The New York herald., 1874-09-15
The Gathering OF the Clans.

our lnhospltable northern forests, from the
borders OF the majestic lake, from the roar OF
Niagara and the historic banks of the Hud-
son, from the teeming metropolis, huddied
Tar of on these sea-washed islands, the
chiefs of the democracy are hurry
ing with their clans. Our reports tell
what warriors are already in line and VINO else
are expected. The new young men, the
bucks OF the tribe, will see who are the
leaders and what the battle-words VIII be.
The old boys, the veterans, who sit apart and
sun themselves like the Invalides on the boule-
wards. will have their own communings and
sorrows, perhaps, and mourn over the time
when an Albany Regency in its wisdom
controlled affairs, when bluff Dean
Richmond carried conventions in his hat,
when the diamond chiefs of Tammany went
| blazing and rushing through the State with
| lightning speed, like bandit chiefs rich in the
trophies of the road, only too anxious to dazzle
the rural mind with their il-gotten, unwhole-
some and evanescent splendor.
The democracy have indeed fallen upon
new men and new lines. We have no
doubt when these leaders come together there
will be remembrGnces of Christening and SUI
fering What sad days have passed since those
tremendous times when the all-engulfng
war swallowed the whole democratic party,
including the accomplished editor of the
World, the grave and sedate editor of the
Express, the military prestige of McClel-
Ian, the memories of Jefferson and the
Resolutions OF 1898. 1t was an earthquake
time, to be sure, and as the chiefs fold
their blankets about them and draw to close
communings around the council fires they can
say truly that when the earthquake comes no
-one can tell WHO will be on the summit and
who in the valley. If the uses of ad-
versity are sweet and fruitful then the leaders
of the democracy will assemble at their con-
vention full of wisdom and kindness They
will know the virtue of concession; that self
denial is generally the overture to vic
tory that success arises from the ashes
of ambition. They will learn that there
can be no triumph of the democracy
that is limited to any party or party fragment
or that surrenders the hopes of national sue
cess to the puny hopes of man or a faction.
They will see that the skies are reddening with
the hues Of triumph-that from the South and
the West and even from New England and
Pennsylvania, brethren speak of victory. They
may fairly reason that victory in New York in
this coming campaign will mean victory in the
Union at the next Presidential election and
the possession of power for generation
All this is plain. The democrats have VIC
tory:within their reach ; but can they grasp it?
They have against them the sternly disciplined
republican party led by the youthful and
fiery Roscoe Conkling. It's chief is John A.
Dix, upon whom has fallen the singular felicity
of wearing in his old age the ripened and still
ripening honors of a noble life, the confidence
and love OF people. Wellington said
OF Napoleon that his personal presence
at Waterloo at the head of the French
army was worth Aorty thousand men. The
presence of Dix in the republican party is in
itself large reinforcement How, then, is this
organization to be overthrown? Certainly BY
wisdom, caution, self-denial, courage-by
bending all hopes and aims to the supreme
purpose Of victory. Let the one man be
chosen as candidate for the Governorship |
who will command the entire party strength
and commend himself to fair men of the
republican party who are inpatient with its |
shortcomings and only too anxious to aban- !
don it, man who will carry the party and
not compel it to carry him. Let there be q
platform representing the ideas of the hour,
the wants of the people, the lessons bequeathed
nv co1y ~
finance, freedom in trade, peace and recon-
struction, the assembling Of national con-
vention to decide upon the burning questions
that now threaten the permanency of our repub-
lican institutions. Let there be no Sinking of
issues, no subordinating the victory to any
personal ambition. Above all things let the
people see by the tenor of the proceedings,
the spirit of the platform and the character of
the candidates put in nomination that the
democrats have repented of their apathy when
treason threatened the State and of their
worse than apathy when Tammany threw
New York into ditch and plundered her like
a highwayman.
1t would seem that this spirit animates the
clans. 1t was shown in the effort to nomi-
nate Judge Church. But that coy statesman
toyed with his opportunity, and, forgetting
that faint heart never won the Presidency,
threw away the ultimate diadem. The har-
mony which pervades the clans is broken
by the one discordant voice from New York,
the voice Of the leader of the Emerald Ring. |
Mr.. Kelly, with all the zeal of novice and |
the heedlessness which the proverb expresses
when it indicates the manner of tn G horseman |
who rides his steed to death, goes clamoring
to the Convention with his gang of howling
warriors demanding the nomination of
Mr. Tilden. Answer is made that Mr. Tilden
is not an available candidate; that he has no |
control over the people, no sympathy with
them; that his merits are what we admire in a
h,at fnar In q candl data. that hn ia c,l1,.4