June 24. There are positive reports that Court of Appeals has made up its mind to affirm the judgment of the Supreme Court that declares the “New Police Bill” constitutional, but I suppose them to be lying rumors, for the members of that Court are generally close-mouthed. Such will be their decision, however, I’ve little doubt, and it will be a sore blow to that King of Scoundrels, Wood – the arch-knave of our civic structure (!). It seems an extravagant, impossible suggestion, but I’m not sure that Wood has not been indulging a little in some vague dream of a coup d’état, and a “free city” with himself Doge or Protector or some sort of tyrant for life. He is profligate, ambitious, and energetic enough to entertain such projects, and though they are preposterous, there could be a plausible statement made out to prove them feasible. We shall soon be ripe for a bold effort to accomplish some such result, though it may be a little premature just now.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
I love the way he talks about the mayor. Who would say “arch-knave” these days? It reminds me that the fatal duel involving Philip Hamilton and Mr. Eaker was triggered by the word “rascal.”
Hey Homer; I went to Half Price Books last night and found a copy of Fehrenbacher’s “The Dred Scott Case.” Reading the excerpts you posted caused me to put it on my list. Now, for the mere sum of $12 it is in the stack on the nightstand. I wish I’d done this a year ago, I would have been able to contribute more. Oh well, better late than never. Too bad my teachers never appreciated the wisdom of that philosophy.
June 25. . . . We’ve engaged a room at Round Hill (Northampton) for July 10. . . . My design is to stay at Munde’s till the sixth of July.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
Charles Munde emigrated from Germany. He became familiar with the water cure methods of Vincent Priessnitz around 1836, and treated scarlet fever cases in Dresden during the winter of 1845-46.[2][3][4] From childhood recollections of one of his sons, Paul F. Munde, the family went to the area now (but not then, per Sheffeld) called Florence "in the early fifties", after his father had struggled "for nearly a year in New York in search of a practice". After the death of David Ruggles in 1849, Charles Munde learned "of the opportunity to take up his favorite method", which led him to pick up where Ruggles left off, thence to the naming of Florence,[5] and accordingly, the name of the Florence Water Cure, also called the Munde Water Cure.
From Florence, Massachusetts Wikipedia page. Florence is a section of Northampton, MA.