The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-10-21
Our Boston Letter.
The Grant Reception-The Effect OF the
Western Elections-The Massachusetts,
Canvass-Butler's Trickery-Congres-
sional Candidates-Cashie Woodward
and His Crime.
BOSTON. Oct. Is. l8s

BOSTON, Oct. Is, 1880.
Massachusetts, and especially Boston, has
had an unusual amount of excitement and en-
thusiasm this week. Along with the glorious
news to Republicans from the West, came
the conquering hero-Grant. There is no
State in the Union where Grant has found 50
much of opposition, and so bitter, to his Presi-
dental aspirations. There is no question but
that the bitter opposition to him in this State
defeated him at Chicago as it defeated Blaine
at Cincinnati in '76. Nov ere have the press
and the platform and the ballots been so loud
in denunciation of President" Grant. Yet,
believe it is true that the reception rendered
to General Grant by the citizens OF Boston
and vicinity excelled any which he has re-
ceived elsewhere. 1t was not confined to par
ty, although he came here partially for party
purposes. The reception was truly spontane-
GUS, and the expressions of good will to the
distinguished guest by press and people, who
had made bitter warfare on him as a civil off,
Ger, were bona fide. They were no affecta-
tions. 1t is doubtful il any people in the Un-
ion appreciate more truly the great military
renown of the hero Of vicksburg and the Will
derness than these same Massachusetts people.
Aho tuCJ udNO tuC SOOu bcuSo W QloLlQXu1Sl
between the two services which he rendered to
the country. Those who noted carefully the
courtesies of the past week and read the after
dinner speeches, will have noticed that scarce
" any allusion was made to President"
Grant, but always to General Grant, and
all reference to his civil career was studiously
avoided Perhaps this was well in a commu-
nifty where he had so many political opponents.
His visit here has been one round of recep-
tions and through them all he has borne him
self in the serene, plain, transformations man
ner that characterizes all his acts 1t is given
to few :men to have honors "heaped upon
them" during life as has been the case with
Gen. Grant, both at home and abroad But
one thing ishould be borne in mind by those
who have noted his enthusiastic reception in
this city. 1t doesn't indicate any movement
favorable to his candidacy in 1884 or at any
other time Massachusetts, is opposed to that
now and unquestionably always will be.
The result of the Western elections was as
unexpected to us as was that OF the Maine
election. Indiana was almost universally con-
ceded to the Democrats, notwithstanding the
unpopularity of both English and Landers.
The result of our own election can be dis
counted now almost to a certainty. Garfield
will carry the State by 25,0O0 majority. There
are some 20,0O0 old-line Republicans, ''silver
grays," who never come out to vote save at
Presidential elections. They are sure to come
then. Therefore being so certain as to the re-
suit we do not enthuse to any great degree,
although Indiana and Ohio enliven us a little.
We have no local squabbles of any note to in
terfere with the Presidential vote. II this were
an OFT year and Ben Butler was out Of the way,
would not want to ensure a republican victo-
ry over Thompson; more especially If John ID.
Long was not a candidate. Long and Thomp-
son are both young men. They ars both hail
fellows we'll met" both men Of culture; both
men OF nnquestioned honesty 10 all their pub
lie or private affairs; men Of unidentified intes-
rity; men who never stoop to any low dirty