The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-10-17
Our New York Letter.
The October EIeciiens-The Currency De-
fusion in Indiana-Reaction against the
Democrats in the East-New York the
hnfheheid-senator Conkiinz in the
FieId-A Fanny Address-Democratic
Practices
NEW YORK Oct. II, 1876.

that ever disgraced humanity. The sons of
Malta, the Knights of the Golden Circle, and
other infamous organizations took root and
grew upon her soil at the very time when the
gallant heroes of the Union armies were strus-
Cling with the serried hosts of a "united South u
The state has never been carried by the Re pub
licans excep. by p'odgous effort and at times
when the current was setting strongly in that
direction. 10 1868 the Republican candidate
for Governor squeezed through with majority
OF 96l in an aggregate of 342. .1S9 votes. A
month later, when the election of Grant was a
foregone conclusion the Republican elector al
ticket had 0.472 majority. In 1872 the Demo
Gratis elected their Governor by 114S majority,
after contest of unparalleled earnestuess and
effort The total vote was 81, 200. The Dem
ocrats did not contest the sta to in November o
that year, as the reelection of Grant was inevi.
able. So the Republican electors were chosen
by majority of 225l5. However there were
N,921 less votes polled than there were the
month before. The state has never cast or
come any where near casting Republican ma
iority since. She has been drifting southern
ward surely and not very slowly either. Her
geographical position incines her that way, and
she is iDeradicabiy imbued with the vulgar an
tipathy to negroes which prevails 20 widely
among the 'chivalry" across her border.
But above and beyond all these causes why
Indiana was irrecoveratle, must be cited the
hopeless frenzy of many of her citizens in ref.
erence to the questions of currency and finance.
The Democrats pandered to this weakness in a
perfectly undisguised way. Hendricks was
nominated on account of it. The letters of ac-
ceptance were made to dovetail in order to cozen
1t. The vote of the House to repeal the re-
sumption act was taken to win support in In
diana The trick served its purpose. 1t was
an extremely bald, undisguised and discredita-
BILE artifice, but the result shows that the con-
trivers of it did not underrate the intelligence
of the Hoosers. 1t must be admitted to Mr..
Tilden's credit that he shrank from the hu mill
alton with decided aversion for long time. 1t
required no little urgency Oh the part of his
friends, aud great deal of persistency on the
part Of his associate on the ticket to reconcile
him to this self abasement He yielded, how
ever, as soon as he was convinced that submis-
sion would bs likely to improve his chances of
success. 1t is one of the most striking charac-
teristics of your modern ''reformer' that he is
ready to stoop to any and every kind of decsp-
ton, imposture and fasehood that he thinks
will win votes.
But after all tricksters are exceedingly apt to
be short sighted. The very concessions made
with the object of capturing Indiana are likely
to recoil upon those who counselled them, when
the final conflict occurs Mr.. Tilden may nd
that what he gained in the West will be more
than Offset by losses in the East. He has reaped
the advantage of his tergiversation, he has yet
to experience the injury it will do him. 1t is
not reasonable to suppose he can get as many
votes In New York, New Jersey. or Connec.i-
cut, as would have been thrown for him if he
had never wavered on the issue of returning to
specie payments. The people of those states
are not so entirely bereft of their reasoning fac
ulties but that they understand perfectly well
that if Tilden and Hendricks are elected there
will be retrogressi0u to the doubt aud uncer-
tanty in respect to financial policy which has
been such hindrance to the restoration of gem
eral prosperity; and that if Hayes and Wheeler
are elected, and Republican Congress cooper
ating with them, early and effective measures
will be taken TO bring about the resumption of
specie payments before, perhaps, but certainly
not later than the prescribed date of January L,
1879, which the Democrats wanted to blot out
of 1.-The statute book, and were hindered from
doing &c. by Republican Senate
If there were no other issue pending but the
financial one the argument would be irref ats-
bly, on the side of the Republicans. The idea
of RELOCATING this grave subject to the forum of
popular debate is appalling tos business men,
We have had three years of that kind of thing
already Hitherto it has been impossible to
bring matters to xed conclusion because of
the irreconcilable differences of opinion between
the executive and legislative branches of the
government. The President took the right
ground early and strongly. The principles
enunciated in his celebrated veto message OF
April %, 1874, evinced a high order of states
manship and clear comprehension of the con
dition and needs of the country. If the major.
tiles in b,:h houses of Congress had been al
wise as the President solution of the difficult
ties would have been reached at an earlier day.
But the members were not elected on that
issue, and when the crisis forced its
considerations upon them they were 81
divided in sentiment that it was ut
tefly impossible for them to agree up
on anything better than the wretched scheme
from which the good sense of Gen. GRAM
saved US. Nine months afterwards the resump
ton act was adopted but the time designated
for it to go into operation was fixed so far il
the future that pothing has be done as yet il
the way of preparation for it. In fact nothin:
can be done till the new adminls'ration come
in. Upon its political complexion depend
what course is to be pursued If it is Republi
| can we shall have resumption, if Democratic
| inactiou or initiation, either of which are fata
to the interests of the country.
This being the situation the Presidents
campaign grows ntensely exciting as it draw
near its close, and the Conflict is transferre'
| from the West to the East. New York is th
| prize for which both parties will struggle wit
desperate energy. The Democrats have the ad
| vantage of possession, the Republicans of ira
dition. The former have never carried tn
| state yet when the latter poled their ballot
| That they will bring out every man this tim,
there is no manner of doubt. The assuranc
| of it inspires them with confidence and the
| are rdpluiy WUrhiuS InoulsoiV6S lnto d lever
zeal and enthusiasm. They have some draw
backs. The principal one now is the seriou
illness of Senator Conkling, which threatens t
prevent his participating at all in the canvas
He made one speech at Utica on the Sd ms
but his health was so feeble that it was a dan
gerous undertaking, and aggravated his illue:
to euch degree as utterly to disable him f
any kind of work since His disease is malari;
fever with intense Inflammation in one of hi
| eyes. He is unable to bear any kind of lgh
His physical prostraton, occasoned by the il
cessant labors of the long session, is so con
plete that a sea voyage will probably be nece'
sary to insure his recovery. Remembering, a
everybody must, the grand service he rendere
to the cause in 1872, the loss which his absenc
from the field will occasion is deeply to be n
GREETED. He knows the state thoroughly. tt
peopls respect and honor him. His briliar
talents, his graceful oratory. his unse,fish mai
illness and his unsullied purity make him POI
ular in the best and highest sen.e of the wor
He is one of the men who is esteemed most
those who know him best. In every coun
and township west of Albany he is held in r
publican circles as their light that never fiic
ers, their guide that never strays. their orac