New-York tribune., 1877-06-13

| or TO concede the possession OF moral quah-
ties 10 an opposition circus. We freely grant
| that the elephant bath in the frog pond was
one of those ennobling spectacles the educat-
inp and enlightening influences OF which upon
a population like that of Boston II would be
difficult to oyerestimate. But to advertise tho
exhibition rs it was advertised. with so much
arrogance and offensive ostentation, as a
demonstration of a local character, peculiar
TO Boston and in the highest degree exclusive,
was most rash and ill-considered. Had it been
announced modestly and carried forward
Quietly, New-York would never have objected
TO the enterprise nor taken steps to bumlllate
its projectors by bringing into the arena a
caravan by the side of which the bath OF the
elephants appears as the merest side-show OF
a double-headed calf competing with " Great
Consolidation"
When Boston gave out some fortnight or
more ago with great eiliisiveness and boastful
self-complacency the announcement OF the
elephant bath, she just reused the lion OF
Democracy that controls and runs New-YO
Tammany Hall and the Manhattan Club at
once joincd hands and said: Let us rouse
yourselves for one grand magnificent en-
"deayor, and either beat the Boston ee-
"phant bath or perish in the attempt"
They Immediately agreed upon two
days' show of hOns-Democratic lions,
the largest ever known, and more of
them than were ever before exhibited in one
menagerie or under one canvas-Presidentia
or other In the parades and exercises and
speeches and receptions and professions and
fireworks and other paraphernala with which
the past two days and nights have been
filled we have the net results, and
they are such as Boston may well give
heed to as lesson whenever hereafter
she grows proud and pulled up, and thinks to
start q rival circus with five elephants and a
frog pond. We have had here lions of the
very first magnitude lions of all ages and
sizes and classes and every degree of ferocity /;
national lions, State lions municipal lions
lions like Tilden, that roared you gently as
sucking dove; lions like Spinola, that
have roared Legislatures to evaporation
lions like Purroy, that have roarcd
a Board of Aldermen into confusion; lions
like Beebe and like Cox and like Eaton, who
have filled The Congressional Record with their
roaring, and a great number of lions that in
such menagerie and as for BOston-that
provincial city pales her Intellectual fires and
withdraws her elephants before such an array.
This splendid demonstration began in a
somewhat scattered and incOherent way on
Monday with the reception of Gov. Robinson
by Mr.. Augustus Schell, who was inaudible
Mr.. Henry l.. Clinton, who entered as
mouthpiece; y Mr.. PurrOy, who appeared as
earpiece, and several hundred citizens who
were assiduously cubbed by policemen III
illustration of the doctrine of Home Rule 1t
continued through yesterday and last night,
and even as we writo the show Is
going on, with the lions roaring, the bands
playing, and possibly Beebe in the midst bal
ancing himself on q char-back 1t has been
minated that this show has some political
significance but how can that be when there's
no election pending and no candidates to be
assessed for expcnses2 There were, it is true,
one or two things in Mr. Clinton's remarks
which might be considered as having politi-
cal slant; but they were plainly unpremedi-
tated, and grew out OF the wonderful
resemblance Gov. Robinson bears to Andrew
jackson and Daniel Webster-a resemblance
which so forced itself upon the minds OF many
Aldermen that proposition Will doubtless be
made to the Governor, during his stay iii the
city, to sit for two portraits, one of jackson and
one of Webster, for the Governors room in the
City Hall. Gen. Spinola will sit at the same
time for a picture of Edward Everett. But
the demonstration-the show, the circus-was
not politcal-cOuld not have been. 1t was
clearly intended as a rebuke for Boston. AS
such it was great success, and we all take
pride in 1t. And Tammany Hall and the Man
haitian Club may well say this morning to
Boston leading away her five half-washed ele-
plants Elephants indeed HOw's this for
% cirCus ~