The New York herald. [volume], October 22, 1874, Page 3, Image 3

About The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920

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THE MOON.
The Shadow of Old Earth on
Cynthia's Brow.
Total Eclipse on Saturday
Night.
illustrative diagrams.
Between the evening of the 24th and tho morn
ing of the 25th o f October the people of this coun
try are to behold a total eclipse of the moon. As
this coincidence occurs only once in eighteen
.years, aud as the representatives of science and
the press have both been mate concerning its ad
vent, the facts given In this sequel I believe will be
accepted with no little interest by all.
HISTORY OP ECLIPSES.
An eclipse is an obscuration of one of the
beavenly bodies by the Interposition of another,
either between it and the spectator, or between it
and the sun. The first total eclipse of which we 1
have any knowledge? that is, the first recorded,
occurred in the year 720 B. C., and was visible at
Babylon. The occurrence w as the occasion of
great alarm, and, indeed, before the dawn of
science, eclipses, both solar and lunar, greatly
affected the mlnas of tho Inhabitants of the earth.
Tho ancients failed to comprenend them within
the order ol nature and regarded them as pre
sages of dire events, while at one time in Rome
It was blasphemy, and punishment by law, to talk
In public of their being due to natural
causes, in ancient times when the rays of
the moon were obscured the people turned oat
and mado a groat disturbance with drums and
brafr.n Instruments, their Idea being that the
"Quoen of the Night" was in affliction, and that
by making the noise they did they frightened
away those who were tormenting her. According
to some, Luna, wnen in eclipse, was in the pains
of labor. According to others she was suffering
Jrom the arts of wicked magicians.
AH barbarian tribes held peculiar notions con
cerning eclipses of tho moon. The Chinese
Imagined that all obscurations of the sun or the
moon were caused by the attempt of immense
dragons endeavoring to devour thera, ana accord
ingly, whenever eclipses occurred, they would as
semble at street corners, and, by beating upon
gongs and kettles, strive to frighten the
monsters off. On acconat ol these popu
lar superstitions many parties better versed
in science than the common throng
?which surrounded them, by predicting the coming
of an eclipse accomplished many events which we
of to-day regard as authentic and historical. By
the fortunate occurrence of an eclipse Thales
brought peace between the Medes and the
Lydians, and by predicting an obscuration of the
celestial orbs, Columous, on March l, 1604, at Ja
maica, procured provisions for himself aud his com
panlons, after every other effort to secure such
provisions haa failed.
THE RANGE OF ECLIPSES. '
Stars, planets and satellites of planets may suffer
eclipse, but the principal eclipses, however, are
those of the sun and tho moon, called solar and
luuar eclipses. The transits of the lower planets
over the lace or the sun are partial solar eclipses;
but solar eclipses, properly so called, are those
caused by the Interposition of the moon between
the sun and the earth. Regarding the
eclipses of the moon, it has been said,
ana truly said, that they are caused
by the moon passing through the
rnrtb'u abaJonr inothPr assertion of equal
Importance and truth Is that lunar ocllpses hap
pen only at full moon. They do not happen every
full moon because the moon's orbit is inclined to
the ecliptic on which the centre of the earth's
Bhawdow moves at an angle of 5 deg. 9 mm., nearly.
It may be loolish to remark that in case the Queen
of Night moved on the ecliptic there would be an
eclipse every lull moon, but from the magnitude ;
of toe angle of inclination of her orbit to the eclip
tic an eclipse can occur only on a full moon, hap
penlng when the moon is at, or very near, one of |
her nodes, or, in other words, when she is at the \
points where her orbits intersect tho ecliptic.
Therefore an obscuration can take place
only when the centres of the circle of the 1
earth's shadow and of the moon's disc approach
within a distance less than the sum of their ap
parent semi-diameters; consequently, except when
near the nodes, the moon, on whichever side of
the ecliptic she may be, may pass above or below
the shadow wlthoat entering it the least. The I
moon's average diameter is known to be 31 mln. j
25.7 sec., aud from the Xautical Almanac we may
ascertain the exact amount of the shadow for any
hour, its variations all taking place between the
values of 29 mln. 22 sec. and 33 min. 28 sea
"TIIE MOON ITSELF."
The poet Butler would havo us believe that the
moon is made of "green cheese." Another poet
greater than Dutler says: ?
Oh, awor not by t'le moon, the Inconstant moon,
Ihttt monthly chtngtn la tier circled orb!
