex-
cept Austin Blair who had too much pride of charac
ter and past public station to submit. After conferr
ing with Charles Sumner, Mr.. Banks, Mr.. Trumbull.
Mr. Farnesworth and others, Mr. Blair threw in his lot
with Horace Greeley and raised the banner Of open
Uhsc
the great capitalist and merchant Of Michigan and
others, and they prepared the machinery to
CRUSH BLAIR OUT
in the Jackson district Mr.. Chander's constituent,
Postmaster Edmunds, of Washington, began to
frank documents against Blair by the tens OF
thousands. Postmaster General Creswell was
brought to Michigan to lead the assault, but the
democratic party magnanimously closed around
Blair, and he delivered the most telling speech
upon q specific issue yet made in the West,
namely, fearful arraignment Of Creswell's culpa-
bility In the auditing of the Chorpenning claim.
TO this speech Creswell's defence at Lansing was
very weak matter, and the Postmaster General
left Michigan with no laurels and his visit rather
deprecated by the regular republicans.
The next movement of Chandler was to
ESTABLISH THE BLANrON DUNCAN PARTY =
In Michigan; but the instrumentalities were too
plain, and the plot failed. Old Edmunds, posi-
master aforesaid franked the invitations and Sena-
tor Ferrys brother-a lightweight and the impecu-
nious spendthrift OF the family-headed the job in
the western part Of the State, while around De-
troit, the contract to Bourbonize the Democracy
was let out to an ex-Nayor, whose off1cial charac
ter stank by reason of his traditional association
with paving rings the Forest Fires Relief Fund, and
the auctioneering Of city patronage while Mayor.
In spite, therefore, Of all this intriguing against
lied proudly around him. He had served out sim
gularly efficient term war Governor, without vo-
iating the common law or private rights in any in
stance, although right opposite Detroit the
Canada shore had been full OF State outlaws,
lake pirates and raiders. He was temperate
straightforward truthful, able and brave. Nothing
could be brought against him except the small
charge that some soldiers and officers OF Michigan
had given his wife pair OF carriage horses, look
ing glass and finger ring while he was getting
200 year for rallyng all the troops and forces
of Michigan.
The Chandler party hoped that
BLAIR's POVERTY
would dissuade him from running for Governor
again, and that he would appeal to his neighbors
and constituency to go to Congress- in which event
they expected to crush him out by concentrating
their forces upon his district and utterly wiping
him out of political life. Here again Blair showed
his GOODNESS and adroitness by leaving the district
to take care Of itself and consenting to run for
Governor of the State.
at Grand Rapids, the second town In the State OF
Importance and activity: 1t has about twenty
side of the State at the falls Of Grand River 1t is
very well built, supplied with railroads nothward,
liam A. Howard Howard, it will be remembered,
declined Chandler's disposition to get him out OF
the way by the offer Of an Asiatic mission, and
fn nrn md tn
locally, to Chandler; nevertheless, that inexOrabe
captain closed the snu0ers upon him and left him
to his own private resources solely to make the
society of Grand Rapids agreeable.
The four names most quoted for Governor were
those Of Judge sutherland Judge Cooley duncan can
of counties, all republicans until OF late. Mr..
Blar's nomination was assured If he would only
consent to accept, and when he arrived at sweets
Hotel the evening before the Convention met IL
was finally declared that ne had given up his pri-
vate inclnations and further canvassng was un-
The attendance was large stanch and respecta-
BILE nom both parties. We OF the Eastern states
are not used to seeing such solid, abstnent and
religious class OF democrats In attendance upon
conventions. long exile from Office OF eighteen
years has weeded out from their ranks most OF the
ambitious place.seekers of the State and reduced
the party to q degree OF patience, tolerance ana
citizen virtue which the more prosperous party
cannot of late years claim. Several OF the aDlest
NEGROES OF THE STATE
attended the Greeley Convention from Ypsilanti,
made ardent speeches for Horace Greeley. A few
voting Indians were also in attendance. The ne
grOes OF Michigan bear no great gratitude TO the
white republicans there since by the decisive mega
tive OF 10000 votes the latter refused to strike the
word "white' from the State constitution at the
close OF the war. Persons were also present repre-
sentative OF the
POWERFUL STATE UNIVERSITY
at Ann ArbOr which institution-the most popu-
lous and flourishing in the West-was an efficient
instrumcntallty Of the republican party throughout
the war, but has lately shown signs OF oscilating
pack 10 more moderate theory Of republicanism
and abandoning the extreme practices of federal
centralization. Likewise the press
"REvEREND' CRoPPED OUT
frequently amongst the delegates and attendants,
showing that the generally dIffused belief in Mr..
Chandler's social frivolties Is bearing fruit The
Methodist vote OF Michigan left the democratic
party only in 1855, and the clergy are not CON
tented with well attested testimony that Mr.
Chandler prosecuted one OF their cloth from that
Presbyterian church he patr0nIzed for refusing to
take rerlaated hints To nreach nolitical sermona