New-York tribune., 1867-04-01
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION


The rival parties in our State will hold dele
gate Conventions on the same day-Wednes-
day, April 10th-the Republicans at Syracuse,
the Democrats at Albany, each to nominate
sixteen delegates at large to our approaching
Constitutional Convention. Three delegates to
the Republican Convention at Syracuse are to he
chosen from each Assembly district and should
any District Committee fail to call District
Convention therefor, we would suggest the
prOpriety of a mass meeting of Republicans at
2 p. NJ, on Saturday nert, (April g. at the
place where the last Republican Assembly Con-
vention was held to choose three delegates to
Syracuse as aforesaid.
In all human probability, the sixteen dele
gates nominated at Syracuse by tho Repubi-
cans and the sixteen nominated at Albany by
the Democrats at the State Conventions thus
appointed will all be elected, and will conSti-
tute one-fifth in number Of the entire Constitu-
tional Convention while, should they be such
men "a ore plainly contemplated by the act-the
they cannot fail to exert powerful influence
over the deliberations and conclusions Of the
Convention. We urge, therefore good men OF
either party TO act promptly and energetically IN
the premises. Let US have the men nominated
on either side who ought to be entrusted with
this most responsible and critical service, rather
~. Al. ,to 10, 10 N.f AZ -
wrong or indelicate to desire election to the
Convention but the right sort of men will not
be forward in pressing their claims, nor in log
rolling and button holding 10 insure their own
nomination. We need at least thirty-two men
in the Convention who would prefer 90 stay
out of it if they could do 40 without prejudice
or hazard to the public veal.
The Democratic party is more cOmpactly or
canzed and far better disciplined than the
Republican-a condition which has its evils, but
its compensating advantages also. II Dean
Richmond were alive to-day, he would substan-
tally name the sixteen Democratic delegates
at large to the Constitutional Convention. OF
course, he would take counsel and listen to
suggestions; but having heard, his decision would
be final. In his absence, Peter Cagger, Sand
p. Fairchild, can together exercise very nearly
his former power These four gentlemen might
sit down tomorrow in private parOr and
make out list of delegates that would to a
moral certainty, be nominated at Albany next
week. We say they might do it-not that they
ever did OF would do anything of the kind.
And we may say further, that if they should
do it, the ticket would unquestionably be
stronger and abler than if the choice were left
to the chance medley of ballot in Convention.
The Democratic General Ticket will certainly
be strong one. Any intelligent politician
could to-day name it and not eIr in more than
two to four names of the sixteen. And if the
Republican ticket should not be very strong
one, the Democratic poll in the aggregate will
exceed ours by thousands. For the bulk of our
voters are widely scattered OF farms, whence
they must travel two to zen miles each TO
reach the polls while our opponents are main
ly dwellers in cities and villages, who can vote
on their way to business or when re-
turning to dinner. To poll any thing
like full vote, the Republicans
must travel twice if not thrice as many miles
in the aggregate as the Democrats. Hence,
we need ticket that folks will much rather
vote for than not, even though they have to
spend half day for it. So, friends in each
Assembly District resolve this day TO be repre-
sented at Syracuse, and by delegates who will
not 90 thither to grind aDybody's az, but to
confer, select, and nominate the sixteen strong
est and best Republicans we can find in the
State ..--
We would suggest the propriety of selecting
also at the Assembly district meetings this
week delegates to the Conventions which are
TO nominate our local delegates. These are to
he chosen by Senate districts-fOur from each
-and we must nominate able and strong men
here also. The notice is very short; our district
nominees should be nominated next week; and
there Is neither time nor ea. for holding
further primary meetings for choice of
delegates to nominate these. L., the Assem-
bly, district committees promptly give notice