The New York herald., 1874-07-11

: Il AL4h lI4N l.
Massachusetts In Congress.
The Utica Herald makes some pertinent re-
marks in reference to the changes probable in
the next delegation from Massachusetts, to Con-
gress. According to the Herald if Massachu-
setts had been able to keep her delegations
unchanged in the two houses she would long
have preserved her control. But Sumner Is
dead, Wilson is Vice President, and, now that
majority of the present members In the
House will not return, '4he sceptre is depart
ing from her," s.No matter says the editor,
"who are the SUCCESSORS her power in the two
houses is crippled for the next Congress, and
probably for years to come, perhaps forever -
Furthermore, Massachusetts, has no fresh
ideas to contribute to legislation. ''Other
States crowd to the front. New York
and California represent the commerce
of the two oceans. Now England has
30 far established her manufactures as to see
rivals and not allies in the communities where
new furnaces and new factories are arising
Agriculture has it's chief seat beside the Mis-
sissippi and its tributaries, but the harvests Of
New York are richer in the aggregate than
Congressional delegation will bring fresh men
10 accept the new situation. They will not
feel the strangeness of finding Massachusetts,
no longer in the forefront. Her voice will con-
tinue potent, but no longer controlling. The
great Middle States and those of the Missis-
Wall ho,, opA
them are the impetus of growth and the con-
seriousness of enduring sway. Our debt to
Massachusetts, is vast in the generation just
closing as well as in our earliest years. OBJ
viously the time is beginning for other States
to lead in council and to give character to our
statutes and to their application"
The dominance Of Massachusetts, began
when the Southern States seeded. For a
long time legislation was under the influence
of Virginia and the Carolinas, and that small
but resolute body Of able, reckless and gifted
men who succeeded Calhoun. All the i'm
portant committees which shape legis-
lation and control the business of the
country-were in the hands of Davis and
Hunter, Mason, Benjamin and Slidell. and
their colleagues. Seward and Sumner, Wilson
and Chase sat in despised minority. Seces-
sion removed as in q flash the whole Southern
delegation. In an instant New England came
to the front, and as her representatives had
been many years in public life they had the
fitness for assuming control of the business of
the country. This came more from their ex-
perience and acumen than from any special
predominance of New England interests in
the Union. Since 1861 the country has been
ruled in the interest of New England; for in
addition to the representatives from her own
States, great many Western members and
Senators, not to speak of the carpet-baggers,
who now represent the despair and misery of
the South, are of New England birth and
types OF New England ideas. As general
thing we do not complain of the manner in
which these shrewd men have done their
work. Their policy has been narrow and sell
fish at times, opposed to annexation, mani
fest destiny and other ideas that are tradi-
tional since the time of Jefferson; but it has
been an exact, conservative policy, willing to
fight and spend money for the Union when it
was in danger, anxious since the close Of the war
to redeem our finances and put the government
credit upon q sound footing. We owe to New
England influence that we are not now drifting
about on sen of inconvertible currency, re-
pudiation and imitation, and but for Massa-
chusetts, as represented by Mr.. Sumner, we
should most likely havs st. Domingo on our
hands, with Custer expedition against Cabral
or Baez, to suppress insar7ection." But as
the editor of the Herald, speaking from
the amplest experience, and with great
justice says, other States crowd to the
front Agriculture must be heard, and
Mississippi. Commerce demands audience,
and commerce finds her seat in Chicago,
San Francisco and New York. Cotton rapidly
resumes its royal sway, no less royal because
its subjects are free blacks who will work,
rather than slaveholding whites who did not
labor themselves nor induce the best labor
from their slaves. Pennsylvania, Virginia
and Missouri have mining interests of in
credible magnitude, which grow more and
more into the wealth and industry of the
country. The ideas of future legislation must
be governed by the wants and hopes of these
interests, and not by the political theories of
New England.
Empire moves westward. The next gener-
alton of legislators will be governed by the
West. So far as New York is concerned, her
interests are SO national, her prosperity is so
largely dependent upon cotton and corn, upon
iron and coal and gold, that whoever reigns
must in some respects be her vassal.
EMIGRATION TO MIDDLE GEORGIA. The At
lanta papers record large immigration flow
ing into the interior of the State Many of
them are English and Northern people, who
are amply supplied with funds to purchase
land and engage in manufacturing industries,