And so It has been that the moon, with a certain
class of people, has fallen Into great disrepute,
and simply on acconnt of her natural phases,
when contrasted with theme of the great luminary
from which she borrows her light? the sun. -'All
lunar eclipses are universal, or visible In all psrts
of the earth which have the moon above their
horizon," say the authorities, and no doubt the
authorities are correct. All lunar eclipses, more
over, are everywhere of the same magnitude, with
the same beginning and end. It is this univer
sality of lunar eclipses that leads people to im
agluo that there are more eclipses of the
moon tnan there are of the sun. The
fact is, however, that the latter is more often
eclipsed than the rormer, U e., rhere are more
eclipses of the sun than there are of the moon. A
sun's eclipse is only visible to a part of the earth,
whereas a lunar eclipse, as just stated above, is
?lsible wherever the moon can be seen. The con
sequence is that there are more eclipses of the
moon visible at any particular place than of the
sun. The reason why the solar eclipse is visible to
only particular portions of the earth is, because
being causcd by the moon's shadow, it is only to I
be seen wnere the moon's shadow (alls and the !
moon's shadow is very much smaller than the !
earth.
"ECLIPSICA.L" CONSISTENCY-.
A peculiar fact about eclipses aro that they ap- '
pear in regular order, once ouly in every eighteen '
sears and eleven days; this fact was discovered
by the ancient Chaldeans, and the period is called '
the Chaldean period. Therefore, the total eclipse 1
which we shall witness on this corning Satur- !
day night too* place eighteen years ago, in
October, i8i?. The total eclipse of occurred
upon October 13, ol that year. It was not quite
total, the uioon's edge being about one-flve-hun
<lrsdth part or its diameter outside of the shadow.
By refcrrinir to the large figure at the Head of this
article it win be seen that at this time (IN74) tho
moons edge is about one-twentieth ol
Ha diameter within the edce of the
shadow. At each return of eighteen years It will
pas* uiore and more near the centre of the
shadow, until finally it will pass by the southern
edge of the shadow and cease to be total, in
other words, i.ooj years hence the eclipse will
cease to be total.
OCR ECLIPSE.
On Saturday night a bright, sun-lllumlned
Bcreen will be l assed across our midnigiit Arma
ment; will be blotted out iu mid-heaven, and
emerge Into light again before reachlug me west
cm sky aud all lor what? To prove to us that
the great shadow of the earth is really there in
the right; that the mighty cone of shade, based I
on trie circlo of the world, rising through the air i
and through space, Is ever poised in the night
heavens, aud wan 8 but a screcu ou which to fall
A DIAGRAM OT THE LUNAR ECLIPSE.
This figure represents the path of the Moon through the Earth's shadow, entering npon the right and moving toward the left. The portion
of the Moon'B centre is shown for every ten minutes during the whole eclipse, and the position of the Moon at the four timeR separately
declinatod in the figure, 1 to 4. By means of this figure the appearance of the Moon at any other moment may be readily ascertained by drawing
a circle to represent the Moon with the centre at the point corresponding to the given time. But to correspond with the position in the heavens
the Moon'6 axis, which te perpendicular in the figure, muat be inclined as upon the smaller figures, by turning the top of the paper toward
the right
to make Itself as visible as sunset shadows on a
western wall.
With such a screen covering oar night sky we
should see the world's shadow, like a black sun,
travestying the motions or that luminary? rising
as he set, setting as he rose? In mid-heaven at
midnight, and running high or low as he ran low
or high. 13 ut, with such a screen, there would be
no night. Illuminated by bright sunlight every
where except at the BOlitary spot where the
earth's shadow Jell, the uitihi sky would be as if
tilled with full moons. Bo perhapB It is as well, on
the whole, that the only screen we have Is a small
one, and one that seldom wanders into that por
tion of the heavens pre-empted, tor the nonce, by
the earth's shadow.
Our satellite thus takes much less time than we
can consume when "through the shadows of the
world we sweep into tie younger day;" but it
must be recollected that we traver se the cone at
lis base, where it la 8, Q<? miles across, wnile the
moon on Saturday night l.aa but about 5,000 miles
to cross, and plunges through it at a speed of
nearly thirty miles a minute.
ABB WE TAPGHT ?
Now, quxre, in so hactnied an occurrence as a
lunar eclipse is there anything lelt to be learned?
anything not thoroughly understood, the consid
eration ot which may ra;lonally occupy our minds
while observing the phenomenon?
Unhesitatingly yes; and It Is this: The ex
pression "blotted out, ' used In the first para
graph, does not* as every observer will testily,
correctly represent the itate of things ; and here
is the wonder. The moon is not blotted out. She
is there, plainly visible in the midst or the total
ity, her disc lit up with a lurid glow that enables
one still to trace the more conspicuous markings
of her suriace.
Whence this light oit of darkness ? There are
but three possible sources? the moon, the earth,
I the sun. The self-luminous history of the moon
| was long ago completed, bxposing her materials
| four times as lavishly [four times as much suriace
in proportion to her volume) as our own planet to
the action of ber atmosphere and the cooling lu
| Quences of space, she ran the cycle of planetary
I me cuons of ages before the earth had entered
upon its organic history. Her hungry elements,
gaping with their fourfold mouths, drank up her
meagre atmosphere, and, subsiding Into the
apathy of sated oxides or the stupor of hopeless,
unsatisfied affinities, left ber fourfold, radiating
surface naked to the chilling embraces of tho
"cold inane." Prodigal that she was, she literally
burned her candle at both ends, and, In the matter
of atmosphere, she laid up nothing lor a rainy day.
she floats in her orbit? the cinder of a burned up
world? white with the salt-lncrusted floors of
dried up oceans. No Jlte, no sound, no motion,
nave the erashless fall of warping precipices and
the Qndrtfttng snowtlakes of the "cosmic dust."
