The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-21

test Before Us.
The republicans of New York, in State Con-
vention. assemble at Utica to-day. The i'm
portance to the party of the assemblage and
its proceedings can hardly be exaggerated, for
the business before this Convention embraces
ticket of Presidential electors, Governor.
Lieutenant Governor, Congressman at large.
o Canal Commissioner and a State Prison In
spector, and platform for our November con-
test on our national State and municipal
affairs. The Convention will, no doubt be
harmonious body, inasmuch as the Fenton-
Greeley republicans have cut loose from the
Grant republicans, and have thrown out the
reform banner, seconded by the democracy,
under the lead of the liberal coalition Presi-
Dental ticket of Greeley and Brown, and mas
much as the necessities of the administration
republicans will admit of no moro divisions or
discussions in the party camp.
As the probable candidate of this Conven-
ton for Governor, George Opdyke, General
John O. Robinson, Of Broome, W. H. Robert
son, of Westchester. and William A. Wheeler,
of Franklin, have been mentioned; General
Dix and E. d. Morgan having both declined.
Last night Robinson's chances appeared best
and his friends believe he will give strength
to their State and their Presidential electoral
ticket. We presume that in this Wow
of Strengthening the cause OF the party
on local and national affairs these dele
gates in council at Utica will bring one of
their best men to the front for every position
for which they are charged with the selection
of the party standard bearer. 1t appears to
be understood that Lyman Tremain will be
nominated for Congressman at large against
the powerful alliance of democrats and liberal
or anti-Grant republicans, and their candi-
date, who will doubtless be one of their very
strongest men. Again, it is surmised that
General Dix will be put at the head of the
administration ticket Of Presidential electors,
and that the whole list will be carefully Sc
lected with reference to their local and general
popularity. In short, it may be safely assumed
that in all its nominations this Utica Conven-
ton will be remarkably careful to present an
acceptable front to the people of this great
Commonwealth on State and national affairs
for this important State and national contest
before us, as they have the personal popu-
larity of Mr.. Greeley to contend against and
the serious breach in their ranks to consider,
and hence must leave no point unguarded if
they do not intend to suffer New York to 60
by default.
Next, the Convention in question will have to
consider the platform upon which this double
battle, or two battles in one, will have to be
fought The national branch of this platform
will, of course, embrace hearty endorsement
of General Grants administration the usual
stereotyped illusions to his retrenchments
of the national expenditures, his reductions
of the national debt and of the national
taxes, and the establishment in practice of
the principles of civil and political equality
under his administration, Notwithstanding
the awkward fact Of military law and white
oppression in the Southern States, and so on.
We may also have, in this connection, some
'glittering generalities" on the Alabama
claims and the redeeming virtues of arbitra-
ton as the proper method Of settling inter-
national disputes; and we may have q word or
two for ''Buncombe' on civil service reform,
though we do not expect much vain boasting
of the distinguished achievements of the
administration in reference to either Spain,
Cuba or Mexico. 1t will suffice that our ma
tional affairs in this Republican State Conven-
ton will put it's best foot foremost for General
Grant, and will leave no stone unturned cal
culated to weaken Mr.. Greeley as the Presi-
Dental champion of the anti-administration
republicans and their democratic allies.
But on our State and city affairs, and on the
paramount local question of city reform, we
shall look with the most lively interest for the
declarations and the promises of this Utica
Convention. 1t will be curious to observe
what can be said about Legislative and munich
pal reform by party which last fall elected
State Senate whose Clerk was turned out of
Office for corrupt practices, and one of whose
members, after being convicted of having re-
ceived money favors from the Tammany and
Erie Rings amounting to many thousands of
dollars while holding seat in the State Sem
ate, was yet suffered to retain the position Of
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. We
shall probably learn something from the Con-
vention about the threat made by Senator
Tweed that if the republican Senators
dared to vote for his expulsion
from that body he would prove that he had
purchased majority of them time and
again, and shall at last discover whether this
was the reason their pledge to expel him was
not redeemed We may also expect to receive
some explanation of the defeat of the reform
e,,rec hro, oht hefore tho TeUislotnre after
the reformers had succeeded in organizing the
Assembly as they desired, and while they had
more than four-ffths majority in both
branches of the Legislature and were thus in
q nosition to override any Executive veto and