New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-11-13
COR. FENTON.

On the eve Of our last State Convention We were
favored with sundry suggestions-some of them more
directly from friends in other States-that Cox
Fenton should give place TO stronger and more
popular candidate. We responded after this fashion:
Gov Fcnton ran in 1864 on the same ticket with
President Lincoln, but very considerably ahead OF
him; and he had a larger majority thar any other
man on our State Ticket. His vote then was larger
than any other candidate received in our State
aud we are not aware that he has done aught calcu-
lated to forfeit or lessen the esteem Of bis fellow
citizens. On what ground, then, can you assume
that he Is weak, or that another candidate would
be stronger" Though we closed with an interoga-
ton, the correspondence here came to a full stop.
There were plausible grounds for the belief that Gov
Fenton would now run behind. He had felt con-
strained to veto several bills in which great local and
pecuniary interests involved and was certain to
lose some votes IL consequence. He had signed The
bill regulating aud restricting the sale Of Liquors cS-
peciay on Sundays, and had incurred thereby the
hostility of a powerful and wealthy interest which
was bent on his defeat. He bad made few mistakes
in the exercise Of the par1OIing power, and had
thereupon been most unjustly assllel as a whole
sale pardoner, when in fact be had pardoned fewer
per annum than either Of his predecessors for the last
twelve years He had incurred the intense hatred Of
one who had long been regarded as the Warwick Of
our State-whose opposition was popularity regarded
as fatal. We do not blame those who feared that
Gov. f. must be beaten if nominated, and who there
fore desired that he should give way to another
But to whom and why1 The attorney Of the
louor.dealers gave US fair notice that we could not
pacate his clients by changing our canddate-that
g. Ill, q, haa DyO
posed bv the party which passed the Excise act Of
1866. Being thus constrained TO fight any how, It
was better not to fight On a retreat. The localities
agprieved by his vetoes would not be satisfied wthany
otherthan nominee virtually pledged bills
As he had vetoed; and that would probably dsaffect
more than it conciliated. Our Warwick had at length
gone openly. ayowedly over to the adversary so we
could not hope to win his favor by changing our can
ddate unless we discarded our principles also. Il
seemed, Oh calm survey of the field. that duty con-
CURED with inclination, policy with honesty, in die
tatng the course indicated by the Irishman's axiom;
"The best way to avoid danger is to meet 1t half
way"
We renomnated Gov. Fentou by reclamation,
though we renominated other Of our State officers
whose terms now expire We went to thepeOple with
his name at the head Of our ticket and demanded bis
reelection as the rghtl need Of his services to the
State and Union. ApOlogzing for no act Of bis life,
shrinking from no attack deprecatng no criticism, We
asked the people to reflect him because be represented
their principles, and because he had done right.
The combinations by which he was asSailed were
very formidable. The dealers in Liquor and Lager
we're we'll organized and spent large sums to defeat
him. They certainly swelled tie majorities against
him in this City and Brooklyn by at least 10000 and
they did him some harm elsewhere. Then the power
aud patronage Of the Federal Government-yastly in
creased within few years past-were welded with
desperate energy for his defeat. This was so much
which told for him in "a and against him in &C. Then
the personal adherents Of Messrs. Weed and Sew
ard-a cOnSiderabcthough diminished party Of active
and skllf1 potcians-were impelled 10 do their
worst against him. Add to these all who were
aggreyel by bis yetoos, or disafectcd by the false
charges respecting his paraons, and it will be real zed
tina, he had much 10 contend with
Yet be Is reelected by quite double the majority Of
MI Liuc0ln il l3Si, aud by ueayly double bis own