The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-23

tion. s.4 .ilf La n
How goes New York? II has been and is
generally conceded that the coalition of the
democrats with the liberal republicans upon
the Cincinnati liberal ticket and platform
secures the State TO this opposition alliance by
heavy majority, assuming that the losses to
Greeley and Brown of intractable democratic
Bourbons will be only few scattering votes
or absentees here and there. We think it con
hardly be questioned that the Greeley repub-
licans and the full democratic vote of the city
and State combined represent an overwhelm-
ing popular majority. The only doubt is as
to the integrity or solidarity of the democratic
party; and while we hear from the one sido
that democratic boilers are few and far be-
tween, and from the other side that they may
be found in scores and hundreds in every
county, we shall probably remain in doubt
upon this matter until after the election. It is
evident, however, from the strong State ticket
put in the field by the republicans, headed by
the popular name of General Dix for Governor,
that the democrats and liberal republicans
will not be permitted walk over the course in
the Empire State.
We can form no definite judgment as to the
probable results on the State and the Presi-
Dental electoral ticket until we shall have
before us the nominations of tho democrats
and liberal republicans, and their nominating
conventions do not meet until the 4th of Sep
TENDER, or one day after the meeting Of the
Louisville Bourbon Democratic Convention.
We only know, meantime, that, in New
York, while the State ticket on either side may
give strength or weakness TO the Presidential
ticket this ticket will be the paramount and
controlling question. In 1864, it may be
said, Fenton, as the republican candidate for
Governor, polled larger vote than Lincoln
for President, and that in 1865 Hoffman, by
ten thousand for Governor, exceeded the vote
of Seymour for President but these are
exceptions to the rule-that the greater issue
of the nation carries with it the smaller issue
Of the State. Nor with the opposition nomi-
nations before us, however strong or weak
they may be, can we confidently foreshadow
the issue in New York, because Of the dis
turbing forces, one way or the other, still to
intervene between August and November, in
the Vermont and Maine State elections of
September, and in the Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Indiana, Iowa and Nebraska elections of
October. The results in Vermont and Maine
may signify little or nothing but the October
elections, especially that of Pennsylvania, as
in 1856 and 1868, may determine the issue Of
the great national contest of November and
may very materially shape the results in New
York, State and national.
The trouble, in reference to any predictions
OF these coming elections, lies in the fact that
this opposition coalition upon Mr.. Greeley and
his liberal platform, renders our statistics of
past elections comparatively useless. Maine
and Vermont, in their coming elections, will
throw some light upon this question of Grant
or Greeley; but Pennsylvania, Ohio and In
diana, in October, will, we repeat in all proba-
bility, dispel oil doubts in regard to it. New
York, in the vicissitudes of its political par
ties, is revolutionary State, as the recitation
OF few leading facts in its political history
of the last forty years will serve 10 show. In
1886 the State was handsomely carried by the
democracy for Van Buren,; in 1910 the State
pronounced against "Little Van" by heavy
majority. In 1874 Polk, by "a tight squeeze,
carried New York against Henry Clay, and by
the vote of New York Polk became President.
In 184S, between the boiling Van Buren,, Us
the free soil candidate, and General Cass, as
the regular democratic nominee, General Tay-
lor (whig) secured New York by an over
whelming plurality, and was thereby elected
President. In 1852, Pierce against General
Scott carried the State by a large majority,
while in 1856, Fremont between Buchanan
and Fillmore, swept it as by whirlwind The
great Northern anti-slavery revolution had
fairly set in, and Fremont, though himself un-
successful, cleared the course for Lincoln.
1t is from Lincolns first election, however,
in 1860 to the present day that our New York
elections furnish us the most interesting re-
things. In 1860 Lincoln's majority over the
democratic fusion electoral ticket of Douglas
and Breckenridge was $4,000. In 1864, upon
the largest popular vote down to that time ever
cast in the State, Lincoln's majority was re-
duced to less than 1000. In 1865 Barlow, re-
publican, was elected our Secretary of State by
nearly $4,000 over Slocum, and in 1866 Fen
ton was elected Governor over Hoffman by q
majority of 1879. But in 1867 there was a
change which marked in New York the be-
ginning Of the restoration 9f the democratic
party, for in that election tho Democratic
State ticket was carried so decisively that in
the case of John D. Fay for Canal Commits
sioner it rose to q popular majority Of $4,000,
the average democratic majority being about
47,OO0. But again this majority was cut
down in 1868 to 10000 for Seymour over
Grant upon q popular vote in round numbers
of $4,000. In 1869 the democrats swept the