The New York herald., 1875-09-16
A Convention In Leading strings.


as if it were deciding and not merely reg
istering body. BY the theory of our
| institutions the delegates, fresh from the
/ people, assemble for consultation with one
another, in order to determine after due
| deliberation and fair comparison OF views
what the party ought TO do in every
emergency. But what takes place in fact is
a ridiculous contrast to the theory.
majority Of the delegates at Syracuse stand
still and await ORDERS like militia assembled
for parade They have no mind of their
own on any subject, and hang around the
corridors of the hotels expecting the word
of command from the party chief whose
will they have assembled to obey. The
proceedings of the Convention on essen
tial points are cut and dried in advance, and
its only Office is simply to do as it is bid. Sen
ator Herman, as the authorized representa-
tive of Governor Tilden, goes to Syracuse to
manipulate the Convention, and when he
has stated the wishes of the Great Mogul
they yield the same unhesitating obedience
as the Light Brigade did at Balaklava:-
Theirs to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
THEIRS Dut 10 10 ana Ole.
The dying at Syracuse is only metaphor
cal; they die as delegates after discharging
their function as puppets, and will return
to their homes to mingle with their fellow
citizens, never to be heard of again in poll
tics. The greater part of them are new in
the business of political conventions, never
having attended one before. They are mere
L. Al. :. Al. oo1
gers. When the platform, drafted before they
meet is reported by packed committee on
resolutions, they are expected to vote for it
with applauding hurrahs. When such mem
bers of the ticket as Governor Tilden chooses
to dictate are proposed in the Convention
their votes and applause are equally ready
The real work of the Convention is cut out
by one man and his confidential advisers, and
the great body of the delegates are his obsequi-
ous cIaque,trs, who practise as little discrimi-
nation as if they were performing similar
part in a theatre. The things which Gov
ernor Tilden cares nothing about he leaves
to the decision of the Convention, but he
will dictate the platform and the important
nominations. This satire on democratic
IDEAS pTOVOkeS no because IL Is 80
slight deviation from ordinary usage.
The wishes of the Governor being known,
the action of his Convention can be pre-
dicted, although it will founder through
two days session to reach the foregone con-
clusions settled in his mind before the dele
gates assembled. The whole of to-day is
likely to be consumed in sham inves-
tigation of the claims to contested seats,
although nobody at the scene of action
doubts that Governor Tilden wishes,
nor that the Convention will decide,
to give the seats to the Tammany
delegates. The solemn farce will be enacted
of appointing a committee on resolutions
although the platform certain to be
adopted has existed for several days
in the legible handwriting of delegate
from this city, and has been passed upon
and approved by the Governor and his con-
fidential counsellor, Senator Herman. Gov
ernor Tilden long ago decided that Mr..
Fairchild should be the democratic candidate
for Attorney General, and the speculations
in relation to this Office were mere blinds to
veil the fact that the Governor is usurping
one of the functions of the Convention in die
tating candidates. The name of Mr. John
Bigelow to head the ticket is another of his
pet selections, and if Mr.. Bigelow will con-
sent there seems no doubt that the Conven-
ton will crafty its master.
This subservient willingness to crafty
Governor Tilden creates some situations
which are more dramatic than judicious.
The case of Mr.. Fairchild may serve as an
illustration. This gentleman is a subordi-
nate of Attorney General Pratt, to whose
friendship he is indebted for his appoint
ment as Deputy Attorney General. To array
a subordinate against his official chief is so
gross breach Of official etiquette and
propriety that Mr.. Fairchild declared several
weeks ago that he would not be a candidate
against the official superior who had ap-
pointed him, and all who were aware of the
fact expressed approval of Mr.. Fairchild's
honorable loyalty. This creditable sense of
loyalty and sense of personal gratitude seems
to have been overcome by the urgency of
Governor Tilden, who has not scrupled
to upset the subordination which
is essential to correct civil SER
vice. Attorney General Pratt and his
deputy, Mr.. Fairchild, are rival candidates
for a nomination to which the latter felt that
it was dishon orable for him to aspire against
his chief until Governor Tilden overcame |
the scruples of an ingenious young lawyer.
Such a contest is not in keeping with either
official or personal morals. 1t is inconsis-
tent with gratitude, because Mr.. Fairchild |
owes his present position to the friendship.
of Mr.. Pratt. 1t is subversive of just ideas
of official subordination, because from
this time forth the Deputy Attorney
General will feel himself entitled
to treat the Attorney General as an inferior.
Mr. Pratt will remain in Office until the 1st