The ruddy eclipse light most, therefore, derive Its
existence from some source other than the cold,
pale planet It suffuses, and we are left to select
between the earth and sun. The mild "earth
light" which illumines, and olten renders dimly
visible, the dark body of the new moon is,
however, unavailaole for exp'.alnAg the vis
ibility of the moon's disc in cclipse. The
bright stde of tue earth is, in the latter
case, turned completely away from her. To her the
sun has set, not behind the hills of her own hori
zon, but behind the huge planet which figures in
her firmament, and which we call the earth.
Slowly he has sunk from. her view behind the
"ragged edge" or the dark planet, leaving her, not
in darkness, but in the twilight, or rather partial
sunlight, of his disc, still partly visible by refrac
tion above (around) the planet's edge. We
earthiles know that this refraction Is capable or
making the sun visible to us when his whole disc
is really beiow our horizon. Bat our lungless
lunarian, looking across the edge of the earth's
apparent cisc, enjoys the refractive use or this
atmosphere twice as compared with him who is
immersed la It.
THE TOTAL VEIL.
The total eclipse of the moon, which, with proper
atmospheric conditions, we are to witness on Sat
urday ulght. will begin at 11 at which hour the
moon will enter the penumbra. The effect of the
penumbra will In all probability be nearly lndis
cernable, as the moon's radiance alter the penum
br.il shadow has passed over tt will be nearly as
brilliant as before. At 12:50 P. M.. however, the
j moon will begin to enter the shadow, thus
moon at ten minutes to one o'clock on Sunday
morning, ojtober 25, just after the commencement
of the eclipse. It show* the edge or the shadow
where It is first seen. The direction of the moon's
axis is e'.iown by the line marking Its north ana
south poles; and the arrow represents the direc
tion of the moon's motion, the shadow remaining
relatively stationary.
After this hoar it will be seen that the shadow
silently creeps npo? tlie moon's broad surface,
and the observer, if he Is patient, will notice
the circumstance Illustrated in the following
diagram:?
whloh represents the appearance of the moon at
two o'clock, Just before the eclipse bocomes total.
In this fl(nire nearly the whole moon is covered l?y
the shadow, and that nortiun of the moon will not
be visible In the heaVens. All that will be seen
will be the short crescent.
After the moon has been totally eclipsed It will
begin to emerge gradually from the shadow, when,
at the honr Indicated in the cut, it will present
the following appearance:?
Until Anally the shadow will hare almost srone,
the appearance of the moon durtng the last
moments ol the eclipse being as follows:?
The eclipse of October 25 is the first total eclipse
of the moon visible to us since 1356. The eclipse
will begin at 11 o'clock and 48 minutes P. M., at
which hour the moon will enter the penumbra.
The proper or discernab'.e eclipse will begin at
12:50 A. M., and the eclipse will be total at 2
o'clock and 4 minutes, Sunday morning. The
middle phase of the eclipse will occur at 2:21 A. M.,
the end ol eclipse at 2 :38 A. M., while the moon
will leave the shadow entirely at 3:50 A. M. During
the eclipse, the moon will present a somewhat
peculiar appearance to us. The pennmbral
shadow, ad stated above, will somewhat dim its
radiance. Unless one were upon the qui
trtve for it, one wonld not Know when
the pennmbral shadow had fallen. Sometimes in
phases of total eclipse the moon is entirely in
visible, but ordinarily it is of a dull reddish color,
like tarnished copper. Upon December, 1833, the
color changed to a bluish green as the eclipse
passed oft In March, 1848, the same phenomena
occurred, which Sir John Herschel said was caused
by "the accidental absence of clouds over a large
portion of the earth's atmosphere, grazed by the
sun's rays at the time." Exactly how our total
lunar eclipse will conduct itself Is at present a
little difficult to determine : but, as it Is an event
which occurs only once in eighteen years, and as
one needs simply a pair of opera glasses to thor
oughly discern it, it will, no doubt, be viewed by
the anxious eyes of thousands.
UNHERALDED ECLIPSES.
And, now that we are confidential about the
moon, let me mate a revelation. There will be
three lunar eclipses next year not in the alma
nacs. When our great astronomers, Jayne and
Holloway, furnish you their inevitable calendars
for 1875, you will probably find therein a solar
eclipse set down for April ana another for Sep
tember, but no lunar eclipse, neither these cal
endars nor their creat prototypes? the nautical
almanacs of Greenwich and Washington? will
hint that on April 20, and September 15, and Oc
tober 14, 1875, there will oe lunar eclipses.
