The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-13
LOCAL POLITICS.

the Hard Shcu COmmAttce-Spcech on ktor
race #. Clark ON the Proposed Fusion.
A meeting Of the Hard Shell General COMMITTEES was
held at stuyvesant Institute, Thursday evening" at
eight o'clock to elect officers for the coming year. and
decide address and resolutions TO be presented for
their consideration Tho attendance was very large
every ward being represented with the exception Of the
SIXTH Thirteenth and Nineteenth There were two dele
cations present from the Fourteenth ward The large
attendance doubt due to the fact that the ques-
ton Of fusion with the administration party was about
to come up for final settlement; but the adamantines
not to fuse and warmly appauded the ssnt
ments Of Horace +. Clark, their chairman in his denun
citation of the softs.
The chair taken by BENJAMIN s. HART of the Fiji
teenth ward. PETER B. SWEENEY of the Twentieth, and
JOHN Y SAVAGE of the Fifth wards acting as score.
taries
After the minutes Of the previous meeting were read
and approved the roll called and ON coming to the
bird ward Messrs. VIM. McGraw, A. J. Mccarthy aud
VIM. A. Warts, appeared and claimed seats and after
some discussion were admitted. From the Fourteenth
ward Messrs. +. F. Suydam, D. D. OMeara and Patrick
Banner appeared to contest the seats of Thomas Fay
Edward Cavanah and VIM. Fitzpatrick, who had been
Omitted at the last meeting of the committee.
Mr.. SUDAN urged the claims Of his delegation on the
ground that they elected In proper manner and
That the other delegation bad voted for Seymour and
Wood, and could mot claim to represent the national
democrats.
Mr.. Fay REPLIED but did not deny tho soft impeach-
ment
Both committees were then requested to retire until
their decide ed.
Mr.. GENET opposed to admitting men who had the
slightest faint of Seymourism on them. The Custom
House had endeavored to foist their men the hard
committee
The matter was at length referred back to the Four
tenth ward for settlement by the people, and Messrs
Michael Ryan Of the Second ward T. w. Glover the
Eleventh ward and John II. Harrison Of the Tenth ward
appointed inspectors.
Here some discussion ensued to the pro orety of
VIM j. Brisley, of the Ninth ward, acting the COM
mittee he hungerng after the flesh of Tam
many Hail. and had taken seat In the soft mitee.
HIS name was unanimously striker from the roll.
The committee then proceeded to the election of off,
GERS, calling the wards in their order.
HORACE f. CLARK was chosen Charman-every vote
but being cast for him. and motion Of the gentle
man for whom that vote was cast it was made uaaui-
On taking the chair Mr.. CLARK said
GENTLEMEN THE CoMarrrEE-I need not say that the
honor which you have conferred upon was neither
expected solicited should have ch preferred that
your choice had fallen upon other who has
leisure at his command and havisg greater familiarity
with the responsible duties OF the pos ton Neverhe
less, the unanimty with which your election has
made does not leave ut liberty to decline, while the
honor Of presiding over such body Of mea as see
before me- Is such an one as cannot too highly appre
cste cheerfully accept the place. and shall attempt
faithfully to discharge its duties devong tn the bust
and attention which withdraw from the
tons Of and pro essional engagements With
out protesting to much knowledge Of the rules Of deib
eratve bodies but not being altogether without capa;
~ 10 learn, with discharge the Office II possible to
produce in your minds the conviction that its
duties have been with fairness and integrity
II not in close regard technical rules Gentlemen,
ii is, perhaps, not inappropriate in view OF the
crc, instances under which organization is ef
fected and the events surrounding US that should
say something in respect the position Of the national
democratic party, its past aud its future. There
been Of late much sad about fusion,o and 1t Is well
kno that some members OF the democratic party at
tached to its principles and recognizing its organizations
have supposed that the lime has arrived when either
existing In this State shall be abandoned, and "unon
and harmony" be again reesta biished. For one, do
not know what the sfusion' means, am pos
sessed of the explanation of the term which those
frequently and freely handle IT would give But
some seem to understand it. the proposition implies that
our organization shall be iered, and prnc
pies abandoned to that section Of the party towards
which and their principles sustain the position
of antagonism which we occupied upon the mem.
orabie occasion when took stand upon
the platform Of the national democracy. .(Appiause
devotedly attached to those great principles
for the maintenance Of which, in their purity and their
strength our distinctive organization was established
(Appausc) And no one among you would more heartily
rejoice than myself could the great democratic party be
united in sentiment. In purpose aud in
action throughout this nation This result unsuitable
though 1t may be for time deferred Politicians may
fuse and fuse again those eagerly seeking after
and the rs 81 S Rase sna
may abandon change their principles as 1t may be
the great of the democratic party whose only
about Offices Is that they may be well filed aud whose
soctnde about appointments Is only that they may be
spoils until the great laws Of their creation shall be
chant ed. loud applause II "fusion' union up
principle ali for ''fusion." (Appause) But gen.
temen that union is which mere politicians
effect (Applause It will come about, but it will be
movement q the people at the earliest moment when
be accepted without disgrace applause not
moment sooner; and chat that moment has not
rived to be the common sentiment Of those who
sympathise with organization. (Applause.) We
have just passed election the result Of which Is By
cur opponents proclaimed as the destruction Of the or
uapizat tam If tha Int Harmon
tins is not tr,e. (Applause) You are familiar with
the elements which entered into that and
troed its result Questions altogether aside from those
issues which have heretofore governed our elections
suDcered all the ties Of ordinary political organizations
And question, new and strange in the political world
question upon which the wisest, the best AMI the
purest Of men have dered-absorbed all Others defy
lug all resistance and all calculation ailude to the
temperance question. 1t appealed from the mau-
of its presentation TO the interests aud the feelings
of who threw themselves the side the
other as their interests their passions dictated.
The storm has ssbsi3ed For all the turmoil and con-
fusion which have Witnessed 1t may yet be safely
said that rum is not Of the institutions Of the
try though, from the eagerness with which the issue
was contested, one might have supposed that
upon its determination hung the destiny OF the
, ns1S1 But ts,as, LET calmly take
indicating the position Of fellow citizens upon the
questions which have distracted the councils Of the de-
mocratic party At that most extraordinary election
in spite Of its dstractng issues and anticipated results
and in sp te OF the falsely declared withdrawal of the
name Of Judge Bronson from the canvass upwards q
their votes for him. without hope and yet without dis
may. applause. And we deem II higher honor to
have been among that number than to helped swell
the ranks Of those who voted without regard TO their
principles but have equally, though ingioriously
failed Of their ends. (Applause) In the city Of
New York, where the rum question swept the
board clean and where friend and Zoe together toed for
the end regardless and unmindful Of the great
principles distinguishing political organizatons al
though the vote for Judge Bronson less 900 men
upon local tickets cast their votes for nominees
indicating their preference for organization aud
their adherence to principles while In the State at
large upon tho Congressional VOTE 100 men give
Of bright future for the national democracy.
cloud app'ause) With such foundation for q political
organization, with such principles underlying its base
with such past and such future, can we think Of
surrender or abandonment cloud applause A few
words gentlemen relating to thu earlier history Of
organization will not go back TO the schism Of 19i8
TO the union Of 1s49. But will begin with the fall Of
1852, which found the democratic party united and