New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-19
PESOI UTIONS WITT KINKS ~ THEM


There ere platforms and platforms, resolu-
tons and resolutions. 4 world of ingenuity
has been expended first and last upon this de-
partment of politics, until it has come to be
almost branch of political science to be able
TO frame resolutions which to the eye and ear
and understanding Of the average voter shall
bulge out with the solid fairness of sincerity,
while the inside politician understands that
there's nothing buC wind in the whole of them.
The art of the modern politician is directed to
the applying the qualify of elasticity to plat
forms AZ well as to tho currency. The
flexible resolution which means one thing
here ald another there, and nothing any
where, the sort that's "hrye enough for any
"man and small enough for any boy" that
seems large and round and full. that says
nothing iii an Impressive and earnest way, is
the one affected by politicians and sought
after BY conventions. The last experiment in
this line was tried by the Connecticut Repub-
leans mt their late State Convention.
The spirit and purpose OF the Convention
were amply expressed in the speeches OF the
delegates and the character of the nomina-
tons Every reference to recent events in
Louisiana, or 10 tho general subject of Fed
eral interference in the aiiiirs of the Southern
States, carried the hearticst approval OF the
Presidents course and of the most radical
measures in that regIr1, and these sentiments
were enthusiastically applauded The nomi-
nation of gentleman who was brought into
prominence by the fact of his having ordered
salute of one hundred guns fired IN honor
of the Presidents interference in Louisiana
was also clearly significant of the mean
ing of the Convention. 1t was ex-
pressed in short by the pilgrim on the
Committee on Resolutions who said he had
come to the Convention to indOrse the Prcsi
dent, and if they did Mt do that he was going
home 1t was body thoroughly saturated
with personal devotion to the President, and
infused with belief in the wisdom and
patriotism of the Southern policy of the Adj
ministration There has hardly been political
convention during the past year which so
warmly and unreservedly committed itself to the
President and his policy. They meant to say
that, and just that, and they did, in all their
speeches and acts.
But when it came to the adoption OF reso-
lutions, the politicians instinct trlumphed,
and they contrved very curiously worded
Endorsement. First, they expressed I'M
diminished confidence in the Presidents in
tegrity and patriotism. Then they proceeded
to "beartily indorse his recent special message
to the Senate on the Louisiana question,
" and the principles therein contained" TINS
covers ground enough. The principles there
Gin contained arc simply the right and duty
of the Federal Government to Interfere In the
organization of II State Legislature. Thls-al-
though he saws it is " repugnant to our ideas OF
government us precisely what he did, and Is
all the "principle" involved. The Convention
then approved specifically of the declara-
ton with which he undertook to qualify and
mitigate the usurpation. 1t resolved that
ave unite with him in declaring that ally
| "'interference by the officers or troops OF
| "thc United States with the organization OF
ga State Legislature, or any of its proceed
"ings, or with any civil department OF the
Government, is repugnant to our IDEAS OF
| government and, with him, we can con-
| "ceive of no case not involving rebellion or In
"surrection where such interference OF the au-
"'thor;ty of the General Government ought
| "'to be permitted, or can be justified and
cat the same time we thank the President
for saying that TO the extent that Congress
"has conferred power upon him to prevent
ait, neither Ku Klux Klans White Leagues,
"'nor any other associations using arms or
".yiolcnce to execute their unlawful purposes,
"can be permitted in that way to govern
"any part of this country"
This gives them tho opportunity for saying
that their position as party is that the in
reference in Louisiana was repugnant to their