Eclipses, However, there will be. At seven minutes
and thirty-nine seconds past eleven A. M., New
York time, on the 20th or April, 1876,
the full mooa will be more tnan half immersed in
the earth's penamora. At 51 minutes and 54 sec
onds past 7 A. M., New York time, on the 15th of
September, 1875, the foil moon will be Immersed
about two digits in tbe earth's penumbra. At 37
mlMtes and 43 seconds past 5 P. M., New York
time, on the 14ta of October, 1875, the full moon
win ne immersed more than eight digits in the
earth's penumbra.
On two of these occasions the moon will be on
the other side of the world; but, on the evening
or October 14, those persons here who have facili
ties lor viewing the rising full moon will probably
observe a faint BBadlng on her southern side for
sometime after rising as the twilight dies out.
If so, they will hare seen an eclipse not set down
in the books, which is something In tola century
where ? 'all's known.''
"YOUB MOSEY OR YOU* LIFE!"
Exploits of the Long lilaad Hlghwtf
men.
Two well known residents of Flushing, George
H. Lott and William Smith, visited Jamaica on
Tueeda y In a carriage and started to return home
in the evening, wnon they reached the ascent of
a hill on Flushing, near Hillside arennc, within
the limits or Jamaica village, three men, wearing
masts, suddenly sprung from a clamp of husties
at the roadside, and one of them attempted to
catch the horse by the head, but the animal shied
anti thu* prevented the villain from seizing the
bridle, while auother ?trucK at Mr. Lott'* head
with a sluugshot or a stwne tied in a hand Kerchief,
but fortunately hit Mr. Lott on the shoulder in
stead. Almost In the same moment Mr. 8mlth
drew a pistol and discharged It at the one who at
tempted to stop the horse, evidently wltn good
effect, as the highwayman cried, "Oh, I'm shot!"
nnd ni? companions hurried him away into the
woods. Mr. smith then pnt the whip to the horse
and the gentlemen arrived home without mrther
inolestattou.
A similar occurrence, out with different results
and which has only just come to the knowledge or
the authorities took place on Sunday evening last.
Just before sundown a gentleman and his wire,
while driving on tho lUflman boulevard, near
Jamaica village, were stopped by two
highwaymen who, witti drawn pistols, de
manded the gentleman's watch and money.
These were handed over, when the robbers,
not yet satlsiied, also compelled the woman to
give up her earrings and anger rings, and the
couple wore then permitted to go on their way.
Upon arriving at Jamaica the gentleman related
the occurrence, but mate no complaint to tbe au
thorities.
This maites three attempts at highway roboery,
two of winch have be?n successful, which have
occurred In the same neighborhood wltain a tew
daj-s, and trie* are aU believed to have been the
work 01 an organized gang who have their Head
quarters and hiuing place somewhere in tne woods
bet wren Jamaica and Flushing. Tho authorities
propose to send out a searching party to scour the
wooda in ail directions.
GOVERNOR DIX ON THE THIRD TERM
Our Veteran Governor Speaks
at Last.
OPPOSED TO THE THIBD TEEM.
Governor Dlx waa In the city yesterday, and left
in tne afternoon lor Albany. Previous to his de
parture tie waa visited by a Herald representa
tive, whom be greeted with bis usual cordiality.
Governor Dlx waa evidently In excellent Bplrlts,
and to Judge from bis hearty and decidedly jolly
appearance was In no wise troubled about the re
suit of the greut and serious contest In which he
is engaged. Some gentlemen who bad seen tne
Governor on business, and whom he dismissed in
ma Kindly maimer, accompanying them to the
door, congratulated him good naturedly on tils
renomlnation, and expressed the hope to see
him triumphantly e ected. Governor Dtx's answer
waa quite characteristic. Ue laughed heartily,
and said, In his otT-handed way, "Ob, yon know
that nobody can tell until alter the election
WHO IS TO BE TlIK NBXT GOVERNOR."
"Governor," began the Herald reporter, when
the drat exchange of introductory remarks was
over, "I came to see If you could give me any
news about the progress of the canvasa"
"No," replied the Governor, assuming a Dual
ness-iike air; "I really cannot. I know nothing
more about it than l have gleaned from the news
papers." And he added, with a smile, "I mast
refer you to the coinmns of the Herald lor any
news."
"Governor, I have seen it stated In the news
papers that you Intend to deliver a speech in op
position to the third term on the occasion of a
serenade f"
The Governor smiled, with an expression of in
credulity. "Well, it is funny how these state
ments get into tne newspapers. I don't know
where the Tribune got that. I am quite at a loss
to tell."
"Ain I to understand you, Governor, as saying
that you intend to deliver no such speech on any
such occasion ?"
NO KEEP OP EXPRESSING HI3 VIEWS.
