New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-03
TILE NEXT EPIDENTC.

There is trouble ahead for the people Of
this state. The alarm was sounded at Albany
on Tuesday evening meeting of a curious
organization, called the Grant Club, was held
at which about two hundred persons assembled
and conducted themselves in very mys;eri-
Gus manner Although the name of their
club implies honor to General Grant as a
constant duty, these extraordinary persons
layished all their applause upon distinguished
ex-senator from New-York. 1t was certainly
." a halcyon and vociierous proceeding accord
ing to the official report, which fills five col
umns of The AiJaRy Express:
The magnetic influence of the very name Of Conlling
was exempied in the reading OF the brief letter bearing
his Signature The applause burst out like a hurricane,
finally eliminating in cry Of three cheers Tor Roscoe
Conkug," followed by response which made the very
building shake The company stood up aud Justify rang
out three cheers napkins were waved, arms swung in
the air and for instant the cean-shaycn, emnent.y
respectable assembling Transformed into very ex-
traorllnary Of beings The enthusiasm seemed to
reach the walters and more than OF these ebon
zcd sons OF humanity caught in the of yelling
his satisfaction. II inspiring a wonderful mo-
mcn in the history Of the Grant Club banquet and ia
be marked with white stone. Other names were reg
ulary appaUded but seemed TO have the electrical
effect As that OF the quiet lawyer shorn of political in
aucncc, who is the distinguished ex-senator from
Ncw-YOrk state.
Such conduct as this on the part of a Grant
Club is, we repeat, extraordinary, hut it is not
nexplicable. The Hon. Thomas c. Platt fur
nshes a key to the mystery in the able letter
which he sent to the club. "If there be any
future for the Republican party" he wrote,
&" it will be through such as YOU. May your
members increase and your courage inOculate
the whole people" There we have it. An
epidemic of ConklinSism is about to be sprung
upon the people of this State. aId the Grant
Club is about to offer its services rs an inocu-
lator OF the pOpulace against its rayageS. This
is timely and patriotic service.
Evidences were abundant at the meeting
that most of those present were already suffer
ing from the threatened disease. This fact
seemed to have been suspected by large
number Of the invited guests, for those
who stayed away outnnmbercd ard out
weighed these who came and nearly one-half
the space given to the report Of the meeting
Is occupied with letters Of regret. The alb
sentees included President Arthur, General
Grant, Mr.. Conkling Speaker Keller, Sccre-
tary FoGer, Mr.. Platt, Governor Cornell, Sen
ator Lapham, Stewart l.. Woodford, Attor-
ncy-Gencial Russell, ". W. Aston Charles Z.
Smith, and 3. platt Carpenter Those who
came included such names rs Li"utenant-Goy-
enor Hoskins, Superintendent butcher. Con-
troller Davenport superintendent Fairman, ex-
Speaker sharpe, and c. NJ Dennlson. Dir.
Sharpe had no voice in the speeches, probably
because he was " recreant' in the Senatorial
contest of last spring. The other victims
made speeches moSe or less incoheront or te-
dious, but the gem of the occasion was an
offering to the hero of the evening from the
Hon. Samuel Foster OF Trey who seems to be
in the dclirum STAGE of the trouble. We
quote his speech in full. 1t was in response to
the toast TO the health of Roscoe COnkling:
IL Is but meet that tie hamJest should be called upO
0 speak Of him Tor whom the greatest Ia not gre