faith of the Government, indicate that they are not the safe custodians of the national faith. Fidelity to public honor requires that the national Administration shall not be subject to their control, direction, or management.

the means to do it.

5. As a conclusive evidence of Democratic duplicity, we point to the fact that the Executive of this State, while signing a law establishing specie payments in requiring all taxes to be paid in gold on and after January 1, 1879, joins with his party as a presidential candidate, and repudiating the pledge of specie resumption throughout the country at the same date, thus compelling the people of New York to pay in gold, and at the same time denying them 6. The Democratic party, in its controlling spirit, is false and untrustworthy in every living issue; false in practical government, for its eight months of power in Congress is barren of good fruits; false to equal rights and the guarantees of the Constitution; false in the currency, for it openly repudiates the resumption pledge; false on the question of the safety of the schools, for the solid Democratic vote in the United States Senate defeated an adequate amendment to prohibit the school system from sectarian attacks; and false on civil-service reform, for it signalized its control of the House of Representa tives by removal of faithful and efficient officers in the persons of loyal Union soldiers, and by the appointment of corruptionists and thieves whose sole claim was service in the Confederate army.

7. The repeated claim that the large reduction of taxation in this State is due to the present Executive is pronounced utterly unfounded, and we confidently appeal to the record for proof. In 1867 the county debt was over $25,000,000. In four years a Democratic administration paid off $5,500,000; in the four years succeeding a Republican administration paid off $19,500,000, and left less than $1,000,000 remaining to be paid. In 1875 the tax to pay off the debt was $6,337,567. In 1876, under the Republican Legislature, it was $789,260. The reduction of taxes thus comes, not from a reduction of expenses, but from a reduction of the debt, effected under a Republican administration.

8. The Republican party has led the way in the reform of State offices, by proposing and adopting, among other measures, an amendment to the Constitution which cuts off all extra compensation to contractors on the canals, and also to complete the good work, and approve and commend to the people the two pending amendments which reform the system of canal and prison administration.

9. The Republicans of New York tender the Presi

dent of the United States, upon the approaching completion of his official term, the assurance of their respect and gratitude for the illustrious public and patriotic service which will secure his name an imperishable place in history.

There was a gathering of Liberal Republicans at Saratoga on the same date, held under a call for a State Convention, which indorsed the nominations and platform of the National Convention at Cincinnati, and finally those of the State Convention. Several contesting delegations which had not been admitted held a conference, expressed their confidence in the reform policy of the Governor of the State, and recommended "all true Liberals of the country to cordially support the St. Louis nominees as the best means of lifting the country out of the ruin which threatens it."

The Democratic Nominating Convention was held at Saratoga on the 30th and 31st of August. On the first day and before the nominations were made, the following platform was unanimously adopted:

The Democratic party of New York hereby with cordial unanimity ratify the nomination by the St. Louis National Democratic Convention of Samuel J. Tilden for President of the United States, and of Thomas A. Hendricks for Vice-President. The Democratic party of New York, when selecting delegates to the National Convention, then declared, and now again declare, their settled conviction that a return to the constitutional principles, frugal expenditure, and administrative purity of the founders of the republic is the first and most imperious necessity of the times, the commanding issue now before the people of the Union.

The Democratic party of New York then declared and now again declare that the nomination of Samuel J. Tilden, while it insures the vote of New York, will be approved throughout the Union as the incarnation of the vital issue and a guarantee of the successful achievement of the work of national regeneration and reform.

The Democratic party of New York reaffirm the principles set forth in their Syracuse platform of 1874, which have been twice approved at the ballot-boxes of the Empire State, and upon which the St. Louis Convention, representing the Democracy of the whole United States, have set the seal of their faith

ical and efficient administration of the prisons and canals of the State, and for enforcing upon officers charged with their management a stricter responsibility to the people. And we favor such reduction of tolls upon and economical management of the canals as will best subserve the interests of the State and of the men engaged in canal-traffic.

Resolved, That as American citizens and Democrats, devoted to the union and equality of States, and the honor and good name of the Federal Government, we hereby enter our solemn protest against the recent order of the Secretary of War, approved by the President of the United States, to place Government troops in the Southern States with a view to intimidate the people and to control their election. A government by the bayonet to take the place of a government through the ballot-box is an outrage which demands the condemnation of all who love republican freedom and hate despotic power.

