questions affecting the trade and prosperity of the Union. New York demands the recognition and absolute immunity from such a detention of our flag upon the high seas; that her commerce and expanding trade should be left unshackled by unwise restraints of legislation; and then, with her resources in every department of industry, in agriculture, in manufactures, in commerce, and trade, she will vindicate her preeminence and power in the great family circle of free and independent States that constitute our national Union."

During the recent civil war General Waldridge, though a Democrat, was signally efficient in his suggestions and efforts to uphold the national authority. His plan was to put the country on a war footing for not less than three years and an enrollment of 600,000 men, of whom one half the number should be kept in the field. This would place the struggle beyond the risk of failure, and be an economy in money, economy to the industry of the country, diminish the effusion of blood, exalt onr policy, and give to our republican institutions a controlling influence upon the continent. In May, 1861, he addressed a series of letters to President Lincoln and to the Governor of the several States. At the time no General seems to have been in favor of raising more than 300,000 men. His influence procured the acceptance of ten regiments from Massachusetts and a battery of artillery at a period when there appeared to be a general apprehension that too many soldiers would be put in the field. He received public thanks for those services, and the position of Brigadier General of Volunteers was formally tendered him by Secretary Cameron, which was respectfully declined, although General Walbridge intimated that at a future day he would be ready to enter the service. He also addressed a letter to Mr. Lincoln suggesting the occupation of Port Royal as a place of rendezvous for 200,000 men, to which he re ceived the following reply:

General HIRAM WALBRIDGE:

WASHINGTON, November 18, 1861.

DEAR SIR,-Your note reminding me of the fact that as early as April last, you pointed out to me on the map Port Royal and Beaufort as advantageous places to make lodgments on the Southern coast, is received. I am free to confess that you were the first who called my attention to that particular locality. I also remember that you insisted that we should call six hundred thousand men into the field a considerable time before I had brought my own mind up to anything near so large a scale. Yours truly,

A. LINCOLN.

During the Summer and Autumn of 1862, General Walbridge continued to speak and labor for the vigorous promotion of the war. On the 4th of July, when the time was darkest, he addressed an audience at the Cooper Institute declaring that this great metropolis continued its adherence to Constitutional Government, and stood by those who would never abandon the Government till after quelling treason at home, they could present themselves as a great, powerful and united nation, capable of commanding and enforcing respect every where.

On the 14th of the same month a meeting of some fifty thousand persons was held on Union Square, at which he maintained the establishment of an internal line of water communication along the Atlantic coast by connecting the waters of the Roanoke and Chesapeak Bay with

those of the East terminus of Long Island, which could rapidly be effected by deepening less than fifty miles of internal canal navigation. The effect of this plan would be to give us an internal line of water communication free from the storms of the coast and abundantly capable for the transit of our gunboats and commercial marine in the contingency of foreign war without exposure to assailants on the Atlantic.

On the 30th he spoke at the Produce Exchange. His mode of reasoning was peculiar. He considered the staples of the two geographical divisions of the country and their relative importance. The South supplied no indispensable article, while the North furnished everything. Gentlemen," said he, "there may be substitutes for clothing. There can be none for food. The table must be laid day by day. To surrender clothing is an inconvenience; to surrender food would be inevitable death."

Thus did General Walbridge give his heart and time to his country. He made journeys to the different States, spoke in the great cities, carried on an extensive correspondence with the Governors and leading men of the country. Nor did he relax his efforts till victory had perched finally upon the banners of the Republic.

His last speech during the war was at the city of Albany in January last. Invited by Hon. Samuel C. Reid, Chairman of the Committee on Federal Relations of the Assembly, he delivered an address before the committee and citizens of Albany upon the proposed amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery. Governor Fenton, his old associate in Congress, presided and introduced him. For more than an hour he retained the attention of the audience while showing the importance of the movement. "Though the rebellion is not yet terminated," said he, enough has already happened to assure us that a single nation is to exercise jurisdiction over all the territory formerly embraced within the limits of the United States; and that here a homogeneous people, under republican institutions, recognizing universal freedom and individual political equality, will continue to furnish an asylum to the oppressed of the whole earth, and that here, under one nationality, the civilization of our race will secure its highest development."

46

Except his brief aldermanic career, and one term in Congress, General Walbridge has never held office. In 1862 he was an independent candidate for Congress against Benjamin Wood, the person nominated by Tamany Hall; and at one time Mr Lincoln contemplated inviting him to a seat in the Cabinet. But his services were employed instead in a private capacity, and it may well be supposed, when we consider his signal efficiency, whether he did not render the country more important service than could have been the case at the head of a department. As a commoner he could speak, as he did so often and eloquently, for the men of the nation; whereas, otherwise, as a minister, he must have been, to a great degree, the mouthpiece of others.

While paying attention to the career of General Walbridge as a patriotie citizen, we would not lose sight of him as a merchant. In 1859 the firm of Walbridge & Company, corn and commission dealers, opened at No. 29 Broadway. Its business speedily ramified through the entire West, assuming extensive dimensions. Some years since the establishment was

removed to the corner of Whitehall and Bridge streets, where it now re

mains.

General Walbridge has found time, amid his multifarious business, to take an active part in the question of internal improvements. In 1863 he visited Albany to impress upon the members of the Legislature the importance of enlarging the locks of the Erie Canal. He also addressed the Members of the Produce Exchange and other commercial associations on the subject; predicting that if New York did not make the necessary provisions, Canada would. The result was a great excitement on the subject; a Convention assembled at Chicago, June 2d, 1863, over which a Vice-President presided. General Walbridge being invited to speak made an address in favor of enlarging the canals between the Atlantic and Mississippi River. This would, he said, guarantee general prosperity and

peace.

