Everybody knows that Election day anywhere creates an unusual excitement; but it is in the large cities where partisan feeling runs the highest, where strongest and strangest influences are brought into requisition to influence the election of favorite candidates; where the people are made to act as blind confederates in a skilful scheme of party trickery and political legerdemain, which places one man into office, and defeats the expectations of another, whom they fully expected to see invested with the imaginary robes of municipal power. So dexterously are the cups and balls shifted by the party leaders, and so cunningly is the pack shuffled, that the rank and file of the different cliques can't tell where the "little joker" is, or who holds the trump card, for an hour together. The first election witnessed by the undersigned, was one of unusual interest, principally on account of the intense antagonism of the foreign and the know-nothing elements of party, and the tremendous exertions of "_Sam_" to overthrow his great rivals, "_Paddy_" and "_Hans_." Early in the morning of the day I was in the street, to see whatever fun might turn up--found it filled with big placards, posters, music, notices, split-tickets, rum-bullies, banners, bonfires, and lager-bier--saw a great many flags with appropriate devices, noticed one in particular; the whiskey faction had it; coat of arms as follows: Within the American shield, two lager-bier casks supporting a rum-bottle rampant, Irishman azure, flat-on-his-back-ant, sustained by a wheelbarrow couchant--sinister eye sable in-base, demijohn between two small decanters--in the distance, policeman pendant, from a lamp-post standant--motto, "Coming events cast their shadows before: Let the M. P.'s beware." On the obverse, ticket for city officers, and opposed an American quarter dollar--motto, "Exchange no Bribery." "Faugh na Ballagh." "Go in and win." As has ever been the case, from the time of the first institution of public elections, it rained as if it was raining on a bet--went to the polls, wanted to vote, wasn't particular who for, if he only had the biggest flags and the most bullies: was a little puzzled after all how to do it; had read all the political prints to find out the best man, but to judge from what the newspapers say concerning the different candidates, the various factions in this city entertain peculiar ideas about the requisites necessary to qualify a man to fill a public station. Not an individual is ever nominated for any office, who is not eulogized by some of the public journals, as a drunkard, liar, swindler, incendiary, assassin, or public robber.