The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-05-16
NEW YORK. May 13.1H76.

New YORK, May Is, 1876.
The Union League Club just now is expert
encing the evil consequences OF embarking in
the business of President making. At its
March meeting it very unwisely adopted o
batch of resolutions in which there was dis
guised, under some verbose platitudes about re-
form, an expression of hostility to the candi-
date for the Presidency uron whom the choios
of the Republicans of the State had fallen wish
substantial unanimity. The proceeding was
all the more Objectionable, because it origina-
ted with parties who were actively promoting
the interests of another candidate-the princi-
pal in the affair not even being member of the
club-and the members were being dsed, with
out suspecting it, for purpose thoroughly par.
tisan and selfish.
Naturally enough, this little performance
gave rise to some unpleasant feeling. The Re.
publican organizations about that time were
calling their caucuses to select delegates to the
State Convention. In something Of the spirit
of defiance perhaps of what seemed TO them
an unwarrantable attempt at dictation, they
printed the name of their favorite nominee up
on their local tickets s1d sent a united delega-
tion to support him at Syracuse. Mr.. Oornelps
famous despatch 20 Senator Conkling-which
found its way into print without the agency of
either of them-gives an idea of the temper
which was prevalent at that moment. Mr..
Cornell is a member of the club. He is also
the Chairman of the Republican State Com
mittee. Finding that the club, at meeting
at which not more than an eighth OF its menl-
bers were present, aud which was virtually
packed for the occasion in pursuance of the or
cers of private council previously held, had
rushed through q string of resolves the design
of which was artfuly concealed by ingenious
phraseology, he characterized the exploit as
"impudent." 1t is not at all necessary to dis
cuss the good or bad taste of the expression
used. When a man is irritsted he is not apt TO
be over nice in his selection of words But as
a matter of course the telegram did not tend to
make things smoother. And so at the monthly
meeting in April, some of the aggrieved menu
bers resorted to a very small act of retaliation
by black-bslling Senator Tobey who had been
proposed By Mr. Cornell. This transaction was
not only discreditable but impoltic,f for there is
law of reprisals under which all such exhibi-
tons of spleen are liable to be punished. And
besides that, every time such method of ex-
cluding a member is iesorted to bad example
is set, which is very likely to find imitators in
body in which there are a thousand members
and on questions of admission one negative
counts as much as ten affirmative votes.
Now it happened on the evening of the llth
inst, that Secretary Bristow was in nomina-
ton for non resident membership in the Club
1t could hardly be supposed that there could be
any political antagonism to him. The admins.
trative Republicans couldn't object to him, for
he is q member of the cabinet and holds bis
office by the choice and at the will of the Presi-
dent The gentlemen described IN the slang
phrase of the day as Custom House" Republi.
cans would hardly oppose their executive head.
And as to the "reformers'' as they style them
selves Mr. Bristow is the very man for whom
they have been toonng so vociferously at the
instigation of MIR. Burnett and Gen. Wilson.
And yet his election was prevented by twelve
dissentient votes in an aggregate Of one hundred
and eighteen-just enough to accomplish the
object. Whsnce the opposition? The first
thought was that it sprang from the avengers
of Tobey. But his especial champions were
not present. Next 1t was attributed to the zeal
of the supporters of Senator Conkling and re-
gsrded as an expression of their disfsvor to-
wards a rival aspirant for the Presidency. But
this theory did not obtain among rejecting
men, the fact being that Mr.. Conkling's friends
bear no i'll will towards the Secretary In th.
first place, and in the second they do not con-
slider him formidable competitor for the Gin
cinristi prize. They may be mistaken; any.
body is welcome to ascribe their opinion to ig-
norance or blindness; but the fact remains
nevertheless, that they do not count the hand.
some Kentuckian as one of the dangerous rivals
with whom their favorite will have to contend.
They believe that there will be O majority OF
the delegates in the National Convention,
whom no persuasiOns could induce to assist in
nominating q Southern man. We shall see Q
month or so hence whether this view OF the
case is corroborsted by the event.
But there were the black balls still unac-
counted for A little further inquiry showed
that they were secured by the perseverance, OF