The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-24
The Electoral Bhl-Senator Conk-
ling's Great Speech.

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tor from New York during the delivery OF
his speech was not SO much O personal
tribute to the man as q demonstration OF
deep interest in the subject. Popular feel
ing has not been SO deeply stirred since the
first year of the civil war as it is at present.
1t is fel: that the peace of the country is
staked on the success Of the pending meas
ure, and the people do not believe that
there is any principle involved In
this Presidential contest important enough
to justify q resort to arms. 1t was very diff
ferent in 1861, when the federal Union was
in peril. The people of this country, the
mercantile classes of this country. are
always ready to sacrifice their immediate
interests on nm adequate occasion. When
the Union was in jeopardy they were united
as one man in an ardent and patriotic readi-
ness to surrender their business prospects,
their property, all their private interests
to o great public object. But they
are not willing to make such sac
rifices when nothing is involved Of
more consequence than the distribution
of the federal patronage by one set or
another set of spoils- hunting politicians. AS
n general rule peace is the paramount in
terest of the country. There are, indeed,
higher interests but it is not often that
any higher interest requires peace, COM
MERGE and material welfare to be subordi-
mated to it. Our national life is exposed to
only two emergencies which demand an
uncalculating surrender of material in
terests. These are, first, an insult to the
national honor by foreign government,
and, second, an attempt to destroy the
Union or resist the laws by misguided citi-
zens. In all inferior exigencies the chief
interest of the country is order and tran
guilty. The sound sense and honest
patriotism Of the people are now
strongly enlisted on the side of peace,
because they do not think the present
controversy important enough to justify
resort to force, especially when it is so
practicable and SO easy to bring it to legal
decision by peaceful method. The great
mass Of our merchants bankers and manu-
facturers. seeing nothing more important in
the present conflict than the question
point the subordinate officers of the federal
government, and whether one or the other
of them has been legally elected, prefer to
have the legal question decided by fair
legal method, in the expectation that
business will revive from its long
reached The business classes, the labor
ing classes MI classes except politicians by
trade, are, therefore, eager, anxious and
unanimous that the pending bill be
promptly passed and the country relieved
from paralyzing uncertainty.
This feeling is decided and intense in
every centre of commerce, and will be ex.
pressed with reverberating emphasis if any
doubt shall be thrown on the triumphant
passage of the bill. Even though it's success
seems assured many such expressions from
the great trade centres have been made.
There was meeting of four thousand bust
ness men of Boston yesterday in Faneuil
Hail. that ancient "Cradle of Liberty"
strongly indorsirg the Electoral bill. The
Boston meeting yesterday was significant be-
cause Massachusetts, is one of the stanchest
of republican States, and because she has
mitted to the Electoral bill. The contest
was very close between Mr.. Hoar and Mr..
Boutwell, until the news reached Boston
that Mr.. Hoar had signed the report OF the
Joint committee, when the Massachusetts,
Legislature at once expressed their strong
Nf Il Nv al
the Senate. The great meeting in Faneuil
Hall gives the added emphasis of 'sober
second thought" to the previous vigorous
Endorsement of the course Of Mr.. Hoar
If similar Endorsement of Senator
Conkling should be thought neces-
sary it will be overwhelmingly given
by the unanimous business classes
of this city. They have as yet taken no
formal public action, because all indications
point to the triumphant success Of the bill.
But if any doubt should be felt vast meet
ing of our business classes could be assem-
bled on n days notice whose united voice
would leave no doubt as to the sentiment of
the commercial metropolis After the pas
sage of the bill, of which there is no reason
able doubt, the New York merchants will
make suitable recognition of the services
Of Mr.. Conkling. They will not permit him
to pass through the city on his way home
without offering him the compliment of n
great public dinner, exceeding in magnif-
cence that given to Mr.. Webster on q
memorable occasion. If Congress can be
certain Of anything not proved before one
of it's committees by sworn testimony it
may be certain that the business men of
New York indorse the pending bill and
warmly indorse Senator Conkling for his
able advocacy of it. The attempt of few
eccentric and crotchety members of the
Union League Club to excite partisan hos