Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-05-18
CHICAGO LETTER.

Correspondents PUBLIC LEDGER.l
CHICAGO, May 14.-As facts are
stubborn things" l cannot refrain
from opening this epistle by stating
hat the weather is, to be mild of Ian
guage, deucedly cold for the season,
and more like that of winter, than APP
preaching summer. The male pedes.
trian finds an overcoat a very pleasant
adjunct to his attire. Certainly the
climate here is very changeable. One
would have thought a severely warm
spell was in store for Chicagoans, after
the republican rumpus of last Monday,
when the FIRE Of the party was sud
denly stirred into fame by those OPP
posed to the third-term idea" In
that instance a brand seemed to have
been thrown into Senator Logan's
coal mine, which ignited the gas, and
caused the explosion that promised to
blow General Grant out Of the re-
publican presidential race. But,
judging from the freezing breath,
ofthe gentle zephyrs that blow around
this locality, it would seem as though
the explosion stirred up the Arctic
country to such an extent as to in
duce the clerk of that icy region to
send down a heavy supply Of the cool
ing element to fan the fevered brows
ofChicago's republican obstreperous
politicians. Dropping the weather,
and reverting to Mondays row. it is
propert to say that the Blaine Wash
burne delegates have the advantage Of
the Grant seceders, inasmuch as the
convention had been regularly organ
lied, a temporary chairman and sec
rotary selected and a committee on
credentials appointed, and everything
in working order before the Grant
delegates left the hall and adjourned
to the Palmer house. The
squabble, Of course, does
not concern democrats, or other
we'll wishes of the nation but as the
row has been variously interpreted and
placed before the country, it is only a
part of my Office as representative oil
the PUBLIC LEDGER to proclaim the
truth. The claim of the boilers hat
the Blaine Washburne men ignored
precedent by the course they pursued
appears groundless, so far as | can
learn, and my information is irrefuta-
Bile. As might be looked for in any
convention a good deal of bulldozing
was resorted to. This was Tot confined
to either party, but INDUCED in by
both, and in the Palmer house as well
as the Farwell hall. The fuss demon
strated by the shadow of a doubt that
republicans in Chicago cannot be
whipped into line at the option OF
party hack leaders, such as General
Logan. This breaking Of the shack
les shows a wholesome resolve Of the
people to think and act for them
selves. When this is univer.
sally the case with all political par
ties, and all other organizations, hon
est men may be expected to be found
as public servants, from the chief ex-
%ecutive of the nation down to the
humble constable. 1t is high time
that caucus fraud" was kicked out
of party organization.
Just think Of it, Chicago, during
1879, did a business in grain and pro-
visions amounting to over $2Sl, 900, 00O
worth, or nearly twice as much as the
year 1873.
Inhuman cruelty has been commit
ted by a demon in human shape,
by a man named Sass, a resident Of
the west side Of Chicago. And this,
too, upon his little nine year old
daughter, by his first wife. For weeks
he has kept her in a dark, cold and
Shiny coal vault, most Of the time
without any food, and rats and other
vermin as her companions.
The police arrested him. On being
arraigned before the magistrate, he
got a continuance in bonds, because the
little girl was too i'll to appear. Since
then the brute has become invisible t
the officers, as also the child. Fou
play to the girl is feared. The poo
creature had nearly lost her reason
when her pitiable condition became
known.
The union veterans in Illinois ar,
going to have a grand blow out ia
Chicago on June 1st. 1t will be turneC
into a Grant boom, most likely.
The democrats Of Chicago are get
ting we'll organized for the cominI
presidential battle. The primar,
meetings will be held in Cook count,
June 18th, and the county convention
on the 9Th, and the state conclave OF
the 10th. Rest assured there will b
more work than talk done.
; Died suddenly, Mr.. Plinn Smith, o
Chicago. Foul play was believed I
|. have caused death. The coroner
investigation, however, proved thst
piece Of beef steak stuck in his wind
pipe and produced indefinite suspen
sion OF animation.
This is the way 1t is now done /
} Chicago. As you walk along, a ger
| teel person hurriedly approaches 20
, from behind presents a fue lookin
ring; asks you If you lost it. If 70
say no, then he offers it to you f.
fifty cents or one dollar, stating ths
| he lives out of the city, but will ad
, yertise it for the money you pay hin
If you bite he will take your name ct
and then bow himself away, and tn,
may be the last you will see Of hin
4 Another way is to go into a first clai
ieweIry store, ask TO look at a vslui
/ bic diamond, and then 0'LeaFy it OF
Of sight.
y Bounced" is Mr.. Vale, princip
I, Of one Of Chicago's public school
n NV n