The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-25
But train showed up and actually lost
suggests possible inconvenience of a more
serious nature.


suggests possible inconvenience OF more
serious nature.
| Speeches At the New England Dinner
OF the fourteen speeches in response to
toasts at the New England dinner every
one was by a republican, SO far as the speak
ers are known to have any party politics
We do not know whether DIR. McCosh ever
votes nor even whether he has been natural
lied, and we are quite unacquainted with
/ the political views Of Commodore Nicholson
and President Brand, of the st. Andrews
Society; but the other eleven, both lay
men and clergymen, are well known and
most of them ardent and conspicuous re-
publicans How did it happen that no
democrat was invited to contribute to the
wit and wisdom of this interesting festival !?
The New England Society would seem to
have become an institution rs strictly par
tisan as the Union League Club. In former
times three of the six New England States
were pretty steadily democratic, and oil Of
them have given birth to men who in
other States have been ranked among the
great lights and ornaments of the demo-
cratic party. Among those who rose
to high national distinction were
Lewis Cass and Stephen A. Doug
las in the West and William L.
Marcy and Silas Wright in our own State,
not to mention others who were scarcely
less eminent The two most eminent oppo-
nents of Governor Marcy and Governor
Wright were not men of New England
birth, but Governor Seward and Governor
Fish, both native New Workers. We think
it mistake to give partisan cast to these
celebrations The Pilgrim Fathers were
appreciated and venerated long before our
continue to be comm emorated long after
the parties Of the day shall have disap-
peared.
The three principal speeches on Monday
evening were by republican statesmen who
are acting very distinguished part in pub
lie affairs. Secretary Sherman said nothing
from which anybody in this community will
dissent, so far as relates to his principles
and purposes; although some may perhaps
think him little too sanguine and ex-
ultant in his expectations. Of his ability
to maintain specie payments we suppose
that no intelligent fnancier Of this city
entertains any doubt, but there seems q
touch of spread eagle oratory in his pro-
phecy that our legal tender notes are to cir
culate all over the world side by side with the
notes Of the Bank Of England and sharing
their unquestioned credit. 1t is never wise
for finance minister to indulge in flights
OF fancy. It is not by any means settled
question that the legal tender notes are to
form a permanent part Of our currency.
Certain it is that they can never possess
equal credit with the notes of the Bank OF
England in the present state Of our legisla-
ton, and the responsible head of our
finances is not warranted in making predic-
tions which overstep the limits imposed by
our laws. When Bank of England note
is taken in Bombay, or Jeddo. or
Constantinople or Rio it is in the certain
assurance that it is the full equivalent of
gold. But what safety would there be in
taking United States note by merchant
or banker in the East Indies while the state
Of our laws is such that it may be paid
either in silver or gold when sent home
for redemption? How shall banker at
the antipodes know whether q thousand
dollar note is worth its face or only eight
hundred and fifty dollars in silver? We
think it is piece Of misplaced financial
buncombe for Secretary Sherman to say, IT
have no doubt that the time is at hand
when these notes will go wherever the
notes of the Bank of England will CO."
Between Secretary Evarts and Senator
Blaine there is . very marked conflict of
opinion on the question Of free ships. Mr..
Evarts, rejecting the opinion of mercantile
New York, said with pointed felicity Of
phrase, eff we wish to build ships, let us
build them if we wish to buy shipss let
us buy them" But Mr.. Blaine, as repre-
sentative of the shipbuilding interest Of
Maine, could not let this pass without
challenge, even on an. occasion where con-
troversy was out of place. II don't
know" he said, "that it is allowable
to have controversies at the table, and yet
must differ from my honorable friend,
the Secretary of State" And he pro-
ceeded to make an argument for upholding
| our restrictive and obstructive navigation
laws. We do not mention his argument to
refute it, but only to call attention to the
fact that Mr.. Blaine is to enter the Presi-
Dental lists as the champion of protection
as we'll as the reviver of sectional animosi-
ties. With the addition of crusade against
the Catholics his political equipment. as the
knight Grant of obsolete ideas, is complete.
| The Doom of Eva Leroy.
'Driven out of Alpena." This had been
done to Eva Leroy while oil the world