The New York herald., 1872-08-23
interviewing Sumner and Wilson
on the Fly.
THE HATICK COBBLER'S PROPHECY.
New England Manufacturers Shy of
Greeley.
Yankee Character and Yankee Newspapers
Where to Drum Up Political Information.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass, August II, 1872.
Knowing already the feeling In the eastern part
Of Massachusetts,, and, having accomplished a con-
siderable run In the western section OF the State,
feel satisfied the process OF disintegraton in the
ranks of the republican party has extended further
than people are " any means aware. Grant
meeting here, Greeley meeting there, the letter
Of some prominent man yielding his support to one
candidate or the other, the tone even Of the press
Of the State this side that not to be reed
on as true indices of the way the political
leaven Is working. One must 60 among
the people themselves meet them casually
and without special object catch the snatches
OF political discussion that lOaJ out upon the air
from places Of town and village resort, the hotel
the drug store, the tavern land there are taverns
here in spite Of prOhibtlon. talk haphazard to the
nearest man at your elbow on street corner, and
you will find there is surprising inroad of liberal
ism in this banner State oil radicalism.
While this inrOad cannot but strike the stranger
in quest of political information, and while his OBJ
servaton in regard to it may be coextensve with
the state, he would be hasty in concluding that
Massachusetts intends to go for Greeley. In every
town, from Fall River to this place, and along to
Lawrence, have discovered Greeley republicans.
Aware Of
THE POLITICAL FEELING
in those other parts of the State have not re-
Gently visited, and making as near a calculation as
can on the basis OF the voting statistics Of past
years, granting allowance at the same time for the
influences now at work on the minds Of republi-
cans, should say that the vote Of Massachusetts
will be 10000 less for Grant next November than
in the corresponding month Of 1858. Now the class
Of men found in favor of Greeley is for the most
part composed of workingmen-not necessarily
laborers and mechanics, as the phrase might be
thought to imply, but such as claim no cash capital
to produce their regular incomes. Sauntering
along Merrmack street in Lowell, where Of all
other places I expected Mr.. Greeley would have
many prominent supporters among the manufac-
turing interests, addressed native OF the place,
who, under the shade Of big elm tree, seemed en-
gagged in counting the number Of bricks In the
chimney of o convenient factory.
AN INTERVIEW.
"IIow many OF the great guns,n inquired, Eat
this busy centre support Greeley for President9"
"Al know Of stranger" he replied, as he still
Kept counting the bricks, "is one-jlst One-st one.
What dye call 'em. ex-'sstant secretary to some
thin down in Washington Y'
"You mean Fox ~
as manufacturer, you mind, that supports Greeley.
All the rest, as know, Is dead agin him, and Fox
amt the biggest gun here by long shot, Still
suppose every little counts, and Greeley ought to
be thankful even for Fox"
$50 you say there is only one manufacturer
among all the throng around here that goes for
Greeley9 How 40 you account for 1t s'
"My idear Of it Is this, and guess you'll find 1t is
about the same all round We haven't confidence
in Greeley. I'm only working man. but my inter-
ests are all right yere, and II the democrats get
power through Greeley and carry out their idear,
this town of Lowell will be knocked higher than q
htA slt,,n~ to %IA t.
afraid of this, and they don't want Greeley. But
you'l find Greeley men here, though not a very big
shake nor worth much either"
That man was
ONE OF A TYPE
met in my travels in New England, who though q
mechanic wanted nobody to enlighten him on the
merits Of the Presidential question, He was "a
law unto himself' on that subject. Easy going in
manner and conversation, but selfreant and cool
as cucumber, these men are interesting to meet.
You don't find them slouching around beer saloons
nor getting into street brawls. They are not very
warm in address, but they are civil and intelligent
and strive to reach an opinion upon subject by
exercising their own reason.
found some Greeley men in Lowell. / found
them discussing the Philosopher under the pro-
tecting veranda of the Washington Hotel, while
the rain drops glanced down by the soles Of their
chairs chairs in front. majority Of the crowd, 'c COM n
posed apparently OF clerks and young men about
town, were for Grant put Greeley had some stout
and sanguine champions, who were also repub
cans. Their arguments had nothing new or fOrc-
BILE to recommend them, yet ! would say, II those
young men keep up the habit OF meeting in the
same place every night until the 9Th of November
Greeley Will gain some proselytes.
The railroad cars are excellent for giving one an
idea Of
THE CURRENT OF POLITICAL DISCUSSION.
Especially is the smoking car place for the OFF,
hand ventilation or public questions. Between
Fan River and Boston our smoking car was as full
as it could hold everybody putting contentedly
and Grant bore; and, though 1t began at one end
Of the car, 1t reached the other in twinkling.
Then II weed back and forth, and roared in the
middle like the oceans angry billows. II Greeley
and Grant were banged hither aud thithcr in the
flesh as their names were In that smoking car their
corporal entity would be nowhere. In such discus
sions, where the rafting Of the cars breaks the
continuity OF argument, II Is impossible to tell who
Is getting the best oft. 1t is exceedingly amusing
to watch how some stad and sapless looking fel
lows, apparently devoid OF single throb In heart or
head get drawn into the maelstrom that bos and
son. When the flow OF controversy was coming
down towards my end OF the car had my eye on o
ns 1
the Union went down In q common grave so long
as he won the hfty cent stake he was playing for in
the epidemic reached him he fell willing victim in
an instant, went for his fifty cent stamp and
shouted out "Greeley'' as the winning trump
/ omitted making an inventory OF greeley or
Grant stock on board the cars IL ls an unsafe
guide For instance, on the train that took me to
covered that Greeley had majority among the
passengers, forgetting In the simplicity OF his heart
that there were few Massachusetts men among
them. This would be an unfair criterion by which
to Judge the political feeling OF the Bay State.
Should any
sEARcHER FOR THE TRUTH
take the opinion OF par tsan OF either Greeley or
Grant on the soil OF Massachusetts as to which side
Is likely to win should look upon him as the victim
of wllful deceit From this standpoint and at this
time II would seem to disinterested observer
that the liberal movement is decidedly incapable of
overcoming the great regular republican majority,
yet the Greeeyites insist on telling you that IL will
be done as sure as sunrise tomorrow On the
other hand, tie Grant men arc just much, II not
more, provoking. Both sides are marvellous and
suade US that Massachusetts, intends giving
larger majority tha2 ever before for the present
White House Incumbent In the nature Of things