New-York tribune., 1884-03-21

.rd;.ree as he knew. and his doubling alma mdfer
were watching and listening curiously as the un,
oualine orator TRANQUILITY challenged what ne no'o
IN have been the recreancy of the college CHASE
As the discourse proceeded he mentioned the
French Revolution. Then paushe, as Al
searching his rich vocabulary for the most
startling word to describe that event, ne salu'
slowly. as if every syllable had been carefully
weighed and chosen, which, upon the whole' was
the greatest the most unmixed the most unstained,
and wholly perfect blessing Europe has had in
modern times, unless perhaps, we may possibly ex-
cept the Reformation This calm deliberate ana
amazing assertion was heard with half-amuseu
shudder of admiration. 1t was generalization
worthy of Mirabeau. 1t was simply Pmllipss way
of saying that the French revolution was a pehc"-
cent event But no one who heard IL wouiu o'0'
forget it. when Harvard asked me TO come, sup
posed she wished me TO bring myself, ne saiu " =
friend afterward Doubtless 1t was what harNaiu
desired and certainly she was not disappointed
Oliver T. Morton, son of the late senator, con'ii-
bu+os IN The Atlantic an article on Presidential nom
;ro+;ons the chief feature of which Is a plan 1Or
Introducing into the convention system some OF the
oculiarites of choosing the President by electors.
Mr.. Mortons plan is that in all the Congressional
districts throughout the country shall meet Oh INC
same day, conventions based upon the party Vote,
and each delegate shall cast one vote for his cahdi-
date for President and one vote for his candidate
for Vice President Not later than two weeks after
ward the National Convention shall meet, adopt the
marty natform and count the votes cast for candl-
dates in the district conventions Any one having
a majority shall be declared nominated, but there
is no such choice the National Convention shall
choose a candidate from among the highest I'VE.
This seems strangely mechanical device 1or cur
ing the evils of the convention system The essence
of that system is the opportunity for conference
and interchange of views. The nomination OF 1ar-
field is as happy an illustration as can be found OF
one of the "happy thoughts" of a convention; but
under Mr.. Morton's plan Garfeld's nomination would
have been ruled out of order.
A fine portrait Of Secretary Robert I. Lincoln
serves as a frontIspiece to the April number OF
The Continental number which offers notable list
of valuable and amusing papers. Especially III
terestlng among the illustrations are the drawings
from English pictures accompanying MI Black
burns articles on :" The Value of Soul" An
editorial note suggests that Mrs. Trollope's
criticisms American manners may
have been partly the result of tho prac-
tical Jokes for which the West is famous.
1--WE have heard of Englishmen-Dickens
was case in point-for whose benefit ex-
tempore schools of manners were organized.
circle would draw up tnelf chdiIs diounu 'h0
foreigner putting their feet on the tables, expec-
torating recklessly, and indulgiDg in all the
traditional soecisms that came 10 hand. 1t is
known that one of Dickens's most severe Notes }
resulted from deliberately concerted plot of this
kind; and the writer hereof has heard the story rs
told by one of the participants.
Mr.. Henry Jsmes's paper. En- Province" in the
April Atldnhc has a charming little description OF
the source of the at Vaucluse Another
article in themagazne, entitled "PhIlida and Cor
idon," is as prettily rural and refreshing as the
sound Of laughing brook
The atlantic publishes the most noteworthy poem
of the month in Mr. Lathrop's Might in New
York"