The same day, during an evening session of the convention, the nomination of William Dorsheimer for Governor was moved, when

there was a general call of the name of "Seymour." It was said that Mr. Seymour would not allow the use of his name as the candidate, on account of the state of his health, and had sent a dispatch to Mr. Kernan to that effect. Nevertheless, after some excited discussion, Mr. Seymour was nominated by acclamation, a committee appointed to notify him, and an adjournment taken to the next day in order that his answer might be received. The next day William Dorsheimer was nominated for Lieutenant-Governor, Darius A. Ogden for Canal Commissioner, Robert H. Anderson for Inspector of State-prisons, and Robert Earl for Judge of the Court of Appeals. The committee appointed to notify Mr. Seymour of his nomination reported that "under the extraordinary circumstances attending that nomination, Governor Seymour feels constrained to obey the

wishes of the people who have so often honored him." With this assurance, the convention completed its work and adjourned. It appeared, however, that Mr. Seymour had not consented to the nomination, and on the 2d of September he wrote to the chairman of the State Central Committee positively declining to be the candidate, his sole reason being that illness unfitted him for mental or physical exertion. Another convention was called to meet on the 13th of September, to fill the vacancy on the ticket. Lucius Robinson was nominated for Governor by acclamation, and Mr. Seymour was placed at the head of the electoral ticket, John Kelly withdrawing.

The "Greenback" party held another convention on the 26th of September, at Albany, and nominated a State ticket, as follows: For Governor, R. M. Griffin; Lieutenant-Govern

or, Thomas Armstrong; Canal Commissioner, Anthony J. Cuddeback; State-prison Inspector, John W. Crump; Judge of the Court of Appeals, Marcus M. Dixon. The Prohibitionists also made nominations: William J. Groo being their candidate for Governor; Albert F. Brown, Lieutenant-Governor; Shotwell Powell, Canal Commissioner; Elias F. Talbot, Stateprison Inspector; and Henry Hagen, Judge of the Court of Appeals.

At the election on the 7th of November there were 1,015,502 votes cast for presidential electors. Of these the Democratic candidates received 521,949; the Republican candidates, 489,207; the Prohibition ticket, 2,359; and the "Greenback" ticket, 1,987. The Democratie plurality over the Republican vote was 32,742; majority over all, 28,396. The total vote for Governor was 1,014,040, of which Robinson

audience was taken with a panic, so that in the rush for the doors numbers were overthrown and regardlessly trampled upon by the crowd. The galleries were particularly full, and the weight and rush of the people upon one of the staircases precipitated it and the mass of persons below, where they died by fire with fearful suffering. Two hundred and ninety-three persons perished altogether. Of the dead only two hundred and seventeen corpses were identified. The whole audience numbered about one thousand. The majority of the victims were young men and boys who occupied the galleries. The fire first began, probably, from the perforated border of one of the flies catching fire from one of the lights, or from a shred of paper falling into a light. The whole scenery burst into flames almost instantly, and the fire spread rapidly to the galleries and roof. At the first alarm Miss Claxton, one of the actresses, came to the front and begged the audience to keep quiet, but without effect. The fire spread so rapidly that the last people

to leave the parquet were closely pursued by the flame and smoke, and the dome of the roof fell before the theatre was abandoned. Among the dead were two of the actors in the cast, H. S. Murdock and Claude Borroughs. The theatre was considered as safe as the average of American play-houses, built with fifteen inches width of exit for each one hundred seats; but the provisions for the extinguishment of fire were altogether inadequate, and it appeared at the inquest that it had not been customary for theatrical directors to specially instruct their employés what to do in case of the outbreak of fire. Since this great calamity much completer precautionary measures have been practised in the management of theatres, and many of the theatres in the city have been required to improve their means of exit. As a partial consequence of the Brooklyn fire may be regarded the panic which occurred during service in St. Francis Xavier's Church in New York several weeks later, upon a false alarm of fire, in which seven lives were destroyed.

LUCIUS ROBINSON, the new Governor, had spent many years in the public service of the State, and won especial distinction in the office of Controller of the Treasury, a position which he occupied at the time of his nomination. He was born in 1810, in Greene County, and was educated as a lawyer. After serving as District Attorney in his county, he was appointed Commissioner of Chancery in New York City, which office he retained from 1843 to 1846. As Assemblyman in 1859, and again in 1873, he rendered conspicuous and useful service. He was Controller for three terms, being first elected in 1861 on the Union ticket, by the immense majority of 160,000 votes, and being renominated in 1863 by the Republican State Committee, but, defeated in the State Convention, he was again elected upon the withdrawal of the nominee in his favor. For a third term he was the Democratic candidate, but was defeated by the popular vote. As

State Controller he had evinced force of character, financial knowledge, and executive ability. At the beginning of the war, shortly after the first issue of greenbacks, his financial principles led him to the very decided act of paying the interest of the canal debt in coin. His economical, systematic, and able management of the State Treasury was of great benefit to the State in trying times. He wiped out the bounty-debt in twelve years, was very efficient in breaking up the canal ring, and aided effectively the movement which frustrated railroad frauds. His whole record shows him to be a thorough man of affairs, equally conversant with the small details and the whole scope of State business, of earnest and enlightened views, and firm and discriminating judgment.