"Oh no," the Oovernor replied in an emphatic
tone, -I have never thought of doing any such
thing. I have no reason to suppose that anybody
thinks I am in (avor of a third term for General
Grant, and hence It would oe ridiculous for me to
take such a step."
"Do j on think most people regard yon as beln?
opposed to the third term. Governor f"
"A? " the Governor answered, "I have every
reason to suppose so. I have spoken very ireety
on the snoject to my friends, but as to any public
declaration of my views? why, nobody has asked
me for them." And after a pause the Governor
added, with a good-natured smile, "That is, nobody
but the interviewers."
"If any respectable body of your constituents
were to address you a letter requesting a public
response, would you answer It, Oovernor ?"
"Most undoubtedly," was Governor Dlx's reply.
"If any of my constituents were to address me
such a letter I should gladly answer It, stating my
views as opposed to the third terra."
"l)o you think General Grant desires a third
terra of office, Governor t"
"No, certainly not. Why tne President's friends
have declared publicly that General Grant hail not
the slightest intention
OK RUNNING FOR K THIRD TERM.
There Is Judge Plerrepont, for instance, one of the
President's warm friends, who states emphati
cally that General Grant does not desire a third
terra, and, what is more, that even his supporters
and irlcnds do not wish it."
"And if General Grant desired a third term do
you think, Governor, tnat the republican party, In
deference to his wishes, would renominate him?"
The Governor shook his head and Bmlled. "Oh, I
can't say anything about that," was all the reply
he vouchsafed to this question, And ne repeated,
?Oh, 1 really? I don't know anything about tnat."
??It has been stated, Governor, that your re
election is considered by the republican party us
an indorsement or the third term."
"Oh, that's nonsense," the Governor replied;
"considering that I myself am opposed to the
third term. And now, will you kindly excuse mc,
as I have to leave for Albany t"
The reporter then shook hands with our brave
Governor and left him with many thanks.
THIRD TERM EXCITEMENT IN VERMONT.
RCTLJLKD, Oct. 21, 1874.
The third term excitement among the "outs" is
alarming ttie ' lua." Bona tor Morrill, of this
State, on hU way home irom Washington a few
days ago. through- ticketed via Rutland, took
the boat at Whitehall, saying he must go and
see Senator Edmunds, at Burlington, who had the
President's ear, and beg of him to nsk the Presi
dent to disavow having any desire Tor a third
term, or the republican party would be badly de
feated and In a minority in the next Bouse. This
Information you can rely ui>ou as positively true.
THE BOPHfcQAN BANK ROBBERY.
The Total Losi? Rew?rd Offered for Che
Apprehension of the Robbers.
Milfohd, N. n., Oct. Jl. 1874.
The acconnts of the Souhcgan Uank have been
thoroughly investigated, sod It turns out that
the total loss to that Institution is $40,000. This
amount, with the losses to private individuals,
swells the whole amount taken to $120,000. The
directors met this morning and offered a reward
<* f.s.ooo for the apprehension and conviction or
the desperadoes. Tne board alwo voted to resume
business at once.
The loss the bank has sustained will not impair
Its capital ol $100,000, but it wut efTecmaay use up
Its surplus.
Oetootives hare discovered no trace of the
thieves, who, It is believed, have gone across tJie
countr / to New York.
THE WEATHER YE8TERDAI,
The fallowing record will show the change* in 1
the temperature for the past twenty four hoars,
in comparison with the corresponding day 01 last
year, a.<* indicated by the thermometer at nudnut's
pharmacy, li skald Building;?
1878. 1874. 1873. 1874.
81. M f>i $0' 3:30I\ If t>? 64
8 A. M 63 40 6 P. M 53 00
0A.M 63 54 BP. M 60 56
13 M 168 81 13 P. M 6*) 64
Average temperature yesterday (>$%
Ave ruse temperature lor corresponding date
last year 63K
APPOINTED VTGAfi-GENERAL.
QCKBIC, Oct. 31, 1874.
Rev. Mr. Auclalr, curate of Notre Dame <le
Juebec, ha* been appointed War-General of the
lioceses Kmnuuakjr and Suerbrooke.
THE L011SIAXA CONTROVERSY,
A Crucial Letter from Judge Black,
of Pennsylvania.
THE PRESIDENT COMPLETELY WRONG.
He Had No Shadow of Right to
Interfere.
Alexander H. Stephens Disagrees
with Mr. O'Conor.
JUDGE BLACK'S LETTER.
To tub Editor of tob Hkkald:?
I have read with great interest, as well a* ad
miration, the opinions of Mr. Up vera v Johnson
and Mr. Charles O'Conor, on the sitaatlon of
Louisiana; and I will now give you my own views i
on the same subject. But having no time for i
elaboration, I s ate conclusions rather than argu
ments.
The President can lawfully use the organized
physical force or the Union to control the Inter
nal affairs of a state only for one purpose? to de
lend it against domestic vtolence, that In to sup
press insurrection against the State government.
