Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-04-24
NEW YORK LETTER.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

ME- w lUNN LII | | I'm.
lspEcIAL coRREsroNDENcE.
The veterans of tho war for the
Union are no, all rs pleased as Gen.
Horace Porter is with the pomp of the
dedication ceremonies of the Grant
mausoleum, April 27. It will he n
magnificent pageant, but the impress
sion produced on the old soldiers, as
onc finds in the letters they write to
The papers, is one rather of vain dis.
play than Of heart. The writer's say
that the evident effort to get together
rs many military bodies us possible, is
an unhealthy eXcitation of militarism.
Stress is laid on General Grants own
hatred OF war aud love OF peace, his
emphatic words at Berne concerning
the great victory of peace that was won
there are quoted. Grant was, indeed,
eminently the conqueror OF pence.
One old soldier writes, expressing
listaste amounting to disgust for ull
the show. and giving his notion OF Il
better way for veterans to do than to
take part in the parade. 1t is that at
reveille comrades of the Union war
should gather at Grants tomb, hang
over its door nn immense wreath OF
laurel, tied with red, white and biuo
ribbons and garnished with the corps
badges, hear few words from an old
soldier, fire generals salute from
some old-lime field pieces, and then
60 on their way, "to stand on the side
walk and see the militia and the con.
federates' sons march BY" This
would be beautiful thing 10 do, and
would relieve the committee from the
great difficulty they nre having to
arrange the march so as to allow the
Grand Army men to drop out when
ahev have marched as fur as they are
able.
1t is being more and more suspect ell
that Pintt's machine in New York, If
not absolutely out of gear, Is encoun-
tcring an unexpected amount OF fric-
tion in lis working. The regular
Sunday meetings that Platt held with
his immediate henchm ell in Now York
city until recently to direct what
should be done at Albany during
each week have been discontinued.
This in itself is OminOus, for it re-
quired more than the force OF public
opinion to do away with them, The
report is that Governor Black would
not send his representatives to them,
and that he is actually shaping
IA policy of his own which threatens to
conflict With Platt's mandates. This
involves the threat Of another ma
chine for, as present politics are IN
New York, there is nothing Gun be
done without one, and there is sus-
picion that the governor, with his
own jockey. "Lon" Payne, is to have
the running of it. If it brings some
thing like the courage of Platt himself
into its work, it may prove formidable,
but if there is no more spirit in it than
that which Platt's earlier opponents
among the respectable" kind of poll.
ticans have evinced, he may laugh it
| to scorn as readily as he has done III
their case.
The police commission here is in q
sad state OF decentralization. Mr..
Roosevelt is about to leave, MIR.
Parker has been removed by the
mayor, and Colonel Grant now excites
the scorn and derision of journals that
were formerly his warmest friends
The Mail and Express says: at is
pity, while the praises Of
splendid soldier are being sung, and d
whole nation is making ready to pay
loving tribute to his memory, that his
son, who has been hopored with N
important and responsible position in
this community, should be playing the
part of II petulant schoo!boy, and OBJ
siructing the public business, which
it is his duty to aid and further
The meeting ofrhe Authors ciul
in their fine rooms IN the Carnegie
building on Fifty-sixth street
New York, was reception tc
Horace General Porter, mem
Der of the club, in view o.
his coming departure to France n
ambassador. There was brllian
company present. The Union League
club, of which General Porter is presi
idcn,, are preparing for him fare
well dinner at Delm monico's May San
OH the evening of May the Monaul
club Of Brooklyn propose to homo
him in like manner. G. neral Por
ter will not resign his presidency o
the Union l. ague until nfter the presi
dents reception on the 9th inst.
At IA meeting of the league of par
cuts aud teachers ut Barnard college
the other day, steps were taken towar,
establishing IA co lie OF etiquette TO
teachers sim liar to those which prevai
in the medical and legal professions
On the whole. the pedagogic protes
sion requires such IL code less thar
some Others. Ii the ministers, now
would live up to q code which forbad,
them to make public attacks on eacl
other, their collective influence woul.
be greatly increased.
Citizen George Francis Train
mcdilatiuns on his accustomed bencl
in Madison squire have been disturbed
by woman who snt down on tn
bench next to the one on which h.
wns seated the other day, and pro
ccedcd to swallow II bottle of Pnrg
glo.n. Tue Citizen promptly admin
istered cop;ous dose of salt water
and having thus saved h,r lille scut he
to II hospital. Then the Citizen re
sunel bis bench and his book.
None of the events attending til,
dedication of the Grant monumrn
will be more picturesque than tn,