The New York herald., 1875-09-16

between the head of a department and his
subordinates. There are at least fifty dem
ocratic lawyers in the State who are as COM
petent for the Office of Attorney General as
Mr.. Fairchild, and if the Governor wishes to
get rid of Mr.. Pratt he might easily have
done SO without subverting discipline in the
Office of the Attorney General. The Gov
ernor makes it too evident that he desires q
plant tool in this place instead of an indie
pendent officer. But he might have found a
tool without interfering with tho discipline
of the Office.
Another of the nominations which the
Governor wishes to dictate is that of Mr..
Bigelow for Secretary of State. OF Mr.
Bigelows admirable personal qualifications
there can be no question, but there would
be an incongruity in putting republican at
the head of the democratic ticket. Certain
it is that this would never be done by the
spontaneous action of the Convention. 1t
bears too close resemblance to making Mr..
Greeley the democratic candidate for the
Presidency in 1872 If Mr.. Bigelow
is nominated the universal feeling will be
that this is Mr.. Tilden's doing, ''and it is
marvellous in our eyes" 1t cannot be justi-
fed on the plea of wishing to conciliate the
liberal republicans, for Mr.. Bigelow has never
been associated with that faction. Such
nomination will be regarded by the party
as one of Governor Tildens freaks, for it is
nomination which the New York democrats
would never think of making if the Con-
vention were to act freely without guberna-
torial dictation. AS device for gaining re-
publican votes it is futile. If Mr. Bigelow
accepts the nomination it will be regarded
by the republicans as proof that he has
gone over to the democrats, who will gain
only his single vote for Mr. Bigelow has no
political or personal following. Governor
Tilden weakens himself by foisting on the
party personal favorite, who is a stranger
in the democratic ranks, and would
merely illustrate the proverb that 'poli-
tics make strange bedfellows. Cover
nor Tilden abuses his position as dictator
when he forces the Convention to do things
so contrary to what the party would do in the
exercise of its free choice A statesman who
OuiSo AiolC AOl ehO OoeShuoeiOA Va POnCl
for power itself is liable to commit blunders
of vanity or favoritism which weaken his in
huence.
Ex-Governor Seymour has saved Mr.. Tilden
from one conspicuous blunder which he was
on the point of committing. The Ex-Governor
has promising young nephew who gave
some testimony against the canal thieves
which pleased Mr.. Tilden, and he thereupon
determined to make this witness the demo-
cratic candidate for State Engineer. Mr..
Seymour, Jr., has no pretensions to that
Office which the State Convention would
have recognized if Governor Tilden had not
pushed him, and his judicious and expe-
rienced uncle has counselled him to decline
the nomination. But if Ex-Governor Sey-
mour had not given this wise advice to
his young kinsman Mr. Tilden would have
perpetrated the blunder of forcing the nomi-
nation of a man whom the party would never
have thought of for so responsible a position.
In view of these obvious mistakes we doubt
whether it is ever expedient for political
convention to surrender its freedom of ac-
ton into the hands of an aspiring party
chief