Year: 1874

The platform is brief and concise, and does
not "point with pride" at anything in par
ticular, which is good feature.


In withdrawing from the field as a Congress
sional candidate, Judge Poland of Vermont
indulges in an photographed post mortens,
in which he recites at some length the causes
of his defeat, and says his course will bear
the closest scrutiny. One of the remarkable
features of the political neurology of the pres
ent year is that while it has been season of
great mortality, scarcely anybody has died OF
any disease or gone off in decline. Like
many other statesmen, including the official
dog-catchers, the Judge did not know there
was anything the matter with him till he woke
I'D dead. He says he should not have been
candidate if he had known Mr.. Denison was
running. He knows it now.


1t has been determined that the Convention
of Southern Republicans shall be held at Chat
tanooga, and the assurance is again given us
from Washington that the intention is to OBJ
tain representation of the better elements
of the party. If the better class Of Republic
can leaders could meet in some quiet way
and discuss the sins, weaknesses and necessi-
ties of the party, great good might undoubt-
edly be accomplished by their deliberations.
But we need expect nothing like a general
confession in the heat of critical campaign,
and Senator Chandler at any rate is not
likely to recommend any such heroic proceed
ing. We are much more apt to get from the
Chattanooga Convention string OF resolu-
tions for campaign effect, which will have no
value whatever.


There is a sudden furry in the Democratic
Camp, and we have mysterious revival OF
the rumors concerning Judge Church. IL Is
true that Judge Church's friends have made
the question of his candidacy for the Govern
orship depend entirely upon what they be-
lieved would be its effect on his future pros
poets. But it is equally certain that
they have led Mr.. Tilden to believe
that the Judge would not be can
didate so long that Mr.. Tilden's friends all
over the State have become thoroughly COM
mitted, and have undoubtedly secured the Con-
vention. The chance of springing Judge
Church at the last moment, and pushing him
through by acclamatiOn, does not therefore
seem half so good as it might have been two
weeks ago.


The extended official report of Willis
Russell, Deputy u. S. Marshal, concerning the
disorders in Owen County, Kentucky. does
not add materially to the details of the story
of violence. He considers it from very diff
ferent point of view from that of the cor
respondent whose letter we published on the
4th inst. The latter was disinterested OBJ
server, and regarded the conflicts as prin-
cipally resulting from family feuds = MIR.
Russell was personally engaged in the
contests, and views them altogether as Ku-
Klux disturbances; while his statements of
fact may be accurate to the extent OF his
knowledge, his theory of the motives of the
occurrences is likely to be cOlOred by personal
feeling. The whole of this disgraceful business
needs to be brought to light and the guilty
parties promptly punished, whether they
belong to q political faction or the first
families Of Kentucky.


The South Carolina Republican Convention
presents rather an encouraging spectacle for
the Reformers who propose to do the reforming
inside the party. Gov. Scott having proved a
great rascal, was reformed out of Office by Gov.
Moses. whose administration has been such
that Scott's was immaculate in the comparison,
and the latter even had the impudence to pro-
pose to reform Moses out and himself In. And
now they are trying to reform Moses out and
put in his place man named Chamberlln,
who it is said cannot be half so bad as Moses
if he tries. The present Reform Convention
has been sitting at Columbia for two days,
dwelling" on the nomination like an auc-
tioneer on a low bid waiting to sell votes to
the candidate who will pay the highest price.
And the "yindcation" business reaches its
climax in Moses sitting there in the Conven-
ton asking denomination to vindicate his
administration Meanwhile, a convention of
taxpayers is assembling at the same place for
the purpose of nominating State ticket, and
the delegates agree that they will make no
nomination if only the Republicans will nomi-
nate an honest man for Governor. This is the
State which Senator Patterson says requires
the interference of the army to keep the white
people and taxpayers in order.