This he cannot do unless called upon by tne
Legislature or by the Governor, when the Legis
lature is not in session. The constitution of the
United Suites and the acts of Congress carefully
confine his intervention to cases of this kind, ir
lie may disregard these limits there are no others I
to hold him, and his power ,is consequently
despotic.
The State is that which stands. Its govern
ment Is "the powers that be." Its officers are
those who actually exercise its authority, it is,
therefore, the call of the cte facto government that
the President must respond to. This principle
pervades all law, municipal and International,
and its observance is absolutely necessary to the
preservation ol our domestic tranquillity, as well 1
as the peace of the world. IT the President as
sists a faction hostile to the existing government,
with Intent to drive the incumbent magistrates
from the seat of power, he excites domestic vio
lence and makes insurrection, instead of sup
pressing it.
The tacts or the Louisiana case, as I think they
are universally understood since the publication
of Mr. Carpenter's report, are these:? A man
named Kellogg aspired to be Governor, but wholly
| failed of the election. Nevertheless, he clatmed
the office on grounds which were not only lalse
and fraudulent, but absurd. lie had no show
of a case before the proper authorities, whose
duty It wa3 to decide contested elections ; but he
laid his claim before a federal Judge, who made an
order for his lnstallatlon.Thls order was as destitute
of all legal force or validity, as If it had been made
by the first negro that Kellogg might have pieced
up lu the street. I taice it for granted that the
Judge and all the federal officers, ctvll and military,
as well as Kellogg himself, knew that it was ut
terly void. It would be no charity to suppose
cltner ol them Ignorant enongh to believe that a
Judge of the United States Court had any authority
or jurisdiction of the subject matter, or any right
whatever to intermeddle with the business.
Nevertheless tho marshal and the commander or
the federal troops, acting In pursuance of previous
instructions irom Washington, and witn the ap
probation of the President himself, undertook to
execute the order, expelled the officers ot the ex
lstlng government ana put the pretender and his
adherents into full possession of the State.
Political power unlawfully obtained is always
abused. The State was lnsnlted, oppressed and
plundered until It became "a vexation even to hear
the report thereof." To gorge the rapacity of the
rulers property and capital were so burdened with
taxes that a general confiscation of every honest
man's lands, goods and money would hardly have
been a more grievous infliction. This was borne
by the body of the people so patiently that the
spirit of their forefathers seemed dead wtthlu
them. Their tameness was excusable only by two
1 reasons. In the first place a successful resistance
was impossible while th? usurper was surrounded
and guarded by the bayonets of the federal army;
and second, they looked forward to the election
as a peaceful remedy for their wrongs. But tins
laar. hope left them wnen they saw that Kellogg
I was arranging the machinery of the registra
tion to cheat ttiem by a false count of the
votes and thus keep them In subjection lor an in
definite time. Convinced that they must rise by
their own unassisted strength or be forever
lalien, they resorted to the ultima ratio, threw off
[ the shackles and placed the supreme executive
power in the hands of the man who bad been
legally elected nearly two years before. Never
was revolution more just or conducted with
greater prudence. Its success was complete; the
baseless fabric or tyranny leu at the first rush or
the popular movement; Its cliter absconded, his
familiars slunk away from his ruined fortunes, and
all over the State the official instruments of cor
ruption yielded their places to the appointees of
the lawful government. Louisiana was free and
every lrlend of liberty and Justice in or outof fee
State rejoiced over the fact But the President
wrathfuliy determined to put the yoke back a;ain
on the neck of the State. To that end he sought
out Kellogg lo his hiding place ; again expelled the
true Governor and again lorced the submission of
the people to tho same adventurer whom he had
aided before.
Tne unconstitutional character of the President's
first act, when he averthrew tbo then existing
government and pnt Kellogg in the executive
chair by mere rorce, is admitted both by Mr.
Johnson and O'Conor. It would have been wonder
ful, indeed, If either or them bad attempted to
justify so plain and palpable a violation of the
fundamental law. But they differ apparently about
the President's doty at the time or his second In
tervention. I concur with Mr. Johnson in the
opinion that after Kellogg was In the President
could not turn him out; he vrae d e facto Governor;
and no matter whether he became so by fraud, or
force, or accident, tho fact of possession was all
that the President could lawfully see. or course,
1 dissent from Mr. O'Conor with all the cautious
difference due to his great name; but If he
mean* to say that General Grant had a right to
pull down the de facto government or Kellogg
whenever he repented his own act in setting it up,
I venture to put in a denial. Remember, the
President has no right to turn anybody ont, nor
even to inquire how any actual incumbent got in.
To overthrow one de facto government because he
had wrongfully overthrown another would, in
stead or atoning for the first error, only double the
blunder. He cannot play fast and loose with the
liberties ot a state, nor, like Pharoah, lot the peo
ple go tree or hold them m bondage according as
tue Lord hardens his Heart or terrifies him wltn
plagoee.
