The New York herald., 1874-09-24
The Republican Nomins nstions-Thc
Platform snd the Third Term.

Republican State Convention simply confirms
the popular decision reached long before the
Convention assembled. 1t is a fitting tribute
to pure and high-minded statesman VINO
has discharged an important trust with ouS-
nifty, fidelity and independence at tlme
when such qualities are rare IN puphc olncers
1t was demanded in vindicatlon OF the reform
movement of 1872, which has suffered so Sc
verely from the scandals of Mayor Have
meyers administration of the New York city
government In Governor Dix the people
feel that they have Chief Magistrate who,
with well defined and settled political
principles, refuses to use his high Office
for partisan purposes, and whose honesty is
unchallenged. Holding himself aloof from
the petty quarrels of factions, Governor Dix
has refused to allow his official acts to be in
huenced by any considerations save those OF
public character His appointments to ONCE
have not always been satisfactory to the Lead
ers of his party on this account, but have won
general approval. In placing him again before
the people the republican organization has
selected the strongest candidate to be found
within its ranks and has insured harmony
in the party. Governor Dix could
neither be a Conkling nor Fenton,
for politics with him are a principle,
and not personal venture. He is strong on
this account; strong with the people, who
trust him; strong with the politicians, who,
while they cannot use him for their own
selfish purposes, feel that he is equally mac
cessible to the influences of rival factions.
His nomination will insure hard-fought con-
test in the State, and his success, should he
be reelected, will place him in a very promi-
nent position in the national republican party
in the line of the succession. There was no
opposition to Governor Dix in the Conven-
tion-at least none that appeared on the sur
face. A preliminary struggle took place over
the remainder Of the ticket but it was settled
before the Convention formally organized,
and the present Lieutenant Governor Canal
Commissioner and State Prison Inspector,
whose terms of Office close this year, were
placed again in nomination with the old chief
who carried them to victory two years ago.
The great error of the Convention lies in its
failure to speak out boldly in its platform on
the subject of the third term. The majority
of the republican party in New York would
have approved decisive expression of
opinion in favor of a constitutional amendment
limiting the President to single term of six
or eight years. 1t is mere subterfuge to
pretend that the Convention had no business
to meddle with the matter, for it is as much
an issue of interest as the condi-
ton and treatment Of the Southern
States. Other republican State conventions
have recognized it, and in New York, where
the third term is known to have its warmest
advocates, it was eminenty fitting that the
party should place itself on record as opposed
to departure from the precedents established
! by Washington and Jefferson. The necessity
for such an expression was the greater since
Senator Conkling, in his burning wrath against
the white citizens OF the South, uttered an
expression which may be construed by parti-
sans as foreshadowing heightened term of
Office for President Grant Anxious to i'm
press upon his audience the importance of
keeping democratic administration out
of Washington, the Senator pictured
| the terrible and unconstitutional acts
that might be perpetrated under demo-
cratic rule-the massacre Of Southern
negroes the reputation of the national debt
and the assumption of the Confederate debt.
''Say,' exclaimed the Senator when he had
reached his climax whether you would like
! to exchange Grant for a democrat 2" 1t is
unfortunate that this expression may be DIS
torted into an insinuation that there can be
no choice for the people between a third,
probably fourth and fifth, term for Presi-
dent Grant and the election of democratic
President, and the absence of q third term
plank from the platform will give color to
such an Interpretation of the remark But
the Convention thought proper to ignore the
subject, and hence the platform laid down
seems tame and commonplace affair. One
bold declaration such as the public sentiment
demanded and the public judgment would
have approved would have been worth all
the cut-and-dried plattudes about finances
and equal rights with which the resolutions
abound.
There is, however, lesson in the proceed
| 1ngs at Uuca Wnlch those VINO IaVor or pre-
tend to favor the third term will do well to
study. The denomination of Governor Dix
is, in fact, quiet but significant rebuke of
their policy. 1t has been currently reported
that Mr.. Conkling and his friends endeavored
to compass the defeat of Governor Dix before
the Convention. As general rule such ru-
mors of intrigues may be discredited, but this
one appears to have had good foundation.
The organ of the administration branch of
the republican party in this city labored
to that end before it became evident
that Governor Dix could not be beaten,
and the influence Of the federal Offices was
felt to be adverse to the Governor in the pre-
liminary canvass. The decisive expression o.