The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-30

the factional divisions in the republican party
have hitherto held secondary rank, al
though they have been purposely dragged
into the contest, and must soon occupy prom
inent position in the legislative battles. At
present it appears certain that the friends of
Senator Fenton-the administration ''outs"-
have a majority of The Assembly, while the
Senate is apparently pretty evenly divided.
1t must be remembered, however, that ma
jority OF the Senators ara more or less inter-
ested, directly or indirectly, in the federal
Offices, either through the New York Custom
House, the Washington departments or the
Internal Revenue Bureau, and are unwilling
to quarrel with their own bread and butter or
with that of their relatives and friends, until
they discover a fair chance of lettering them
selves in the operation. Put squarely to
vote, without any selfish considerations, and
there is little doubt that majority of the Senate
ii not opposed to Grants denomination, would
be found hostile to the return of Roscoe Conk-
ling to the United States Senate. But the in
fuences we have mentioned are sufficiently
strong to hold them in the traces until after
the Republican National Convention shall have
concluded its work, when they will fall in en-
Enthusiastically under the Grant banner, pro-
vided it shall be unfurled for another cam
paign. Whether they will be found equally
ready to support the fowery young orator of
Oneida for another term is more doubtful.
He is not popular in the State, and treachery
is already at work in the ranks of his supposed
adherents. General John H. Ketcham, of
Duchess, at present Congressman from the
Twelfth district, is ambitious of Senatorial
honors, and will unquestonably bring his
military record and his personal popularity
into the field against Senator Conkling at the
proper time. The prominent position accorded
to the State Senator from the Generals
county on the standing committees at Albany
was designed to aid such a movement. But
these intrigues belong to the future, and the
bone of contention at the State Capitol be-
tween the Sins" and the ''outs' will at present
be the control of republican local organization
in the city of New York. Upon this really de-
ponds the control of the conventions and the
nominations of the party, and upon this de-
ponds, also, the important question of the
federal spoils in this city. The Conkling-
Murphy faction, with the Committee of
Seventy and Comptroller Green at their backs,
are striving to obtain power at the next
charter election and such share of the mu-
nicipal patronage as will give them the upper
hand Of their opponents and enable them to
secure the advantages they have gained
through the weight of the federal Offices. The
Fenton-Greeley organization, on the other
hand. seeks, by a combination with the Alvord
forces and the Erie and Canal Rings at
Albany, to consummate such bargain as
will leave our municipal matters without
much personal change, and give them,
through Van Mort in the Depart
ment of Public Works, with increased
powers, and Hank Smith in the Police Com
mission, the strength to rally against the
Custom House and re-establish their old
organization in the city and their old power in
the State conventions. Upon these issues the
future struggle over the city charter will turn,
and, from present appearances, we are in
clined to believe that the Fenton side will
come the best out of the fight. This cannot
affect the denomination of General Grant for
the Presidency, but it can andw affect the
question so important to these squabbling
politicians, of the distribution of the federal
pap for the next four years. In the mean
time, all this snarling and fighting and bar
gaining and dickering among the factions,
rings and lobbyists will open the eyes of the
people to the fraud and humbug of political
reform.