Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1880-09-09
WHOLE NO. 1884

''No," replies the Judge, ST shouldn't think
Of committing suicide if Hancock were elect
1ed.pl ~ Il. -s r.. .5rl:. i.siGe;) so rrs -.gL
..:After ALL" says and old gentleman, ''there
is no great question involved it is a struggle
for Office, and that is about all there is of it."
| 'FYes," says countrymen, ''the outs work
to get in, and the ms work to stay in; that's
| just what it is"
| This statement receives an almost unani-
nous assent from the people in the store, num-
bering perhaps dozen that morning.
| A pronounced democrat tells me there are
not many in the town SO decided in their
views as himself, but adds that he knows sew
eral republicans who are anti Garfield men.
| "ln Connecticut you will find plenty ofpeople
who have little sympathy for the South. / do
not belong to that set. But am too old to
take active part in politics-it has got to be
too low. When was in public life man
would be defeated for shaking hands with
everybody, but since P. T. Barnum set the
example, the buying of voters is carried on
boldly ct the hustings. Pocket-books are
opened and the money paid down fat, in the
presence of whoever chooses TO look on"
''But IS not this open bribery punishable at
| law ?" ask. -,
| certainly; but the politicians make the
laws, and execute them ornot, as they choose"
An anti-Tilden man, he has little faith in
the leaders of either party, but heartily endors-
es Gen. Hancock. -'..' g..
On the other hand, lifelong republican
with whom heve had many talks expresses
| fully as much feeling for the South as the
democrat just mentioned; doesn't believe that
P. T. Barnum was first to begin the system of
\ bribery which he admits to be common and
| increasing talks about the war in manly
way, without heat admires the valor of the
South, wonders at its power of endurance, &C.
| &c. He is a man of liberal education. Pleas
ed with his candor, / put home questions to
| him i-,,,7 .,.. :. ~. .; v.a- a.. HrajgE
.non, e H. me- e:s1 now what is the telling here
II suspect there is more prejudice against
him here than there is with you When / was
in college, years ago, there was black stu
| dent for whom had regard which amount
ed almost to friendship; but although he was
| studying divinity, the prejudice against him
was so strong that he had to leave the college,
and completed his education abroad. He did
much to remove my antlpathy to his race, and
yeti -. -....
"And yet you would not like to sit at table
| with negro? ?" ....... ..-...
Doubtless it is a weakness in me to say So
but I would not" ,-s '.-i'
"And if you had daughter of marriage
| able age would you like to give her to color
| ed man?'
II should look upon it with horror" o. ~.
Nevertheless the feeling among some Of the
people here toward the race is, to say the least
very kind. ."He was tall, fne.looking man,
| as black as he could be, but real gentleman,
as neat as he could be. He boarded with us
while here. The speaker was lady of edu-
| cation and the man she spoke of was the bass
singer Of jubilee troupe that came here last
| winter The female minstrels she always call
| ed "ladies."r va.- sri ~ %
1t will be seen that to the present moment
| - IL 80 A.
| has been displayed in my hearing. Yet the
predominant sentiment Of the village is repub-
| lican, the town alternating between the two
parties, and veering about, If l am not misin-
| formed, much in proportion to the amount of
| money expended by the respective parties.--
When man of influence chooses to exert
himself he may turn the scale this way or that,
| according to his political bias; but too often
| such men give politics the cold shoulder,
| thinking it mira dig. to enter an arena which
they believe to be getting more and more filthy
every year. ", 90
| To-day for the first time met with man
who had been in the war of the so-called re-
belion. 3 He had been captured during the sew
en- days fight around Richmond, knew all z
| about Belle Isle, the Libby prison and ''thebis
blood hounds" as he and his fellow-prisoners
called a hulking ANIMAL as large almost as a
calf, that used to trot about the Streets fright
ening the children by his size, but harmless as
an old COW. He had been exchanged, accom-
panied Hunter on his raid, suffered terribly on
the retreat from Lynchburg, was proud of his
war record but not vain-gloriOus, and good
naturally described his capture somewhat in
these words 1 Johnny says to me, Come
down you--Yank, and l came down quick,
you bet u" a"' ''."" --+'' 1860
Here 1 am reminded that whenever the talk
fell upon the war, which has not been often, q
e Al
ing officers has been made by both parties.
Of course the democrats are severe upon Grant
and tender towards Mcclellan, but the repub-
licans, while blaming Mcclellan for his mac
tivity on the peninsula when with LOG, 600
he confronted Magruder with barely 10000,
claim for Grant nothing but bulldog persist
ence and freely admit that Sherman's fame
was the result of accident, rather than of any
great ability as soldier. Summing up the
whole matter, an intelligent gentleman sad
''The truth ID, in the beginning you wanted to
fight and we did not; but how your men of
sense-I don't mean your Hotspurs- could
ever hope to win when we were getting re-
cruits from abroad at the rate of a thousand
day, is something could never understand"
The only reply could make was that the dis
parity of strength on our side was not near SO
great as that Of the cOlonists as against Great
Britain during the Revolution more than that,
wretchedly mismanaged; and, worst of
ALL while the body of the ''rebellion" was
strong enough, its head was weak. But this
did not altogether satisfy him. He praised US O.
for the sacrifice we made of cur property by
investing so freely in Confederate bonds, but
thought it as foolish or rather unwise, for he
never used term that might offend) as it
not have acted in that way lie would
have set aside something to fall back upon in
case the was went against him." ,..t.-5y
My letters from CORNWALL cease with this.
But as the key note continually recurs in a.
piece of music, 30 the little village and what i
there learned OF New England life and man
ners, will often come up hereafter: Is Corn
wall a fair sample of the social cloth Of Con.
gnectieut2 think so. Not of the highest, ~
and certainly far from the lowest but of tie
medium quality, or what might be called theni
best middling grade, ! doubt not it is q fair
specimen. ! am 10th to leave it for even so,
pretty place as Litchfield, my next point Of
observation. Nothing but kindness did IRE
ceive at the hands of its citizens; snot word,
not look that could be objected to-, Many
asked me to come back, to make them another
and longer visit. They knew my business,
too, and did not object to the closest examina-
ton. '5u ,--. 49,, E; ,,..st ..s.., "a, ii gidI a.
pr Only two things occur TO me as worthy of
criticism, namely, the village cemeteryis not so
carefully tended, asst might be, some of tho al
walks being full of weeds few flowers or .
shade trees have been planted. Secondly, il 6
single instance (ena the main street. howeverJ
q house is thrust into notice which ought TO-
have been hidden. This is said in no fault vi
finding spirit but simply because the lens of q,
strangers eye may throw light on little bIots
that can easily be removed; ndsothis' sweet
Auburn" may become all it ought to be. Ethan -
Allen lived while in Cornwall. The earliest &
mission school was established here, and there
are scenic attractions To which can barely al
Jude, to wit; the Crooked Esses, q tortuoubs
vale that leads to gloomy mountain pass,
called the Dark Entry; Cathedral Grove,