But I respectfully submit that this point on
which Mr. Johnson and Mr. O'Conor divide is not
In the case. General Grant never Intervened to
protect a de facto government in Looisiaua. His
last act, like the first one, waa a war against
the existing authorities. Kellogg never had any
title except his naked possession. That was
enough while it lasted ; but every vestige of power
had lett him when the federal troops took him
from his hiding place in tho Custom House and
placed him a second time In the executive chair.
The McEnery government was at that time as |
completely established as u Its power had d.ited a
century back. Iv was the government <te Sure.
That did not do It much practical good while its
officers were prevented by the military rorce of
the usurper from exercising their functions; but
when the people took their business into their
own hands and put their elected rulers into their
proper places, then tlio legal title and the actual
possession united in the same persons, it is mere
folly to say that Kellogg wis Governor an Instant
alter that. The lorclble reinstatement of him was
! an Insurrection sgalnst the proper authority of
tile Slate as ranch as his first instalment.
If I am right thus Jar, it follows that General
Grant ou both occasions committed a grave viola
tion of his constitutional duty, in a matter viuuy
artecting the rights oi the States and the liberties
of tne people. Of his conduct there can certainly
be no decent pretence of Justification, and, so far
as I can perceive, no reasonable excuse, unless he
can nay that his legal advisers imposed upon him
t>y a false reading of the*' onstitution.
Mr. O'Con'ir refers to Congress as the paramount
I authority, whas? recognition of the Kellogg gov
! erument would have hound tne President and
all others. The opinion of the Court in Luther vs.
I Borden speaks of the jurisdiction which Congress
1 has over the BtiOjeci, hut does not define It.
1 Know of no power in that body except to pre
] serine by general rules the manner in which the
President shall perform the duty assigned by the
constitution to him. and I ao not think that either
Mr. O'Conor or Chief Justice Taney could have
meant anything else, it is certain that Congress
could not legislate Kellogg in or out of oflOce, and
its ??recognition" would no more strengthen his
title than it would add a cubit to hts stature.
Those Senators were wise and fattu;ul men who
refused to vote lor Mr. Carpenter's bill, because It
was an unconstitutional interference with a mat
ter which belonged to the people ol the s- ate ex
clusively. J. S. BLACK.
YOBK, Pa., Oct. 19, 1474.
A. H. STEPHENS' LETTEE.
| The following political letter from the eminent
historian and statesman of Georgia will be read
with interest:?
LlIJBBTY HaLI, CB1WP0BDSVIIJ.E, Oct. IX, 1874.
Mb. P. Btkdsall:?
My Dbxb Sir? Your letter of the sth lust., with
enclosure of Mr. Charles O'Conor's letter, Ac., was
received this morning. Tonr previous letter, in
acknowledgment of my Greensboro speech, was
also duly received. I am obliged to you for both.
I had seen Mr. O'Conor's letter, but I do not agree
wltn Mr. O'Conor's premises or conclusions.
The rribuneia central to the core, so also is the
Sun, and tho World pretends to bo democratic,
but is democratic only on radical principles. I
had, however, seen Mr. O'Conor's letter published
In several of our Southern papers. I do not agree
with Mr. O'Conor in his premises or conclusions,
lie sets ont with asserting that Grant had decided
that '?Kellogg was duly elected." Now, in point
of Act, Grant has never decided any such thing.
After Kellogg brought his suit in the Federal
Court, as he had a right to do under the
abominable Enforcement act, so called, all
that Grant did was to aid In the enforce
ment of the Judicial process, as It was
hts duty to do under the act. He had no right to
inquire either into the correctness of that judg
ment of the Court or the validity of tho election of
either Kellogg or McEnery. These were question?
he bad no right to decide, and he said so. He
only enforced judicial process. Mr. Reverdy
Johnson made a similar blunder; even Mr.
O'Conor. He says Grant decided that Kellogg was
duly elected. This decision, he says, was wrong;
but, having made It, he could not correct it. On
tins point Johnson has the advantage, because
the truth Is they are both wrong in their premises
and both quite a bote h in their conclusions. In my
I opinion Grant dia nothing but extend the act of
I Congress. It has been my effort for two years to
keep the democracy from the great error of
making an improper issue with Grant on this
I Louisiana mnddle. Tne strength of the democracy
i lies in the truth. What they should assail is tho
radical construction of acts of congress, from
which all these troubles spring, and not this man
who executes the acta of Congress as they stand
upon the statute book.
' The great strength of the democracy tn 1876 la
an arraignment of the radical party lor ail the
' utter lailures attending the reconstruction so
called, and a grand centennial slogan, arousinz
j the masses irom one extent of the countiy to the
I other lu support of the principles announced by
i Mr. Jefferson and the Congress of tne States, on
j the 4th of July, l"0. "Down with usurpations and
j np with the constitution !" should be the battle
! cry in 1878. Yonrs truly.
ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS.
THE LECTURE SEAdJN.
An address will be delivered this evening be
fore tbo annual meeting of the Medico-Legal So
ciety, to be held at the College of Physician* and
Surgeons, by R Otjdeu Doremus, M. D., LL.D.,
Proressor of Chemistry and Toxicology in tbe
Gellevae Hospital Medical College and chemist to
the society, "On the duties of nnmoers of the
1 medical and legal professions, toxicoiogists, phar
maceutists and county officer* la cases of poison
ing, and tbe necessity of proper legislation on the
subject." An election of officers will be held ana
other business transacted.
Mr. Bayard Taylor will deliver a lecture on
"Ancient Egypt" this evening at the Academy of
Music.
Dr. T. S. Lambert will lecture on "Woman" this
evening at tlie Methodist Episcopal church, corner
or Bedlord and Morton streets.
Bev. Patrick Toner, of Towanda, Pa., repeated
last nlglit, at the cooper lustitute, Ins brilliant
lecture on "l'he l oets of Ireland," which was lis
tened to with euthuslastlc approoatlon by a large
auditory. The proceeds are lor the be no lit ol a
weak and struggling church at Towanda.
The American society or Civil Knsmeers met last
evrntng at No. 03 William street ana listened to a
valuable paper irom Proiessor Koi>ert H. I'll unto a
on the caionc value of wet fuel. A general discus
sion lolJuwed on tue education ot civil engineers,.
' as treated of In a recent paper by Mr. Thomaa V.
j Ciarne.
CARRIAGE MAKERS' CONVENTION.
1 Tbe third annual meeting of tbe Carriage
' Builders' National Association was held yesterday
at tbe St. Nicholas Hotel. The attendance com
I prised almost every member of tbe association.
> The Convention was called to order by ilon. C. P.
I Kimball, lately the democratic candidate lor Gov
ernor of Maine. The association re-elected Mr.
! Kimball President; Mr. Clement Studeoaker, Vice
i President; Mr. Wilder H. Pray, Secretary and
i Treasurer, and tbe old Executive Committee,
i That commute.* reported, through Mr. John W.
Britton, us chairman, amonir other recommenda
tions, a proposal to memorialize Congress lor a re
l ducuon of tana upou carriage maters' materials.
Ex-Governor J. R. llawley, or Connecticut, was
j Introduced and urged the association to take aa
1 active part in tbe National Centennial Exhibition.
; Ue said that foreign carriage mauulacturcrs have
already dsked Tor space for their work at the Ex
' Mbltion, and tlie American carriage makers ongtic
I not to allow themselves to be beaten. Ex-Gov
; err. or Blglow and Mr. A. S. Gosborn also spoke in
> tne same strum. The association decider \o ap
; point a committee of five to conrer witu tbe cen
tennial Exhibition Commissioners.
Mr. Bruton read to the Convention a letter,
I drafted by tbe Executive Committee, in response
I to a letter oi eougratoiation and advice received
, last year from tlie Curriugo Builders' Association
, of Loudon, England. ATter several sp-eches ar
, raugeuu-uts were made for the collection or trade
I statistics by a special committee and tne Couvea
i tlon adjourned.
DISCIPLINE ON THE ROANOKE.
A story has circulated lately thai there is a lack
! or discipline on board the United States Iron-Clad
> Roanoke, which now lies to tae North River; that
' tbe sailers are not punished if they get arunk,
' and are not provided with enough food. An in
j vestigation proves alio report untrne In every par
| ticular. The discipline on tbe Roanoke is perfect;
tlie officers exijct it, and. as ail tbe nilors have
been in toe navy for years they obey It easily.
The Roanoke is regarded by sailors as a pleasant
1 place for duty, and some of her crew are shipped
' as landsmen, though tbey cave before rated as
able seamen. Her officers, too. are men of high
character, wuo would not permit the saiioia to be
badly treated. Tt.e scandalous story is attributed
to a fellow who was lately discharged irom tho
Roanoke as a "skulker."
THE LOST STEAMER WIN ANTS? ALL HOPE
ABANDONED.
No further newa has oecn recetved in ttiia city
1 respecting the lost steamer A. Wiuants, of which
1 a mil account was given in Tuesday's Herald.
1 The Coast Wrecking Company, who owned her,
bave given up all hopes of ber, being under the
| lnu.FOMiuu that she foundered ou the 27 th of Sep
tember off Charleston, during a temflc hurrlcaud.
j Tbe treasurer or the company believes that the
I wreck, bottom up, evidently a river steamer, seen
off Savannah by the steamer Saragossa, was tneir
lost vessel. 1 ms was reported at Savannah on the
| 3d of October lust.
The Coast Wricking Oomnanv intend to send
their steamer Lack iwanua to Key West to-mur
I row to take tue mace of toe Wlnaots.