New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-23
THE ELECTION OF BARNUM.
AFTER GOSSIP.

RACY-RIvAL LOCALITY FEUDs-A BAIT AT
WHICH MR.. ENGLISH DOES NOT BrTE-THE SUE.
sIDY TO THE HARTFORD CoURANT
(YRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrBUNE.l
NEw-HAvEN, May 22.-Connecticut is not taking
much pride Just now in her new Senator The people
at large feel that the State has been openly dis
graced by the transactions out of which came
"Senator" Barnum the party responsible for his
election has been yisibly weakened by it, and the
sensible ones among its leaders are conscious Of
the fact; and as for the Legislature that
knocked down the seat in the Senate to him,
it is trying its best to forget it it Is not agree
able topic The feeling of Senator Englishs friends
in New-Haven is very bitter against the men who
were instrumental in bringing about the result.
Local feelings and prejudces are much stronger in
New-Haven than in Hartford, and in some cases
stronger than partisanshp. SO that the vote Of
the town is often materially affected by the locality
of the candidates residence and his supposed
affiliations with either Hartford or New-Hayen
This is chargeable in some degree to the
rivalry as capitals and tho long controversy over the
single capital question. but back of that there was
local antagonism, and always has been between the
two towns. Ii was fostered by the long struggle
upon tho question of bridging Connecticut River, in
which New-Haven was fighting for the new railroad
lines to Boston that do not go through Hartford
and HarllOTu IOURnt al oPeH i'ci anu
no draw-brdges. New-IIaven won the railroad
issue, and Hartford now has two draw.
bridges and considerable low water between her
steamboat wharf and the Sound. Hartford won the
Capitol fight, and has the privilege of paying quite
all it is worth for it, and enjoying the society of the
Legislature every year instead Of benniay. The
local auarres and jeaouses have heretofore affected
tho Republicans alone in the elections. Tho
bridge and capitol controversies having b en-
carried on when the Republicans were in
power, and brought by them to final con-
clusOn, they have suffered most from the ami
mosities engendered by them and the bitter per-
sonal quarrels growing out of them. Up to the
present time the Democrats of the rival cities have
worked together fairly well and taken advantage
when opportunity offered of the falling out OF their
opponents But the defeat of Gov. English, under
the circumstances. with all the Hartford influence
led by Mr.. Burr of The Times, Senator Eaton. and
the Chairman Of the State Committee. Fred. Brown.
arrayed against him and for his opponent, has
reused among Democrats the same local antago-
nsm that has so long disturbed the councils OF the
other side. The feeling is so earnest that since the
election OF Barnum, Democrats of the highest promi-
nence in this city have said that Henry b. Harrison
OF any New-Haven candidate for Governor nomi-
mated by the Republicans could carry the city by
5000 majority. The local feud as may be seen by
this has extended to the ranks OF the Democracy,
and possibly may make as much trouble for them as
it has for the Republicans.
Were there an election tomorrow, DO not think
the Democrats could carry the State. In addition to
the mischief done by the Legislature IN the sale Of
the Senatorship, the action of tho Ohio Democrats
in the passage of imitation resolutions and the
mendation of William Allen for the Presidency. and
the continued blundering of the majority in Con-
gress, serve to dishearten and discourage
the best men in the party. There arc
a great many Democrats in the State
who are not so blinded by partsanshp that they
can see the effect of Barnums election and under.
stand its meaning; and they are thoroughly dis
gusted at having been sold. There are great many
men who will not under any circumstances support
an initiation platform vote for initiation candi-
date They see, or think they see that the Ohio
soft-money men dead in earnest that they
mean to carry their point or split the
organization, and in either event defeat
inevitably follows. The situation to them is dis
couraging and they do not hesitate to say so. The
events of the past fortnight have wonderfully
shaken the confidence of thoughtful and observant
Democrats, and some of them have quite abandoned
all hope Of electing the next President unless the
Republicans should help them to it by the perpetra-
ton of some amazing folly. The delegation to st.
Louis is for Tilden, far as can learn, with tho
exception perhaps of Col Dwight Morris of Bridge
port. whose candidate is Bayard of Delaware. 1t is
not improbable that New England will present
solid front for Tilden. There has been meeting
of the Connecticut delegates for formal consultation.
but it is generally understood that they will act
substantially a unit, and there certainly will be
no break in Connecticut in the effort should be
made to concentrate. the New-England vote on
either Tilden or Bayard. Gen. VIM. b. Franklin
will probably attend the Convention as substitute
for the Hon. Richard d. Hubbard.
There has been talk of late of the possibility
of nominating Gov. English. 1t began mysterously
about the time that the fact leaked out that through
the patriotic exertions of the State Committee Bar
mum had carried majority of the Legislature l
am told that it was suggested in an attractive
manner to Mr.. English himself in the course OF
a warm little conversation with some leading DEM
ocras of Hartford about the time that he found out
where the cards lay in the Senatorial game.
Somehow he didn't seem to take the bait. lie has
been fooled too many times by the same men, per-
haps He does not consider himself q candidate for
the nomination. if understand bis position, and has
no expectation of being voted for. Ny impression is
that lac considers the attempt made by the Barrum
managers to let him down easy with the notion
of being a Presidential candidate as the
fimsiest piece of humbuggery he had ever bad
practiced on him. He takes no stock in it.
wrote you the other day that it was reported in
Hartford that Senator BaInum's gratitude to Tho
Codn for the excellent service rendered him in the
campaign had taken the substantial form of vau-
able gift to the gentleman who writes the political
articles in that journal. thought it creditablo
to Mr.. Barnum that he appreciated the service. and
it occurred to me that it might be satisfaction to
the readers of The Coardnt to know that its
extraordinary exertons in behalf Of Bar