The Portland daily press., 1872-09-25

of the immense trust funds garnered in this
metropolis? What corporation would be
safe? Suppose some ingenious student in
this school of finesse should conceive the idea
of despoiling.a bank or trust company? All
he needs is a "smart' lawyer and a compla-
cent judge, to accomplish his purpose. Let
him buy ten shares in the stock of the COM
pany he wishes to make raid on, then make
an affidavit that he believes its concerns are
improperly managed. His judge grants him
receiver. Some "Gratz' armed with the
Judicial weapon goes to the office of the COM
pany and demands possession. If it is refus-
ed, sheriff7s posse is sent to enforce the
order with authority to break open safes and
seize the effects. What possible remedy
would any corporation have against this kind
of robbery, except to buy off the conspirator
or submit to the destruction of its bust
ness?
The means resorted to, to black mail the
Union Pacific Railway were very much like
those have described, and the consequences
might have been as disastrous, if the officers
OF that concern had not prudently withdrawn
its property from the State before process
was served on them. To be sure, there is no
Judge Barnard now to issue such an order,
but the public opinion that will tolerate a
Gould, will after while make another Bar
nard possible. The only safety of the COM
munity is in maintaining and enforcing a
standard of financial integrity under which
it shall not be smart to be rascally, and every
rogue, whether he be clad in purple or in
rags shall be treated like moral leper.
When Gov. Seymour arrived at the conclu-
sion in 1868 that he was to be beaten in the
presidential lace, he made a frantic effort to
avert the catastrophe by taking the stump in
the West. We all know the result. Mr.
Greeley evidently forsees the hopelessness
OF his chances, and is determined to try and
talk himself into the Presidency. 1t will be
of no use. Whatever candidate NAV saw
under such circumstances, talk he never
so wisely, the people distrust his
utterances. The spectacle too is undigni-
fed and humiliating. Then, again, Mr.
| Greeley is not a discreet talker. His broad
declaration in favor of the principle of seces-
sion at Pittsburg so alarmed his followers
that he felt impelled to violate his implied
pledge to say nothing about politics at the
Cincinnati exposition, for the sake of qualify
ing and retracting the heresy proclaimed at
Pittsburg. All this is very unfortunate for
Mr.. Greeley, but very satisfactory to his OPP
ponents. But, perhaps a still more injudi-
cious use of his talking faculty was in his ad-
dress to the Chamber of Commerce of the
Queen city, wherein he ventilates his singular
financial views, which happen to be at vari-
ance with those OF almost every business
man in the United States. His recommends
ton to pay out all the gold from the Treasu-
ny, except working balance, will serve to
increase the feeling now so generally enter
tanned of his utter unfitness for the office to
which he aspires. 1t seems to be the gener-
al opinion that if Mr.. Greeley had any chanc-
es of election before, this tour of his will eff
fectually destroy them.
The gathering clans are getting ready for
the Municipal campaign in November The
office of Mayor is the objective point, and
James OBrieE is just now the enldnt terrible
of all factions. This extraordinary man is an
enigma to mostpeople. Sentenced to the Peni-
Tertiary in his boyhood for an assault and
battery, he emerged thence to
become the leader of powerful
local democratic organization, which gave
him immense influence. He was elected Al
derman of. the 21st Ward, in which A. T.
| Stewart, the Astors, Dodges, PHELPS and
many other of the wealthiest men of the city
reside. but the eastern section of which is
largely peopled by Irishmen. He was subse-
| quently chosen to the lucrative office of She
| riff, the emoluments of which, during his
| three years incumbency could not have been
| less than half a million dollars. After his
term expired he quarrelled with the ring,
ana IOunu means TO get at the secrets OF their
| great populations, which he furnished without
price to the N. Y. Times, last year. He was
elected State Senator on the 7th November
last, by over Il, 900 majority, as au Anti-Tam-
many Democratic reformer. He is a strictly
temperate man, never tasting of liquor or
using tobacco in any form. His one great
failing is an incurable propensity to eight
the tiger" His friends admit that he has
lost all he ever had in that way. Nevertheless,
he seems to possess an Aladdin-like faculty of
commanding money and is never at loss for
it when he has political campaign before
him. He has set his heart on the Mayoralty
and is determined to run. He is opposed to
| Greeley and favors the O'Connor diversion.
Exactly what will come of it, what combina-
| tions will be entered into by his opponents.
| is the puzzle of the hour. The reformers feel
kindly towards him. but are afraid to take the
| risk of endorsing him for so important an Of
| fee, in view of his antecedents, and the I'M
| pleasant fact that when be was in fellowship
| with the Tammany Democracy, he was ere
dited with being an expert in those dubious
practices by which the enormous Democratic
majorities of former years were rolled up.
And yet everybody comedies that he will be
a hard man to beat. YARMOUTH,