The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-02-26
THE CONNECTICUT ELECTION.


Our Hartford Correspondence.
HARTFORD, Conn.,, Feb is, 1855.
The Hartford C.nvention-Insde View Of Republican
Manruvrs-Why Their Platform ,oas Chonged-Rodi-
calis not Popular in tive State-The Claims Of Hacly
and English, DC.
The late hour at which the Republican Convention adj
ourned on last Wednesday rendered out Of the ques
send you anything but tho merest sketch OF tho
proceedings, and prevented my entering into the many
to details and incidents closely connected Herewith
| propose to I'LL up the hiatus.
In the first place. touching the apparent harmony and
concaiory feeling exhibited by the delegates To an
unintated party these might seem perfectly genuine and
honest who knows better am obliged to state
that the unity and peaceful disposition existed moro
in sembance than in reality The convention, in fact
was composed Of two dametrically opposite factions
one and by far the larger avorng the policy OF old
Trad Stevens the other and by far the more intel
| lccual siding with President johnson In his firm and
patriotic efforts to restore the Union It's former basis
except modified by the fundamental alterations In the
national constitution It will BIO naturally asked II this
be true, how was q compromise cfcctedf Simply
enough The leaders pcrcev we'd that the republican
asccn;IanGy IN Tho tate in porL The democrats
taught by cxrorcuc OF tie past warned by repeated
do ats, and deerm ned to retrieve their fallen
fortunes, cast asid, the old dead issuos Of
ami State sovereignty boldly changed front, and
came out before tho people traly national
PLATFORM embracing unqualified support OF the admin
isration, advocating tho very popular principle or
equality in the method OF TAXATION aud opposing imme
diao and unconditional negro suffrage. This took tho
wind completely out tho sails of tho republicans
Stealing all Of their capital that popular 1t left them
only two distinctive matters on which to join issue with
Their opponens-namey, tho doctrine OF negro suffrage
Of n
Johnson Tho republican sagcs quickly comprchendcd
| the position n which they placed by this unex.
pected action the democracy. They perceived that to
pro- lain open hostility tho administration would be
to from their ranks large portion OF the con
servatve branch of their party, and they also Fore
saw that to incorporate negro suffrage plank
In their platform would be equally fatal To
their prospects. In this dilemma There was
no choice lett them but abandon their cherished
pncples or 10 enter the canvass with almost
feat before them. They chose the former alternative.
and accordingly set Ia work patching up the reuts IN
tci ranks striving u heal M AL The sores ana wonds
and bcsecching and impuring their more ianatical
brethren To smother up th n extreme views Tor The ie
being, promising them full opportunity TO ventlse
them hcrcaft That this statement OF the
a very superficial ANALYSIS VII demonstrate. The sudden
change in the tone of leading republ cans can be ex
planned ON no other theory. some OF these m n few
weeks before the assembling Of the Republican Convon-
ton veghing In the most bitter manner against
the President piOclaming thai nc was little better than
traitor TO his party anu MS country, nht hdFocHhe I'M
compromising opposition to his policy aud ~ asrcs look
|
pers of IN state were possible even more ultra than
their readers Aew days before lie l4h Of February all
this changed sys o. tactics was udop cd, aud
| nearly the whole parry became as peaceful as lambs
some went far "a To counsel new selection OF candi-
dates. Joe IaAley, a. hc l. popularity termed, was rep
| resented rs 100 far committed 10 eXtfemesin to be
suitable standard bearer under the all red condition OF
things Who, then, could bs pitched upon-lilok-
| ingham, A,eril Scranton ihe first would not
consent, nnd neither 90 the other showed sufficient
eir0rath gn4rig.i tn urtnlo 81 orr. Nc-i 4r % was
d.ullcd whether Haw.cy would consent 10 be-
IA 10 20 l,t
shu ~ siiut, might to MT -clIism ~ ths
n,riy fully a. ALARMING AS fhs danger from winch they
enu hl tscapcl The force OF this last turned
the scale In Of Hayiey, aud Il naliy decided
that he should he nominated In his favor IL was ur ed
that 10 would carry with him the soldiers OF the State
numbering, perhaps, eight thousand in all, and quite
sufllCi n, 10 counteract any desertons from other
ter how tho platform cane TO include both
| an endorsements of the President and Congress,
rely overlooking the fact Of tho very marked dil-
fcrcnces between those branches OF the govcrnm nj
II therefore unnecessary 10 state anything further
that subject The chief opposition 10 this programme
offered by cxeutenant Governor Douglas and the
rndicals o. Hartford Tho latter dcd in beating
their rivals at the primary elections and 70 the
vcnton radical set Of delegates The former deter
mined 10 make every effort 10 lug the Niger question
and upset the well laid plans o. the wiser heads Of tho
party The arot management OF the concatory spirits
however, frustrated both Douglas ard Hartford Al the
general caucus held tho night preceding tho convention
the speeches made by some OF the leading delegates
including several OF very radical views choked or all
attempts OF the disrganzors and rrita.ors Congress
man Brandegees adore wns the clcyercst Of the
ing Identified he Is with Stevens In opposing Pres.
dent Johnson " somewhat startled OF his own way
Of thinking 10 him shout out n laundering
that II ANY men had come here " th the intention,
not satisfied of going over TO The enemy they should be
hung a. nut neersn IL startled thcn 70 hear him ad
endorsing the President FOE patriotism integrity
and ability and to hear him pledge the undivided sup
port % the frocmcn OF Connecticut 70 Andy johnson.
Ex-Congessnan Ferry also very judclous In his
marks What there, he asked, In tho PresL
dents recorded acts ,hs, placed him In aniago-
nism with republican principlesf Had he not
told the seeded States that before they could
DO bet back into the Union, or even allowed
TO any Of the functions OF cvi gogenmen they
must do three thngs-rcpoa the ordinance Of Secession
TO the emancipation OF their slaves and rcpudnte
debts incurred by the rebellonf What could any
republican askf
only two or three delegates ven,urrd 70 oppose the
tide setting In In favor Of harmony Biscl Of Hartford
and Lieutenant Governor Douglas declared that they had
objection IN support the Presidents policy far
they knew Il, but further they would not 20
In the convention Douglas stood alone After the
appointment Of committee resolutions, he oppos
the ference " resolutions without debate Having
armed with o rcsol t0n in favor OF Suffrage he
asked 10 DO allowed 10 read 10 open convention but
was voted down His resolution vas deferred, but was
taken no notice or by the committee resolutions
As regards the democratic nominee for Governor u IN
only stat ng very evident fact when assert thai he 10
much feared by the republicans They can ind nothing
10 urge against him personally, and combine themselves
merely TO attacking him through Isaac Toucey Score
tary Of the Navy under Buchanan WIN. Eaton and Jim
Gallagher Toucey, they say, Is the inspiring genius OF
the democracy in the state aud Eaton and Gallagher
| are only his tools Eaton, they say, " pretty fel
low 10 talk about the Union, when during the rebellion
rtory the. friends OF James English such men,
can he himself be any bctt ~ This question they
ingcnously put ~ hositai ns republicans
On the ether hand, tho Il m0crnts claim that MT
Engshs gen roey ~ the soldiers during the war, bis
vote Tor the abolition Of slavery and his popularity with
tfur aVstl1 10 futN