The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-11
Tho Democratic and Liberal State
Characteristics Foliics OF the

Politicians.
Elated by some structures we recently
thought fit to make on the nominations of the
Democratic and Liberal Conventions at Syracuse
the republican organs have been exultngly
claiming the active support of the HERALD for
their State ticket and have been inclined to
look upon the canvass in New York as virtually
ended. One journal has it, 'sThe HERALD De-
nouncing the Unholy Greeley Coalition;" an
other, ''The HERALD Declares for the Republic
can Candidates" and all seem resolved to set
the HERALD down as a warm partisan on their
side for the rest of the campaign. We regret
to disturb the pleasant visions of these faithful
servitors of political organization, but we
deem it proper to explain to them that the
criticisms of the HERALD referred more to the
spirit manifested by the coalitionists than to
the actual result of their deliberations, and
that all that was offensive in Syracuse was
witnessed previously in Utica; the only differ
ence being that the regular Republican Con-
vention made no claim to the character of
popular uprising in favor of reform,
springing from the people and acting
for the people, while the Syracuse
Conventions, born of the great Cincinnati
movement had no choice but to be revolu-
ton or failure. The republicans assembled
at Utica under the iron rule of regular party
calls and contrivances, and were not expected
to do more than follow the old machine
routine nominate such candidates as were put
down on the slate by the most adroit
managers, adopt platform previously drawn
up for their acceptance, adjourn and go home.
Hence, when an attempt was made by some OF
last years Legislative heroes to 'break the
slate" and force an Albany Senator on the
head of the ticket, when the most notorious
leader of the Albany lobby was brought again
to the surface as Convention manipulation;
when the s'cut and dried programme was
suddenly submitted to the delegates; when
the prearranged storm of involuntary enthu-
siasm burst forth; when the hedgling poll
| ticians measured swords on the floor and
| INDUCED in harmless cuts and thrusts;
when, finally, the ready made plat
form, containing no word of censure for
the foul corruptions Of the republican
State Legislature, was presented as the
result of committees labors and received
with uproarious applause, no person regarded
it as anything more than the natural perform
ance of regular party Convention, enacted
over and over again, year after yea r, for the
past quarter of century. That so respect
able nominee as General John A. Dix hap
pened to get OF the head of the ticket was for
tunate for the people of the State in case of
its success at the polls but this was probably
more owing to the acknowledged necessity Of
fair nominations than to any other cause.
The Syracuse Conventions met under differ
ent circumstances, and the people did not ex-
pect that they would re-enact the scenes Of
the old party gatherings. At Cincinnati the
republicans who professed to favor reform in
the national and local administrations got to-
gether without any party machinery or regu-
larity-in fact, in defiance of both-and threw
forth their principles and their candidates tQ
take their chances with the people and
to make Roadway according to their
merits. They had no national, State
and district committees at their
backs, no offices in their gift, no money at
their command They appealed to those who
were disguised with the tricks and schemes
and close management of regular political Or
CARNATIONS, and who desire that the people
should be their own masters and manage their
own political affairs instead Of suffering them
selves to be manipulated and dictated to by o
ring of selfish professional politicians and
chronic ofice-seekers. This was the strength
Of the Cincinnati movement; and its first sue
cess, the enthusiasm it created, the unexpected
favor it met with. despite the singular char
acter of it's nominations seemed to promise
to carry it to victory over all the tremendous
power of party regularity and government
patronage and money The democrats met in
convention at Baltimore, and although every
effort had been exhausted by the democratic
politicians, the party organs and the managers
of the organization to force regular party
nominations, in the hope of securing their
election through the division in the republican
ranks, the tidal wave of popular
uprising swept these schemes out Of
sight and the Convention endorsed almost by
reclamation the principles and the candidates
of the Cincinnati mass meeting. Thus far the
democrats were on the right tack. They had
caught the breeze and had fair sailing before
them. Unfortunately, the wonderful progress
made by the independent movement elated
the politicians and ofice-seekers among them
beyond reason, and regarding the prize as al
ready within their grasp, they began to seek
security for their own share in the profits and
to make combinations and bargains looking to
the local nominations From that moment
their chances began to decline. If they had
left the Cincinnati uprising and the Baltimore
revolution in the hands Of the people, their