New-York tribune., 1872-07-04
BRITISH TOPICS.


gaed from time to time with discussions in the English
papers on the Presidential contest The prospect OF an
arrangement at Geneva gives Enghshmen OF a specuia
tive turn opportunity 10 consider the campaign from
more general points of view than Its bearing on the Ala
bama dispute. But they far from happy as rule
either their observations or in the opinions formed
about the state of parties and the current pohucal
events in the United States The Times has got beyond
the "farcca" view OF Mr. Greeley's nomination. apd is
only month behind the facts. 1t has discovered
that a number OF Democratic conventions nave III
dorsed" Mr. Greeley that 1t begins to he consloereu
possible that the Baltimore Convention will pronounce
in his favor; nay. that this may almost DC
said to be probable, Though the partisans OF
Mr. Greeley still hesitate in carrying his pretensions SO
far"-whatever that may mean The Democrats OF All
zona @ have ii is ntimated declared in Convention lOr
Mr. Greeley but the leading journal does not hihk Meh
y Of the Democrats Of what it supposes TO be that STATE
nor will II accept Maryland and Kentucky as decs
i've 1t bases hopes of straight nomination at Bait
more or New-YOrk The Democrats of that state "con-
nue to hold aloO and continue to dencnnce any prop
osion binding the party to the wheels OF Mr. cree
eys chariot 'The number Of votes, says me I'meS'
(which the New-York Delegation will command at Balti-
more is considerable and If they steadily oppose Mr.
Greeley, they may. win over suhcleht
force Of Delegates from other States still
npledged to secure his rejection" OF the Rochester
Convention it has heard You will be distressed
10 know that wthhOlds approval from both candidates
and platforms The platforms contain nothing Dut pat
itudes and as between the two candidates, 1t Is choice
between two evils The least OF these is Gen. Grant, be-
cause the limits of his are known" and he has
avoided the gross ones, which Mr. Greeley would not
being impulsive, whimsical careless of convention
aes selfcOnscious and therefore, unfit for the Pres
idency; land the Americans arc sufficiently Ike our
selves 10 make believe that they will not select him.
Perhaps this dilemma, you might invite younger
brother OF Prince Of Wales to rule over yousay the
Duke of Ediuburg or Prince Arthur. They know moth
ing Of American politics. but they know as much as
journal which permits itself to write such nonsense, ana
10 write in such dense ignorance OF facts.
significant announcement appears this morning.
The Committee Of the Golden Club have decided that
ain the presence Of the grave events connected with
Free Trade ON the Continent of Europe and IN the
United States" IL is desirable to hold an international
Conference on the subject in London early next year.
The euphemsm which have put in quotation marks
needs no explanation, Even EDglishmen begin to
recognize that pretty large part of their feloworea
lures do not regard the doctrines Of Golden quite on
par in respect Of authority with those Of Copenicus
and that a man may be Proectionist without DeeV-
ing that the earth the center Of the planetary system
or that these islands the geographical and intel
ectual center Of the 1t is melancholy TO read
that in consequence of the grave events above dell
catev alluded to- the usual annual dinner Of tho Golden
Club will be deferred for the present Why the CluD
should GO dnneress because France and America reject
tbe gospel which Mr. Golden preached not particu-
larly explained This determination, should add, was
come before the telegram announcing the collapse OF
the Free Traders Presidential Conference in NeW-iork
had been made public.
It Is stl uncertain completely the lockout in the
building trade can be organized The masters are by
means so amenabie 10 discipline the men, and it is
doubtful whether they resolute When the men
announced nine hours day and nine pence s cent an
hour as their ultimatum the masters ought to have
made up their minds TO fight surrender. When the
masters proposal arbitration coupled with
claim TO both arbitratOrs, it was rightly rejected
but when the rejected arbitration principle they
in their turn forfeited good deal OF popular sympathy
The fact that they felt strong enough TO DO without 1t
might have warned the masters how strong
their adversaries were, or believed they wert
At any rate, q lockout, like strike, can
only be eficaciOus If it is general, and the
masters do TO have taken the trouble to ascer
tain in advance whether the majority Of small firms
in position, mood TO cooperate in such measure
They had notion, moreover that the masOns plaster
ers &C.. could be separated from the carpenters and
joiners but at this moment the union betw cen all
branches of the workmen perfect 1t is so perfect
that the concord between the is doing more to
make the lockout universal than agreement between
the masters Great contractors like the Cubts, Mr..
Cross and others meant to on with certain por
tOns of contracts find themselves brought to complete
standst. The great hope Of the masters in such cir
cumstances their Of hope. II they YIELD IL must
be an unconditional surrender and is TO be followed
by other demands against which they will have less
means Of standing out than they have. The nine
hours schedule will be followed by one of eight
But the current is all the mems side At the time Of
the great Newcastle strike pointed out that the method
then adopted and the gained by the men, must
largely influence the relations Of employer and en-
poyed all over England and in every branch Of labor
did not anticipate influence general or limme
date In not single contest since then have the en-
poyers carried the day. and see no reason to suppose
the builders will succeed where others have failed.
Col Higgi nson's European trip came to end this
week with O hurried farewell TO London; so hurried
that public reception meant to be given him
necessarily abandoned and instead of it, few friends
met him at the Of the Century Club in Pail Mall
Place on the invitation of the officers Of the Anglo
American Association. After some informal converse
tion Mr. T. Hughes NJ p, Chairman Of the Association,
called the meeting to Order and made short speech,
expressing the pleasure he felt in having known Col
Higgnson both America and here, and his OF
the service such able TO do in promoting good
feeling between the two countries. Mr. Chenor, the
Secretary, read letter from Prof Tynda, TO much the
same effect. Nothing" writes Prof. Tyndall, more
forcby illustrates the ratrcdal character Of American
and British strife than the appearance among us
of such men as Col Hignnson" - which is all
right, but suggests rather strongly that the Ameri-
cans whose appearance Prof Tyndall had looked
for and perhaps endured in other cases, were OF O
kind to make fratrcidal strife rather desirable
natural occurrence. IOrd Nltn grace
fully turned remarks offered resolution that the An
go-Amercan Association desire to express TO Col Hg
enson their Of the services he has rendered TO
the cause of human freedom and TO wish him Godspeed
as an unofficial messenger Of peace between the two
tions" This seconded by Mr. Pollock. supported by
the Hon. Dudley Campbell, and carried unanimously.
Col HigginsOn's response indicated that he had been
graed by the great cordially shown him by English
men during his visit and not only grared but surprised
AT finding how much two nations who quarreled often
had common OF this he gaye Illustrations adding an