Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-01-20
PHILADELPHIA.
OUR SATURDAY LETTER.


PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 10Th.
The contest in the Fourth Senatorial District,
this week, was bitter in the extreme, and has left
politicians in very mixed and uncertain state
The circumstances are in all respects peculiar.
The Fourth District is highly important one,
comprising some of the finest sections of Phila-
delphia. Then the present tie in the Senate
which will give the coming member the casting
vote, makes the place of 10 much the moro
worth and intensifies the interest in the CANVASS
Further, tho special character of the contest, the
election being held to choose successor to Mr..
George Connell who, for years, represented the
District in the Senate, added TO the excitement.
In general election the politicians have enough
to do to attend to the affairs of their own sec
tions, but in such case az this the forces Of tho
entire political community are brought to bear
upon single point That there would be con-
siderable feeling shown and that good deal OF
confusion wouldresult was to have been expected,
there was no reason to anticipate, however,
contest in which excitement should degenerate
into riot and in which there should be shown a
marked dsrespect both for the laws and for the
wishes OF great majority Of the voters OF the
district.
You, Of course, understand that the strug gle
of Senator. In this District the Republican
nomination is, (at least has been) considered
equivalent to an election just as in the 1st
Congressional District, whoever the Democrats
nominate is sure of being elected, 30 in the 4th
Senatorial ii has heretofore been with us. While
Mr.. Connell lived, 80 Unidentified was he with the
position that his regularly recurring nomination
and election was matter OF course but his
death threw at once bait in the way of numer-
GUS clamOring politicians and the result il
DnfOra Whathar m lp Hp-
publicans will have such an easy victory is open
to grave doubts Already formidable opposi-
is being organized by dissatisfied members of
the party and will probably be aided to the
full extent of the Democratic vote. The Demo-
Gratis are strongly urged by their leaders and
party journals to make no nomination of their
own, and it is certain that if all the elements of
opposition can be made to work together, the
election OF the Republican candidate may be
seriously jeopardized.
The manner in which Col. Harry Gray was
nominated ID denounced in all quarters, Repub-
lican as well as Democratic, and in unmeasu .ed
terms. The Telegraph, Post, and Inquirer con-
denim the high handed ruifianism of the half-ap-
pointed delegates with as vigorous language as
they have ever applied to the locofocos, and
the one redeeming feature Of the affair is the
evidence it has given that our journals can, when
occasion Offers, step out OF the party harnesss
and strike hearty blows for reform, regard
less Of fear or favor The charges against the
Gray nomination are, briefly That it was put
up job" Of the city ''ring !" that threats ofisvic
lence were made that roughs who had no claim
to seats as delegates contested such places and
ousted the proper men; that the Delegates were
drunk and quarrelsom and, in short, that the
nomination was effected by brute force. The
Telegraph asserts edtorially that sin the whole
convention there were bare bakers dozen of
delegates who did not need watching by police
men, man for man." The testimony is coucur-
rent, and we must agree that it was a very dis
reputable affair. Tho sequel is awaited with
great interest.
The small pox still remains the great popular
matter of interest, although little is to be gath
cred concerning it from the papers. A general,
feeling seems to prevail that it is best not to
unduly excite the people, From the almost
studied silence OF the journals upon the subject,
it looks as though there might be some concert
of action to this end. The ravages of the disease
are still fearful, and although the deaths last
week were rather fewer than those OF the week
before, il cannot from that fact be deduced that
the contagion is really on the decline Physicians
assure us positively, however, that the number
of cases among vaccinated persons is very small
There exceptions of course, but the disease
is confined in the vast majority of instances to
the classes who are too ignorant or too obstinate
to take this simple and reasonable precaution.
Does it not pass belief that in the presence OF
such an imminent point any person, not an abso-
lutte idiot, should neglect this duty to himself,
his family, and to society? Yet 1t is estimated
that there are 90 900 unUdCciRdted people in Phil
ddelphid to-day
Two annual meetings were held this week,
each of them representative affairs and as differ
ent as can well be imagined, 0iz those of the
Society for the prevention OF cruelty to animals
and of the Mercantile Library %. To show
clearly the character and efficiency of the work
done by the former society, the report made at
the meeting states that out of 1856 warrants for
cruelty that were issued, there resulted lS4 pros
ecutions and 1862 convictions with sentences pro-
portioned to the offence 1t is time to have done
laughing at movement which can show such
practical results as these. Drivers and others in
charge of animals have learned that the exist
ence Of the Society is very firm and decided
fact and have mended their ways accordingly.
Regarding the Library a very satisfactory ex-
hbt was made of the affairs of one of the most
popular institutions of the city, and one that is
| growing in public favor every year.
The only man who seems to be stirring par
| ticularly in the matter of putting up our new
| public buildings ia the individual who has made
it his business and his pleasure to erect very
| high and handsome board fences around what
| were once the old Penn Squares. OF all the
| creatures and myrmidons OF the commission, the
| fence man is the only creature who shows the
least sign of life. 1t is the prettiest example Of
" how not to do it you ever saw, and Philadel-
phia. with all her proverbial slowness never wit
messed the beat of it. Broad and Market street
is in forlorn condition, and with no prospect Of
i ever getting out of it. II the commission would
i put on only one cart day with its accompanying
| Paddy, it would be something. The fence man
is smart. He knows this is a life time job and
he commences early to get the greatest amount
| of returns from bill posting possible. These are
| famous shows boards and that's a fact they
| hoist bill posting somewhere into the ranks of
| the liberal professions.
And speaking Of professions the profession Of
impecuniousness made by Manager Davenport's
friends in passing round the hat for extra high
| toned 'beneft" does not seem to be in the best
taste. This indirect begging is paltry business
and lowers the character Of the theatre. In
mercantile life man never dreams if he has
| losses of asking his friends to donation party.
II he fails he makes an arrangement with his
| creditors, but if he simply loses he economies,
| bears it as he best can, but makes no public to
| do over his misfortunes. 1t seems to me the
same rule should govern the theatre, and it il
provoking to see the best people in it STOPPING
in this way. Mr.. Davenport can make legiti.
mately any night in the year as much money as
the majority Of men would require fortnight
to scrape together why then should his friends
consider such step as this necessary There is
nothing otherwise new in the amusement line tC
| report except that Mr. Sothern and Mr.. j. s.
Clarke are each to act next week at both the
Walnut and Arch Street Theatres. Sothern al
the Walnut aud Clark at the Arch appear in
comedies in the early part Of the evening, aftei
which they change places and Clarke at the
Walnut and Sothern at the Arch appear il
faroes each entertaining two audiences on the
same evening INDEX
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The Pc nch Trade.