The Portland daily press., 1875-02-09
Our New York Letter.
The Civil Rights BiII-Tribunized Re-
Pubiicans-Partisans of the Assoc
ciated Press.

left the Senate last spring. Material conces-
sions have been made to Southern negro-pho-
bia. The mixed school feature which ELECTED
the strongest hostility has been entirely eliml
mated. Nevertheless the measure in It's pres
ent shape, goes far in the direction of protect
ing the colored people of the southern states
from the hardships to which they have been
subjected on account of the prejudice against
their race which prevails so universally IN the
South. They can no longer be rudely elected
from public conveyances, nor denied tavern ac-
cOmmodatons as they have been. The safe
guards of law are thrown around them to re.
lieve them of the fragrant indignities, which an
arrogant majority were only too ready to visit
upon them and to which their peaceful charac-
ter and numerical weakness left them no al
tentative but submission.
The uRanimity with which the Republicans
voted for this act is guarantee of its justice.
The only two Northern members not strictly
within the Democratic fold, whose names are
recorded in the negative are Mr.. Chttenden
of N. Y, and Mr.. Phelps of Nj. The course
of the latter gentleman during the session, en-
titles him to be classed as Tribunized Repub-
lican, i. e. an opponent of the policy of his par
ty, without having formally seeded from it.
He Is brilliant, erratic, self-complacent, very
much inclined to act independently OF his asso-
cates, and not quite considerate enough of the
obligations which every public man tactly as
sumes when he accepts the representation OF
constituency which recognizes and declares
fealty to the national organization whose name
it bears. His vote against the Civil Rights bill
of the previous session told against him serl-
ously in mis- second canvass, but his open and
somewhat aggressive issue with his Senator,
upon a question of fact-as to whether there
was any such thing as gag lava matter
about which he was not only discourteous, but
hopelessly wrong-turned the scale against
him in a district from which he had been pre-
viousy elected by an immense majority.
Mr. Phelps possesses so high degree OF tai
ent, entertains such sound opinions on finance,
and is withal so estimable and upright gen.
tleman, that it is greatly to be regretted that
his career has been interrupted on account of
his personal eccentrcities. His view of the
situation in Louisiana has occasioned great
deal of criticism. But have not the slightest
doubt that he reported truthfully all he heard
aid saw The White Leaguers told him their
story, and his natural tastes, engendered by a
life of elegant luxury and patrician associations,
kept him aloof from the less opulent whites
and the wholly poor blacks. who could have
wildly drawn the shades of the picture shown
him.
But the Representative from New Jersey,
with all his varied accomplishments, his great
wealth, his pleasing address and his unusual
effectiveness in speech, finds himself practical
ly alone at the end of his single term. He has
found, as many man has found before him,
that it is paramount necessity to the very ex-
istence of political parties that those who Off
Ger them, should sacrifice something Of their
individuality for the sake of discipline and
compactness. The right Of private Judgment
| is sacred as respects every question involving
ethics, but in matters of mere expediency, it
| is essential to order and unity, that the will OF
| the majority should govern. Whoever ignores
| this principle, no matter how clever or great he
may be, will be likely very soon to find himself
leader without any followers.
MI. Chittenden's attitude is materially differ
ent from that of Mr.. Phelps. He is a Repub-
lican chosen by Democrats. He has perfect
| right to act independently of either party. His
constituency is the very elite OF Brooklyn So
| ciety. A portion of the Republicans therein,
| dissatisfied with the caucus nomination which
| had been presented to them, and all the Demo-
Gratis, hopeless Of electing man of their own,
| united in giving the seat to MI. Chttenden. he
| is a retired merchant of large means, of fault.
less character, orthodox in his creed, pillar OF
| DR.. Storrs, Parish, generous in his charities,
prompt to respond to every call of good neigh
borhood, swift to answer every summons for
public or private well doing, and affable, kindly
| and courteous in the highest degree. His vote
against the civil rights bill was impeled by no
ill-feeling or prejudice against the colored peo-
| pie, but solely from desire to avoid doing any
hing to exasperate the whites. He believes iu
| pacifcation by gospel methods He deprecates
anything like coercion. I remember we'll
\ when Andy johnson was battling with Con
gress seven years ago how earnestly he advo
| Gated the policy of standing by both. HI
couldn't see, nor be made to see that crisis hat
arisen in which it had become imperstively
necessary to take sides. A few months later
he was the Republican nominee for seat IL
the House, and this very repugnance to con-
| troversy was used as potent argument against
him, and compassed his defeat.
The moment the Millennium sets in we shall
| want House and Senate full of just such men
| as the worthy Representative of the City Of
| Churches. Unfortunately, human nature
has not yet reached that state of perfection
that would make it prudent to deal with the
| problem of reconstruction as mildly as he
| would wish We have in this city one of the
best men that ever lived. 1t is PETER COOPER
| His noble life of 81 years has been one contin'
| ued series of deeds of usefulness and benefi
| cence. He never speaks an i'll word, or thinks
| an i'll thought of any human being 1t is i'm
| possiblete look into his sympathetic, Ingenious,
| trustful face, without being reminded of the
| words of Scripture, "Beho.d an Israelite in.
| deed in whom there is no guileP' No scheme
| of public enterprise that promises benefit to
| the people fails to elicit his earnest co opera
| ton, no case of private suffering comes under
| his observation without quickening his sensi'
bilties into active exertions for its alleviat ion
| And vet his very disinterestedness and purity
often expose him to impostures, that would be
| clearly palpable to a more disingenuous man
| w hen the Tweed Ring were framing the mel
work of fraud which wrought such reproach to
the fame and such depletion to the treasury Of
| the city, he busted himself in going about as.
suring his fellow citizens that he had consulted
the leaders of that cabal, and was confiden
they would give us the best municipal govern
ment we had ever lived under. He really be
| lieved it and labored strenuously to abate the
incredulity of others.
1 cite this striking example merely for thI
purpose of showing how much risk there is il
| cherishing too confding spirit. Mr.. Chitten.
| den, like Mr.. Cooper, is inclined to repose toe
much faith in the promises of his southern
| friends. They assue him that their magma
nimty will protect the negro more effectually
than legislative enactments, and his conscious
ness of his own sincerity, leads him to accept
their professions without suspicion. But the
autecedent facts do not justify such hopefulnes'
and there surely can be no Iharm in providing
by statute for policy which they declare
themselves ready to adhere to voluntarily.
| One of the most serious obstacles which just
| now lies in the,way of the dissemination OF re-
Eol>io .cfo affairs