Year: 1872

Cincinnati COnVentiOn-StOkes es' Defense


Things In General.


From Our Own Correspondent.l


NEW YORK, April 10, 1872.


For comprehensive definition of the


term Reform Legislature" let me refer


the curious to that respectable body of men


known as the Committee of SEVENTH
Under their protecting care and by the use
of their influence and means, we succeed
ed in electing IS our representatives at the
State capital q set of men whose watch


word was Reform" and who had agreed
to give our city new charter freed from
the Objectionable features of the one now
in existence SO We threw up our caps


and shouted in a happy chorus, that now
indeed was the day of our deliverance


nigh. To our Legislature we looked for
the enactment of such measures as would


consummate the good work of publication


which we had inaug urated. Our press had


acted well its role of detective, the Grimm


ais were unmasked, all that was necessary
| was the passage of some acts to prevent


repetition of like offenses and to ensure the
conviction OF the offenders. Well, what
| has our boasted Reform Legislature done
| for us 4? The hundred days during which
| they are in session will terminate to-mor-
row; the two houses cannot agree upon q
| charter for the city, and the prospect is
| that they will adjourn either without Civ
| ing us any at all, or else they will favor us
with one hastily passed during the last
hours of the session, and so full of imper-
| fections and unconstitutional sections that
| it will be of no practical use. Something
must be done or we shall have anarchy.
There is no money to pay the city's labor
ers, and the Comptroller dares not raise
| loSf ha ho 1oOiorod
| by his opponents. The men in office are
afraid to move finger for fear of being
turned out, and horde of office-seekers
| wait for chance to create and fill vacan-
cies. Our streets are not cleaned because
the contractor has no money, and hot
weather would produce pestilence. Our
Mayor is still under Indictment as a COM
mon criminal. VIM. Tweed, the biggest
thief unhung, is still Senator from the
Fourth" and the Senate dares not expel
him. Of a truth, our metropolis presents
but sorry spectacle in the face
of the world. This is not pleas
ant condition of things to write about
nor is it any pleasanter to witness. Did
the prospects seem brighter, were the
promises so lavishly made at all likely
to be redeemed, one might feel encour-
aged, but /, for one, see but little chance
of any Improvement at present. [ may
be all wrong-when proved so l will gladly
acknowledge the corn"


THE CINCINNATI CONVENTION.


suppose that cY9g X2pd m sduUt lIf te tts f8GE EofE
ing National Convention at Cincinnati.
It is hard to say, but, outside of the press,
very few think about it at all. A mass
meeting is to be held on the 24th, when
Senators Trumbull and Schurz will be here
to try and create some enthusiasm i'll its
favor The meeting will undoubtedly be
a large one for both the gentlemen men-
toned are able and eloquent speakers.
But that does not mean anything, for Ten
ME G.. Claflin filled the academy of music.
People will go to hear SchurZ and Trumbull,
of course. Many able men are interested
in the convention so they were in the
Cleveland convention of 1864, and the
Philadelphia convention of 1866. But
generals, be they ever so able, can ac-
complish nothing without armies and
the leaders i'll this movement seem to
be without followers. Nevertheless, it will
not do to sneer at the May Convention. Its
weakness lies chiefly in the discordance of
the elements to whom it appeals for sup
port. Free traders and protectionists can
not work harmOniOusly together, nor do L
believe that Democrats and Republicans
can unite on any common platform.
Moreover, the majority of the Democrats
in the city are strongly in favor Of an ac-
tive, aggressive policy and prefer to NOM
mate good men of their own party and
take the chances of victory or defeat with
them than compromise with the enemy,
even though the probability of success be
thereby greatly enhanced. Charles Francis
Adams is q strong man for any faction to
take as leader, but there is very little reason
to believe that he will receive the Cincin-
natl nomination. The present adminis-
tration has made mistakes, and so has
every one that has preceded it. So far as
nv observation goes, it possesses, how
ever, greater degree of public confidence
than is generally believed. And also be-
lieye that it will receive an enthusiastic
endorsement by the people. And so far the
Cincinnati Convention appears to possess
rather the character of great mass meet
inp intended to act within the Republican
marty. and seeking rather to influence
| that party in favor of certain definite prin-
ciples, rather than to found a new pOliti-
| cal organization. There is room for re-
form within the party limits, civil-service
reform and amnesty should be made
planks in the Republican platform. If the
| convention at Cincinnati merely reiter-
ates this and demands attention to its ad-
vice by the regular Republican Conven-
| ton, it is still within the party and from
| its composition enClIleu 10 EeSpICe an9
| consideration. If it goes beyond this and
dominates candidates, it forms new par
ty and one which do not believe that the


popular verdict will sustain. At present
both parties seem exceedingly suspicious


as to whether the bone has any meat on or
| not.


J THINGS IN GENERAL.


Our different investigating committees


" drag their slow length along" VI all


portant, and it is not unlikely that our


Senate will be convened in extra session


to try some impeachment cases.


In stocks the principal feature Is the


locking up" of money by the Bears,


who thus seek to force the market down.


30 far the only result has been ruinouS


rate of interest, ranging from one-elghth


to one-half per cent. per day. Stocks nave


kept pretty steady, however, despite fears


OF panic.