New-York tribune., 1874-10-24
THE SEASON OF RAMPAGE.


flying October the futter of unusual station
cry, the printed bugle blasts" with which
the Committee rouses the apathetlc voter to
patriotic action. The poster and the hand
bill, the circular, the call, and the address fall
as the leaves fall into the lap of Autumn,
startling the sober citizen with reminders OF
his political privileges and duties and harrow
ing his feelings with cOnundrums OF the
gravest magnitude in type of the most serious
and threatening character. The voice OF the
Committee Is heard in the land. The man
who saves his country and delivers the tax
payers from the grasp of plunderers and nigh
waymen leans gracefully at an angle OF about
forty five against the bar of public opinion or
some other and assuages his patriotic thirst
with fluids of the most positive character while
he declaims upon the subject of government,
and his stately proboscis takes on the gor-
geous hues of the American forest. "Headquar-
tiers" break out with the most exasperatlng
transparencies in the most unexpected places,
or become continent with the obtrusive saloon
and the gilded gin mill.
The reticent barkeeper recognizes the emer-
eency and throws statesmanlike remarks into
the swirl of discussion that eddies and CUR
giles around him. Now able-bodied persons
offer bets at various odds, and beefy- checked
soyereigns indulge in prophecies. Political
economists gather in corner groceries, ana In
full view of the painted exhOrtatiOn do not
"spit on the stOve," proceed to expectorate
wildly as they contemplate the bruised and
bleeding condition of the Republic. And now
shortly will come from all the organs
full chorus of appeals in behalf OF the
"aged and infirm voter Communities will
be urged to look out for him, to see to him,
to get him out early in the morning, to send
for him with wagons and phaetOnS and hacks
and stage-coaches, and to keep at work upon
him till all of him has voted, and voted right
Young persons will be addressed In the most
eloquent terms upon the subject of their rights
and duties, and no man of any age. complex
ion, or condition will escape the inquiry,
"Have you registered" 1t will be flung in
his face at breakfast, it will meet him at his
place of business, he will encounter it on his
return to his fireside, he will have 1t In MS
soup Dead walls will follow him with IT,
the curbstones will throw it up at him. and
wagons with transparencies Will accompany
him up and down town wherever he goes, with
the continual reminder. r4
For ten days coming there will be, every day
with sort of increasing emphasis and loud
ness, the suggestion that the day is coming
and growing nearer all the time. Bets will in
crease, noses grow redder, a great many per-
sons in political life will, as Gen. Sharpe re-
marked the other evening, feel the touch OF
"elbOws," and great many more elbows will
be crooked and uDlifted afterwards; the
country will draw near utter destruction, and
still nearer, and then the voting will begin,
that is to finish everything and close the last
chapter in history. After that the votes will
be counted, and there will be bonfres, and
perhaps guns, and the next day a great many
disinterested persons will have the headache.
1t is more than likely, toO that the country
will 60 right on afterward very much as
though it had not been ruined. Let us hope so.