The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-03

hcan state Convcntions-Win Wis
dom or Folly Prevails
The Democratic and Liberal Republican
State Conventions meet in Syracuse to-mor-
row, and will, no doubt unite upon candi-
dates for State officers, electors and Congress
man at Large. They will also put forth a
platform of principles upon which both will
be willing to go before the people of New York
and claim their support at the polls in Novem-
Der. The Importance of these duties can
hardly be overestimated. The supporters Of
the Cincinnati Presidential nominees in this
State occupy peculiar position. New York
is Mr.. Greeley's home, and the friends of the
liberal movement all over the Union look to
New York to sound the keynote of the cam
paign and to prove the sincerity of the new
combination in the cause of reform. The re-
bellion against the republican party, or the
revolution in the republican party, whichever
it may be, has its chief strength in the Empire
State, and enlists in its interest not only the
best known leaders of the organization, but an
important number of the most active and
efficient of the rank and file. But against
other locality has been brought the charge
Of disappointed office-seeking as tho in
centive to their enmity against Presi-
dent Grant. 1t is for them now to prove that
in their opposition to the administration they
are influenced by other than selfish and
personal motives. The democratic party of
New York has the misfortune of having been
the party of Tweed and Connolly, Of Ingersoll
and Carney, of Watson and Woodward; and
the name of Tammany, rendered so odious by
the disclosures of last year. is still retained by
the democracy of the metropolis 1t is true
that Tammany has been regenerated; that it
is no more the Tammany of Tweed and his
satellites than Comptroller Green, a New
York democrat, is Comptroller Connolly;
but the republicans are making vigorous
efforts to fix upon the Greeley democrats the
stigma of the Tammany frauds, and in order
to defeat this policy it is important that the
democracy should strive to show that it is
in reality free from any utilization with the
men who were driven from Office in this city
Inst fall Hence the Syracuse Conventions
which assemble tomorrow nre both under
peculiar obligations to carry out in good
faith the reform they profess to favor and to
prove by their acts that they are the real
friends of honest government in the city and
State as well as in the nation.
This can only be satisfactorily done by
placing citizens of well established character
and integrity in nomination for all Offices Of
public trust. 1t is very well for q reform
party to speak out plainly in its platform and
to set before the people the principles upon
which it asks to be entrusted with power; but
this is, after ALL, of little value unless the
standing of the nominees is such as to satisfy
the community that they will faithfully carry
ont the promises made in their behalf. The
citizens of New York have been recently made
to feel the difference between precept and
practice, and they do not intend that the ex-
perience of last year shall be disregarded in
the present election. Hence, the first neces-
sity of the Syracuse Conventions will be to
insure the nomination of candidates whose
names will be sufficient guarantee Of their
honesty and capacity, for every place in the
State and municipal governments. A great
deal of discussion has been had in the party
| journals as to the most desirable nominee for
Governor, and some good and many indiffer-
ent names have been mentioned in that con-
nection. Ever since the HERALD reminded
the Greeley party that they could not consist
emily fight the Presidential campaign
on the single term principle and at
the same time place at the head
of their State ticket a candidate running for
the same Office for third term, Governor
Hoffman has been regarded as out Of the field,
and recently the Governor has written letter
declining denomination. Mr.. Hoffman being
thus happily disposed Of all eyes turned to
Judge Sanford E. Church as the strongest
name that could lead the united democratic
and liberal forces in the State contest; but he
also has declined the honor, for the reason that
the position he now holds is important to
him on several considerations 1t is probable
that Judge Church might still be induced tc
accept the nomination if urged to do so for the
sake of the party whose success he deems
necessary to thorough reform in our public
Offices; but it would hardly be fair to require
of him so great sacrifice 1t is to Judge
Churchs honor that years of public service
have left him not rich man, and it is the
certainty of his entire honesty that would make
him so available as q candidate at this time.
The length Of the judicial term, and the salary
attached to the Office Of Chief Justice of the
Court of Appeals, render the position a valua-
BILE one, and Judge Church should not be asked
to yield these advantages for the insufAciently
paid and sometimes laborious Office of Cover
nor of the State. We may therefore regard
him as not likely to be on the list of candi-
dates before the Convention. e'.-"t'~
The old democratic politicians, or portion