The sun., 1870-02-08
WIN there be Two Democratic Parties
in New YOrkf

VIII thCrc bc Two DCmOcrnuc Partles
in New Yorki
NJ FofrY, Mr. ANTHoN, and their Demo
cratic associates, informed Gov. HOFFMAN,
the other day, that If an er post .titcto law
was passed with tho intent to confirm the H.
legal appointment of HENRY SMITH as
Supervisor, the disaficctcd Democrats would
nominate an independent ticket for State
officers next fall, and do their utmost TO
defeat the regular candidates. We do not
know whether II was the weight which the
Governor and his Attorney General gave TO
the legal and constitutional arguments of the
FoLEY-ANTuoN Committee, or this threat TO
put a second Democratic State ticket in the
field, but II is evident that something has
brought the Albany Regency to their senses.
HailinG from the interior counties as
many of the Regency do they are aware that
the rural Democracy desire that tLe great
historical party TO which they belong should
now be reconstructed on basis more in nc.
cordance with the progressive spirit Of the
times. They desire also that 1t should be so
marshalled as to attract TO its ranks the lib.
the Republicans is completed are likely to
fall away from party which is led by HAM
ILToS FfsH and CHARLES SUMNER, and
made 20 support the preservation of slavery
and European domination in this hemisphere
They know, too that no plan could be de
vscl so cfIrctual as the one suggestcd by
this Committee for temporarily rrostrating
the Democratic party Of New York, and
thereby compelling It's subsequent reorgaui.
Hation, reinforced by new allies and led Ny
new men, thus giving It fair prospect of
achieving power In the nation.
The Regency are verscd in the hist lry of
this State, and therefore know that third
parties. so called. have been q common type
of its pc!itics, end indeed were its chronic
Condition from 1922, when the Anti -Masons
first arose, down to 1857. when the Know
Nothings finally disappeared.
The two leading parties Of this State have
always been torn by factions within their
ranks. Their earlier annals were dlsfgured
by the quarrels Of the Burrites, the Martling
men, the Guilds, the Ointonians, the Buck
tails, and the Peoples men while the later
parties have been distracted by the contests
of the Anti-Masons, the Abolitionists, the
Hunkers, the Barnburners, the silver.Grays,
and the Know Nothings.
The history of these factions is instructive,
and bears closely upon the present condition
of our politics. AT eleven Of the fifteen
Governors elections between 1928 aud 1886,
three and sometimes four State tickets were
in the field. These third.party nominations
always threw confusion into the ranks Of the
regulars; and on six occasions they broke
down the dominant party, enabling less
ticket Tor it should be remembered that
VAN BuRES and WRIGHT OF the Democracy,
YoUNG and fIsu of the Wings, and CLARK
and king Of the Republicans, were minority
Governors
Within the later period TO which we have
referred, these various factions have four
times 40 completely prostratod one and the
other of the two leading parties ns TO neces-
state their reconstruction out of new mate
rails, ulOn Il new basis, by new hands. In
proof of this. we need only refer 20 the foma-
ton Of the NauonQl Republican party in
1895, which supported ADAMS, and Of the
JACKSON party IN 1928 Both were com
posed Of Jciitrsonians, Clintonians, and Fed,
eraiista the fragments Of old organizations
So, too, the WhiI party, formed in 1928, and
tie present Republican party. in 1865, were
composed Of incongruous elements which
had crumblcd away from other parties And
when VIC contrast the materials which now
make up tho Democratic party Of New orlI
with those which gave il power and prestige
thirty6ve years ago 1t is evident that tho
mutations of time have wrought great
changes in its organization.
These "reminiscences establish threo I'm
pOrtant propositions; First, that disafectod
polit clans in New York have been wont "a
bolt regular nominations, and set up indie
pendent candidates for State offices second
ly, that such tactics have often proved pow
erful enough 10 temporarily overthrow the
one party or tho otLoE, and thirdly, that al
four epochs within the memory of men now
actively engaged in politics these defections
have been 30 formidable In numbers and 81
skilfully managed as to necessitate the re-
organization Of the great parties Of the coun
Try.
In the present dcmoralized condition Of III,
Democracy and tie Republicans, do NO
these facts challenge tho careful attention O
those who assume To lead those partiesf n,
wonder Gov horrNAS and Attorney Gen