The Portland daily press., 1875-05-08
Current Notes.

The New York Times thinks Murat Hal
stead's remarks to the Sun reporter sensible
enough, provided he does not let Fenton cap
ture him again. At all events, it says, eve
may at least thank Mr.. Halstead for furnish
ing the belated public of these parts with a
little mild amusement. If everybody will
discuss politics as sensibly and as good-hu-
moredly as he has done, there will be fewer
tempers lost and fewer friendships broken
next year than usually strew the battlefield
after a Presidential campaign"
According to Mr.. Halstead, of the Cincin-
natl Commercial, Liberalism has worked in
Ohio much as it did in Missouri. 1t resulted
in giving the State to the Democracy, and
Mr.. Halstead said at the SchurZ dinner that
the recent Democratic Legislature detected
itself at some very singular transactions, mis-
interpreted by vicious editors and other IT.
responsible parties, to mean that they were
corrupt or improper. As fact they told on
each other that they had sold certain votes
for 500 each, which was scandalously
cheap"
There now remains in the custody of Ser
geant-at-Arms Ordway the back pay of only
two members of the House of Representa-
tives. Kellogg of Connecticut and Mckee OF
Mississippi have neither taken their back pay
nor turned it into the treasury, though 1t was
drawn out by Mr.. Ordway on their certif-
Gates, and has been at their disposal more
than two years. Whether they intend on
some auspicious occasion to take the money,
or whether they have other purposes not dis
closed, is unknown here.-Neao York Times
Washington Special.
Certainly the three latest cabinent appoint
ments, that of Mr.. Bristow, Mr.. Jewell and
Mr.. Pierrepont, can not be attributed to any
but the purest motives. They are all men
of conceded ability, of the highest character,
and of political standing, and that is worth
considering at time when it is the fashion
to suspect and abuse every act OF the Presl-
dent.-Haper's Weekly.
The contraction that has followed the au-
thorization of free banking is the very best
answer that could have been made to that
class of people who have labored under the
delusion that the National Banks have been
making exorbitant profits out of their circula-
tic n, and that the people have contributed to
these profits by the payment of the interest
on the bonds deposited to secure this circula-
ton. The present tendency of the currency
is exceedingly healthy; it will acquire, al
this rate, a greater actual value than it ever
had before. There has been an absolute con-
traction of between $16,000,000 and 17,OOO,-
600 in greenbacks and National Bank notes,
and to this must be added practical con-
traction of $6,000,000 more employed in the
redemption of mutilated currency. But,
Notwithstanding this contraction, there is nc
complaint anywhere of a scarcity of currency
for the transaction of the business OF the
country.-ChicdgO Tribune.
The next Presidential canvass will resolve
into square contest between the two great
political organizations. The people of this
country will be required to decide whether
thew will confide the Government to the
Democratic party with its dangerous elements
and its vicious tendencies or whether they
will continue it in the hands Of the party
which, in spite of some faults and mistakes,
has on the whole administered the trust so
faithfully, and which will present itself with
fresh claims to confidence. And in such a
contest this ostentatious faction of third par
ty men will be simply the fly on the coach
wheel.-Albany Journal.
The colored vote commands the South.
Without it no party can gain with 1t none
can loose. Being by Democratic consent
Republican beyond any possibility of ex,
change, the Democrats cannot carry the
South; and falling this essential, no local sue
cesses at .he North, in the few States where
such may be won can achieve anything OF the
result anticipated. And it is just as well that
this fact should be considered before i'll feel
ing is occasioned in regard to the distribution
of patronage. hiladelphiG North Ameri