After the final adjournment the New York delegates visited St. Louis, where they were honored with a public reception. The speech of we!come was made by the Hon. Henry T. Blair, and the answer by General Walbridge, Mr. King, Hon. Samuel B. Ruggles, Hon. Chauncey M. Depew, and others. The excursion was continued into Minnesota, the party being feted all the way.

In May, 1865, the Board of Trade, in the city of Detroit, resolved to invite the commercial men of the principal cities and towns of the United States and the British American Provinces to hold a Convention in July, 1865. To this invitation there was a general response; the principal public journals also took the matter in hand and gave it a careful discussion. Gen. Walbridge, about the same time, made a tour of the West and was received more like a public personage than a private citizen engaged with his own affairs. He spoke at Buffalo, Chicago, St. Louis, and other places upon the topics of commerce, finance, and transit, commending their fullest consideration at the Detroit gathering. Remarkable as it may appear, his views were looked for as carefully as those of a public officer on the affairs of the nation; his sagacity as a merchant and ability as a statesman conduced to this distinction.

The International Commercial Convention assembled at Detroit on the 11th day of July, 1865. Above four hundred delegates were present, representing every shade of sentiment politically and commercially. General Walbridge was chosen to preside. His speech, on assuming the chair, took the broadest catholic ground.

I rejoice, said he, that now the rebellion is over the business men of the country have come forward to exercise their legitimate influence. It is their imperative duty to secure and extend, so far as they may, not only to our country. but to the whole world, the blessings of the power so obtained-so conquered. I am gratified that this convention has brought together, not only the representatives of commerce in the United States, but such influential delegates as I see before me from the British Provinces of North America; and I trust the event will bring them and us into still closer relations, and that the deliberations may eventuate in a re-union of the treaty which shall be just to them. and not inconsistent with the honor and interest of the United States. If from this commercial gathering there shall spring up a pure, friendly relation I shall rejoice at it, and, perhaps, suggest that our American system of government admits of indefinite extension; so that if hereafter, they shall see fit, under the providence of God, to ask closer association, we cannot help but accept the

proposal with pleasure. It will help us discharge the obligations that we have incurred, and be a reciprocity to them in the truest sense of the term.

To the parliamentary experience of their president the Convention was indebted in a great measure for the prompt accomplishment of business. He was energetic and fair in his decisions, and always clear and ready to determine everv proposition. The proceedings are already known to our readers, and there is no necessity for us to allude further to them. There was much that was wisely done, and much of which we cannot express so favorable an opinion. But time and events always correct such matters. At the conclusion, the usual complimentary resolutions were adopted, to which General Walbridge gracefully and eloquently responded:

"The city of New York," he said, in conclusion, "recognises no East, no West, no North, no South; she recognizes only one common country, and stretches out her hands to Buffalo, Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis, and St. Paul, and while extending greetings to them, urges them to press on that great enterprise, the completion of the Pacific Railroad, which is destined by its iron bands to draw into fraternal relationship the great communities that line the shores of the Pacific as well as those which are on the eastern slope of the Alleghanies. * If the result of the deliberations of this Convention shall be the formation of a just and proper treaty with our neighbors of the North, while it shall be consistent with our interests, I trust that it will not be inconsistent with the interests of those with whom negotiations are made. Thus just and generous are the people of the United States."

*

*

Imperfect as this sketch necessarily is, enough has been given to show the genius of the man. He is, perhaps, one of the best instances of American versatility now living. He would have made a good lawyer, Lut could never consent to be a pettilogger; he would aspire to be a statesman, but would refuse to be a mere politician; he is a merchant, but would not readily consent to transact the petty details of an insignificant business. He loves to plan on a large scale, to do things boldly, and he would rage in inactivity. He is jealous of his honor, and despises meanPossessing a large social nature, liberal, ambitious of honorable distinction, he is an earnest friend, a genial companion, and a public-spirited citizen, and active in every enterprise which he undertakes. He is in the prime of life, and, if spared, will yet occupy a prominent place in our country, having already succeeded in indentifying himself closely with its history.

ness

FINANCES OF THE CITY OF CINCINNATI.

The following (from the Report of the City Auditor) is a detailed exhibit of the funded debt of the city of Cincinnati as it existed on the 28th of February, 1865:

The denominations marked (*) are payable at the Treasury in Cincinnati, and thus (+) at the Bank of North America in Philadelphia. All others are payable at the Bank of America, in New York City.

Against the above debts the city owns property to the value of $6,935,184. The water works cost in bonds $875,000, and other city improvements $1,634,000. The several markets, landings, and the wharf property purchased of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad Company are estimated at $2,000,000. The remainder is made up of the cost and value of school houses, engine houses, and other property belonging to the municipality.

The city also owns sundry amounts of railroad and canal stocks and bonds, with dues from companies for interest paid for them, and a multiplicity of claims against property and persons, in all amounting to $1,938,085 11. Most of the stocks and bonds held pay dividends and interest, which secures the city on its subscriptions and loans to them.

The sinking fund amounted on the 1st of March, 1864, to$465,370 89, and during the year ending Feb. 28, 1865, received 211,085 05-making its resources for the year $676,455 94. The payments for the year amounted to $135,000, leaving a balance March 1, 1865, of $541,455 94. The interest fund on the 1st of March, 1864, was $39,854 75, and its receipts during the year were $221,389 59, viz., from taxes for 1863, $137,812 29; taxes for 1864, $67,000, and other sources $16,577 30