Middletown transcript., 1868-07-11
The Convention.

says:-We congratulate the country and
the party that, in contest 80 protracted
and SO earnest as has taken place. there
has not been the slightest exhibition of
rancor, or of spirit inconsistent with the
most cordial harmony after the successful
completion of the business of the Conyen-
tion. We see no cause of serious regret
in the great length of the contest and the
persistency of the friends of the leading
candidates. Some shrewd jurist has oh.
served that the trial of q lawsuit sbopj8
be SO conducted as not only to secure ;us-
tice but to satisfy the parties. After a
dilatory trial before patient Judge. the
losing party goes out of court satisfied
that his whole case has been presented,
and that he has not been unfairly depri-
we'd of his chances for winning it. The
friends of Mr.. Pcndleton, the only can
didate who came into the Convention with
any considerable strength, must concede
that in these protracted ballotings he has
had fair treatment, and has enjoyed every
opportunity for concentration of all his
available strength. A review of the pro-
ceedings will show that his nomination.
has not been obstructod by unfair strategy
or any kind of man@uvering by those
who thought it inexpedient.
His friends must confess that his nom;.
nation has not been prevented by the two
thirds rule, which is, so to speak, the COM
mon law of Democratic National Conyen-
tions. On none of the ballotings has Mr..
Pendleton received majority of the votes:
he would equally have failed if the two
thirds rule had never been heard Of The
fact that the two-thirds rule prevailed en-
abled some Of the delegates to paw him a
compliment and recognize his eminent
standing in the party who might have hes
itated to crafty their feelings if acting
under the conscious responsibility of Civ.
ing the party Presidential candidate in a
crisis so fraught with consequences as the
present.
Quite as little can Mr. Pendleton attri-
butte his defoat to the opposition or in
trigues of The New York bondholders."
New York, consideratc and indulgent, has
not chosen to exert any influence against
him beyond giving her own votes for
other candidates. AT first, and until it.
was demonstrated that Mr.. Pendleton
could not be nominated, New York voted
for one of her own citizens, but entered
INTO no combination to concentrate upon
HIM the votes of other States. When
New York changed her vote to Mr.. Hend-
rlcks, the fact that no other States accom-
panied her made it patent to everybody
that there had been no wire-pulling nor
any kind of intrigue by the New York
delegation to form combination hostile IN
Mr.. Pendleton. New York has simnlv
given her votes; but she has exerted no
influence. Mr.. Pendleton has not been
slaughtered; his chances have died Z
natural death. The New York deleo.-
tion feel great respect for this rising states-
man, and DO not regret that he has ac-
CURED national recognition as one of the
for omost leaders of the Democratic party
They hope to see him in one of the frst
posts of honor under a Democratic Presi-
dent; and as he is yet young and can af-
ford to wait, they expect that his time will
yet come to be Democratic President
himself.
The Southern delegations deserve great
praise for the dignity, good sense. and
propriety with which they have borne
themselves in the Convention. When The
roll of States was called for naming can
didates, the Southern delegations announ-
ced, one after another, that they had no
candidate to present They seemed to
have no desire to dictate, but to be will
ling to accept whatever candidate should
be deemed most available by the Democ-
racy OF the North. In the early ballotinos
they distributed, scattered, and sbiftef
their votes in such way as to show that
they were merely waiting and watching
deyelopements, with view to co-operate
at last with the majority of the Northern
delegates. When Mr.. Pendleton seemed
to be the strongest they began to concen-
trate upon him, as if to tell the North that
they would cheerfully accept him if the.
North judged his nomination advisable.
When 1t became evident that Pendleton
could not be nominated and Hancock
grew strong, they again indicated by cha.
nging their votes their willingness to co.
operate in the nomination of any cand;-
date who possesses the confidence of the
party.
We confidently expect the final adjourn
ed OF the Convention to-day, and that the
delegates will depart for their homes glad
that they have had so ample an opportun-
lty to become well acquainted with leading
Democrats from all parts of the country
and full of zeal and enthusiasm for the
ticket on which they were SO long agree
ing.