The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-05-23
Our New York Letter.
The Fifth Avenue Conference sils.
Wegg IN Jo"rnaiism-wideIy Cultivated
DeIusion-ProE seeIey,s Vievs-Tbe
Men of Good Intentions.
New YORK, May 20, 1876.

NNNSNSN
with parties, spoke disdanfully of politicians,
and really seemed to look with the pity of con-
scious superiority on the several millions of
men of coarser clay who were identified by
sympathy and allegiance with one or the ether
of the great parties of tbe day. AS whole the
gentlemen present were out OF conceit with the
rest of mankind in the same proportion as they
were on the best possible terms with them.
selves. Not few of them comported themselves
as If they felt their very presence on this planet
was "condescension to Deity" One of the
clerical orators OF the occasion recalled By bis
bearing the slightly .irreverent witticism which
was got off at his expense a number of years ago.
when literateur said 'there would be no
place good enough for him, till there should
come vacancy in the Trinity" He spoke of
President Grant very much as he might of
some obdurate sinner of his own flock of
whom he had had hopes, whom he had
strenuously sought to reclaim, but whom
he had now entirely given up as lost
There was a mingling of easy patronage
and reluctant disparagement in his tone as if
he should say, "this person has received honors
OF which he has proved unworthy; he has level
oped fondness for low company and demoral-
izing associations; we must throw him oyer, and
everybody who has ever sympathized or frater-
nized with him." And it is highly probable
he was sincere about it. He has read such
things "in tho papers" often enough to have
become completely haunted by the phantasra
that the national executive is addicted to bad
habits-that he is something of horse Jockey,
and dog fancier with lurking prediction for
rat bats and cock fights. Aud as for his COM
panions, oh! Lord, what a set they are, on the
authority of the Independent press. "Boss'
Shepherd, Brother Oryllle, Dick Harrington,
Brother-in-law Casey and few more of the
same sort, are as much a part of the stock in
trade OF these yeracious organs, as miss Eliza
beth, Master George, Aunt Jane, and Uncle
Parker" were to Silas Wegg. Their names are
doubtless kept stereotyped in the Office of every
newspaper which describes itself as great
and 'leadng". The popular notion among
those who are dependent upon such sources of
misinformation, is that the President holds
high revel amid kindred spirits such as these,
at all hours of the night and Is more at home
in bar-room than in a council chamber
Thereupon soft hearted people mourn over his
weakness, and sterner moralists condemn his
depravity, and both classes join together In the
great and glorious work of reform"
That this delusion in respect to the personal
character of the President is widely cultivated.
and has much to do with inspiring confer
ences" and stirring up feelings of hostility to
the administration among weak kneed Repub-
licaus and hermaphrodites in politics, there is
no manner of doubt. 1t is natural enough
that where there is distrast Of the head there
should be an eclipse of faith in the members.
And indeed, it is q sound proposition that il
the foremost man in the party is unworthy,
| and yet escapes censure, the morale of the Or
ganization must inevitably be declining. am
sure am willing for one to have the party
now in power judged by this standard. If it is
as good as its chief it will answer my purpose
completely. I think would be willing to al
low little margin, on that rule of Judgment.
The only thing would stipulate is that the
witnesses should be credible. In that case, 1
should have no apprehension of their showing
| that there was no fault to find on the score Of
integrity, ability, sincerity or rectitude of cen
| duct / should rely upon the laws of evid
for the exclusion of all testimony -ence
statements in the newspapers. W 'sseu on
Il ciUl0 pACOdutlOh dBdiuob AdDI
there could not be part c,e ~ sons. .sa..
approbatory verdi '' ao0u' q"
| ~ considering that it is the prescrip-
e'o -snt if not the bounden duty of bodies as
-ombied under the banner of reform" to de-
claim against everybody who has any share in
the administration of public affairs, the "con-
ference" was not grossly abusive of the Presi-
dent. The thankful apostrophe to heaven bv
one of the speakers that we were not going to
have wood chopper campaign"
with laughter and applause--was quite as
much of slur upon the memcry of the dead
Lincoln, as any that was cast upon the name
of the living Grant johnson was not men
toned at all, perhaps because with all his
faults. he had developed one of the Qualities
of "reformer" by betrayipg his party. The
favorite text of the address and the speeches
was corruption" The word scintillates
through all their proceedings with an effect
that recalls John Randolph's simile of the
rotten mackerel by moonlight" 1t was their
pillar of cloud by day, their pillar of fire by
night. They conjursd by it, sorrowed over IT,
waxed wrotb against it. Nobody undertook 10
show where it was or to give it tangible sub.
stance and being. There was profuse deal
ing in generalities, a prudent avoidance of
| specifications.
| Good Prof Seelye, of Massachusetts, who
has been in active search after this horrible
spectre during his five months service in Con-
| gress, threw some doubts upon its reality.
| He thought there must be a mistake about the
matter Having been where he could see with
his eyes and hear with his ears, he frankly
acknowledged to his auditors that he had not
been able to discover signs of that widespread
| Generalization and evil in political life which
they were so swift to impute. Coming as he
did directly from the seat of government, hav-
ing better opportunities than most of his COL
leagues of knowing what he was talking about,
and being withal thoroughly honest man,
and no partisan. he was altogether the strong
est witness that was called to the stand. Like
almost every other sincere man who gets his
ideas OF the situation from personal obserya-
tions instead of from hearsay, he found things
at the Capital so much better than they were
represented to be that he felt constrained TO
reouke gently but earnestly the spirit of de-
traction which pervaded the Conference"
Ii bis associates had profited by his admo-
milton and followed his example the convoca-
tion would have exercised far greater influ.
ence than it is destined to upon the dslibera.
tioDs of the conventions which are to nominate
the next President
That this gathering was composed mainly of
gentlemen whose character and standing en-
title their opinions to profound respect, nobody
will dispute. There is Just as little doubt Of
their good intentions. The error into which
they have fallen is that of assuming that they
have monopoly of honesty and patriotism.
They slngle out and throw obloquy upon lead
ing men in the Republican party who are their
peers in every virtue which can adorn human
nature. There certainly was not a person in
their conclave possessed of higher sense of
honor, more spotless character, or stronger
claims to popular confidence than the states
man whom the Republican party of New York
have designated as their choice for the Presi-
dency. The portrait which George VIM. Cur
tbs drew of him in November 1872 is true to the
letter: "a man of the highest honor; of great
and conceded ability; of profound political
conviction; of long and ample legislative