NIERITZ, KARL GUSTAV, a German writer for the young, born July 2, 1795; died Febru ary 16, 1876. He was educated in the teach

ers' seminary in Friedrichstadt-Dresden, and in 1814 entered the school as teacher, where his father was also employed. For many years he labored under pecuniary difficulties, until, in 1831, he was appointed principal of his school. In 1841 he became director of the district school in Antonstadt-Dresden, and in 1864 resigned this position, receiving after that a pension of 200 thalers a year. Quite early in life he devoted himself to literary labors, his first work being a short story, "Das Pomeranzenbäumchen," which appeared in the Mercur of Dresden. He continued to employ his leisure time in similar work for periodicals, until in 1834 he was induced by Gubitz to try himself in juvenile literature, in the style of Christoph von Schmid. From this time on he sent out, with wonderful rapidity, volume upon volume of his popular tales, all of which enjoyed an unprecedented popularity with the youth of Germany. His tales have all been published in the "Jugendbibliothek" (1846'64) and his "Jugendschriften" (1846, et seq.), and many of them have gone through a large number of editions. Among his most popular tales are "Der junge Trommelschläger," "Der Landprediger, Der kleine Bergmann," ""Das vierte Gebot," "Der blinde Knabe,” and “Alexander Menzikoff." His tales for adults, in the "Sächsische Volkskalender (1842-'49) and "Deutsche Volkskalender" (1850-53), also enjoyed considerable popularity.

9966

NOBLE, MATTHEW, an English sculptor, born in 1820; died June 23, 1876. He was a papil of John Francis, and at an early age acquired a certain distinction in his profession. One of his first commissions was for the Manchester Wellington monument, inaugurated in 1856, for which his design of a colossal statue of the duke, standing on a granite pedestal, around which were four figures personifying Wisdom, Valor, Victory, and Peace, gained the award over many competitors. Other of his early works were: a monument in Ashley Chureh, Staffordshire, typifying Life, Death, and Resurrection; a fine statue of Dr. Isaac Barrow, in the chapel of Trinity College, Cambridge; and a statue of Lord Canning, executed in 1864, for the city of London. Among his more recent works are the statue to Sir John Franklin, in Waterloo Place, the statue of the Queen, executed for St. Thomas's Hospital, and the statue of Lord Derby, in Parliament Square. He was a constant exhibitor at the Royal Academy, although he never gained any of its honors. NORTH CAROLINA. The Democratic party of this State assembled in convention at Raleigh on the 14th of June, 1876, for the purpose of nominating their candidates for State officers and presidential electors. The meeting was very numerously attended by delegates representing all parts of the State. The nominations were made by ballot, and resulted as follows: For Governor, Zebulon Bird Vance received 962 votes, and D. S. Reid 4; for Lieutensnt-Governor, Thomas J. Jarvis, of Pitt; for

State Treasurer, John M. Worth, of Randolph; for Secretary of State, Joseph A. Engelhard, of New Hanover; for State Auditor, Samuel L. Love, of Haywood; for Attorney-General, Thomas S. Henan, of Wilson; for Superintendent of Public Instruction, J. C. Scarborough, of Johnson. For presidential electors at large, the following were chosen: D. G. Fowle, of Wake, and J. M. Leach, of Davidson. The nominations of candidates for Congressmen were made at local conventions held in the respective districts, and resulted as follows: First district, Jesse J. Yeates, of Hertford; third district, Alfred M. Waddel, of New Hanover; fourth district, Joseph J. Davis, of Franklin; fifth district, Alfred M. Scales, of Guilford; sixth district, Walter L. Steele, of Richmond; seventh district, William M. Robbins, of Iredell; eighth district, Robert B. Vance, of Buncombe.

The Republicans of North Carolina met in State Convention at Raleigh, on the 12th of July, 1876, and nominated the following State ticket: For Governor, Thomas Settle, of Guilford; for Lieutenant-Governor, William A. Smith, of Johnson; for Secretary of State, John W. Alberston, of Perquimans; for State Treasurer, William H. Wheeler, of Forsyth ; for State Auditor, John Reilly, of Cumberland; for Attorney-General, T. L. Hargrave, of Granville; for Superintendent of Public Instruction, John C. Carson, of Henderson.

In both the Republican and Democratic platforms, as adopted by the two conventions, there is one resolution of the same import, pledging their respective organizations to a vigorous prosecution, and as early a completion as practicable, of the Western North Carolina Railroad to Ducktown and Paint Rock, by the use of convict-labor and such judicious legislation as might be found necessary.

At the local convention which the Republicans of the second congressional district held at Goldsboro, on July 26th, Curtis H. Brogden was nominated for Congress.

The contest between the two parties during this campaign was characterized by extraordinary activity and energy. The most influential members of either party canvassed the State throughout, and addressed the inhabitants of all her sections; while the two rival candidates for the office of Governor, having entered into an agreement among themselves, and announced the places and times of their meeting in the newspapers, made a joint canvass, appearing together on the same platform, and thence speaking to the same audience, the one after the other.

The election held on November 7, 1876, resulted in a complete victory for the Democratic candidates, except in a few instances, and by great majorities. The largest whole number of votes polled in the State at this election was that on Governor-233,525, of which Zebulon B. Vance received 123,265, and Thomas Sottle 110,256. The largest number