The New York herald., 1874-10-10
THE TAMMiNY CONVENTION.
Indication of Opposition to the
Slate Candidates.
Threatening Clouds in the
Tammany Sky.
A FOX IN THE HEN ROOST.
Prospect of an Independent
Democratic Ticket.


Democratic Ticket.
The Tammany County Convention meets at three
O'Clock this afternoon. to nominate democratic
candidates for the Offices OF Mayor, Register and
Aldermen-at-Large. The "Conventon'' now-a
days is mere iorm through which the leaders
place before the people, with a seeming indorse-
ment by a representative body, such persons as
they see nt to nominate for public positions. The
'siaten is the blackboard from which the children
IN the convention read their lesson as tt Is set
down for them bv their teachers. The local poll
tcians, who assume great influence in their sew
eral districts and affect to be great politicians
among the people OF their wards, win meet at the
Wigwam to-day; but scarcely one Of them will
venture to say that his political soul Is his
own or viii have the courage to make protest
against the programme forced down hts
throat, no matter what may be rthe feelings
OF democrats in the locality ne represents. The
slate, as made out by the Tammany leaoers, con-
tatns the names OF william Il. wickham for Mayor
and James Hayes for Register. The former Is the
Odice OF political mportance; the latter Is one OF
the rich plums OF the local government, like the
Offices OF Sheriff and County Clerk. 1t Is very well
known that Mr.. John Kelly makes MI. Wickham
the nominee and that Mr.. John Morrssey names
Mr. Hayes. Mr.. Kelly, 1t is said, would have pre-
ferred another candidate than Hayes Tor Register;
Mr.. MOrrIssey would have chosen some other
democrat than Wlckham for Mayor. But quar-.
rel between the two great leaders OF reformed
Tammany would have operated like the last effort
OF Samson on the temple Of GAIA and brought
The edi1ce down about the ears OF Its yotaries,
buryng the Wickhams and the Rayeses, the
Keliys and the Morrisseys Unfortunately be-
meath the ruins. SO the shorthaired Samsons
OF democI acy, instead OF exerring their strength
against the pillars OF the Wigwam, shook hands,
agreed upon division Of the spoils, and the re-
suit Is a slate such as Is stated above-William II.
Wickham for Mayor and James Hayes for Register.
THE spIRIT OF THE OPPOSITION.
1t is notorious that this ticket, like that forced
upon the State Convention by Tammany is not
The choice OF q majority OF the democrats In the
city OF New York. While Mr.. Wickham is citizen
OF character and respectability, and is well known
among the merchants OF New YORK, as well as
among the old ''nre laddies,n with whom In his
early days ne was associated, he Is SO entirely
idenDed with Mr.. Kelly that the people regard his
nomination as that OF the Tammany leader
behind mask Many OF those who have been op-
posed to Mr. John Kelly's dictatorship declare
that they would rather forego their
opposition and support him as Mr.. Havemeyer's
successor than be cheated, as IL we're, into voting
for him behind the portly form OF William H. Wick.
ham. Mr.. Kelly, they say, is too big man himself
to hide behind a screen. No one doubts that the
offciai conduct OF MIR. Wickham would be ruled
and shaped by MIR. Kelly; that the Mayor would be
. mere puppet, moved by the wires pulled by the
Tammany leader This Is said not in disparage-
ment OF Mr.. Wickham, but because it Is an admit
ted and patent fact Mr. Wickham as Mayor
could no more resist the influence that would
move him than Mr.. Kelly's right arm could refuse
TO perform the motion required Of 1t by the Will
and muscles ofits owner. Now, the old line active
democrats Of the several wards, patient,
sef-sacrifcing souls, have waited long
time Tor Official bread. Since the over
throw OF old Tammany they have sat
out in the cold seeing the fat offices distributed
among a set OF people unknown at primaries and
scarcely ever heard or in a ward meeting; pets
anu cronies of the venerable Ravemeyer or self
constituted reformers. A ticket for labor, even
with the prospect OF being kept out OF the pay BY
Comptroller Green, has been luxury TO an old
democratic politician and he has had to beg for 1t
as he would beg for his lie. The men who used to
ngure prominently in elections do not feel conf
dent OF the recognition OF their claims by Mr..
Kelly, and hence they would have preferred the
nomination for Mayor OF some person less bllndly
under the dictatlon of the present Tammany
powers than Mr. Wickham is likely to be. The
more disin Interested portion OF the community, who
desire good local government fear the influences
oil Tammany on such q candidate as
Mr.. Wickham, and condemn the autocratic
ana selfish spirit manifested in his nomi-
nation. The Registers once has less political
importance, and Is simply rich, juicy cut out OF
the municipal joint for lucky friend of the con-
trolling powers. Its patronage is comparatively
insignificant and It's fees are large. No principle
Is involved in the selection OF candidate for such
an ONCE as there is in the nomination Of Mayor
Of the city. II q popular citizen had been named
for Mayor Mr.. Morrissey might have appropriated
the once OF Register TOR Mr. Hay without mur-
muir, except from those disappointed individuals
who expected to secure the prize; but it is felt
that the Mayoraty and Registership were COM
blned, and that the 'slaten is merely the division
OF the two onlces between the two leaders. This
ie cling has created an opposition to MIR. Hayes as
the slate candidate for Register on the
principle involved, and not nom any
doubt OF his fitness for the ofice or
rom any prejudice against Mr.. Morrissey.
The feeling thus engendered s widespread, and
the question OF nte rest Is whether the opposition
viii manifest itself in to.day's Convention, and, If
It does, will it accomplish any practical result
WILL THE CONVENTION BE HARMONIOUS
II is scarcely to be expected that entire har-
mony viii prevail in the Tammany Convention.
Indeed. it is pretty certain that the trouble In
senator John Fox's district viii come to the sur
face. Last year Mr.. Fox withdrew hts claims to
the office OF Sheriff In favor OF Sheriff Conner, aud
con ten ed himself with the Senatorship from the
Fourth district. There was then q serious dis.
affection IN the district, mainly showing itself,
however, in the First Assembly district. Mr..
Walsh's influence and interests IN the rest OF the
Senatorial district were sufficient to quiet
over the trouble. Senator Fox claims that
his course last year was self-saCrfhClng
and in the interests Of the Tammany leaders;
indeed, that without such action as he TOOK the
success or Conner and Walsh would nave been
very doubtful At the polls even II they could have
been nominated over mis- head by the Convention.