The New York herald., 1876-03-20
The Republican state conv~ntton--Sr.
Conkling.s Prospects.

The State Convention for choosing dole
gates to represent the republicans Of New
York at Cincinnati will assemble at Syrn-
cuse day after tomorrow. The composition
Of this Convention is already known, and
the Presidential preference Of the primary
conventions has been so fully declared that
Mr. Cornell, tho chairman Of the Repub-
lican State Committee, In sent telegram 10
Senator Conkling congntulating him on the
ascertained fact that the party in this State
is practically unanimous in adopting him as
its candidate. We regret that our esteemed
republican contemporary, the Times, Is un-
happy over this result and tries 10 console
itself by telling its readers that, although
Mr. Conkling may have the unanimous
support of the New York delegation, he
has no chance of securing the Gin
cinnati nomination. We commisernte the
leading republican organ on its dis
comfort in finding itself out of harmony
with the general sentiment of the party in
this State. The Times entertains a faint hope
that, although the New York delegates will
all vote for Mr.. Conkling at Cincinnati, they
may not be bound to do so by positive in
structions. Our contemporary hugs a vain
phantom, for although it is true that a few
scattered Assembly district conventions have
expressed preference that the New York
delegation to Cincinnati shall not be pledged,
the greater part of them have taken differ
ent view, and the Syracuse Convention will
be controlled by it's strong Conkling ma
jority.
When the Times expresses the opinion that
the unanimous support of Mr.. Conkling by the
delegates from his own State will be an idle
compliment the wish is father to the thought.
Why should it be construed as vain COM
pliment so long in advance? What other
candidate will go to the Convention with so
strong a support Not half the number of
votes to which New York is entitled has been
pledged to any of his rivals, and both on the
score of fitness and the score of expedi-
ency we know not which of them can claim
any advantage over our distinguished
Senator. His eminent abilities are conceded
and speak for themselves, but the point of
expediency may require some elucidation.
New York is the pivot of the Presidential
canvass; neither party can succeed without
the electoral votes of this State. If anybody
can rescue the State from democratic hands
it is Mr.. Conkling 1t would be preposter-
GUS to say that Morton or Blaine or Hayes or
Washburne would have the same strength
with the New York republicans as their own
favorite candidate. If the Cincinnati Con-
vention should think that q repub-
lican President can be elected with
out the electoral votes of New York.
some other of Mr.. Conklings numerous
rivals; but that would be perilous cast of
the dice New York will be the most closely
contested of all the States and its electoral
vote is so large that the recovery of the State
from the democrats will make the whole diff
is no concentration of republican sentiment
on any other candidate, and the divisions
among Mr. Conkling's opponents are favor
able to his chances; and if the party should
be convinced that New York is indispensable
to success Mr.. Conkling, who can probably
has anything like his strength in the
Empire State, ought to receive strong
support at Cincinnati after the delegates
from other States shall have distributed
complimentary votes on Morton, Blaine,
Hayes, Washburne and other personal favor
ties. 1t is doubtful whether Morton would
get the electoral vote of his own State (; but
even if he could Indiana is entitled to only
fifteen electoral votes whereas New York
has thirty-fve. Blaine could undoubtedly
carry his own State and oil the other
New England States except Connecticut
equal certainty, while Blaine would have no
chance of carrying New York. But these five
New England States, which would be equally
certain for Conkling or Blaine, have only
thirty-four electoral votes, and New York,
which Conkling may carry and Blaine
Cincinnati has any chance of success if it
puts New York in peril, and there is
no likelihood that any other republican
than Conkling can carry this State.
II is said and trumpeted that Morton is
strong with the republicans of the Southern
States but it makes little difference whether
he is or not, since it is certain that nearly
every Southern State will support the demo-
cratic candidate. In the strong republican
States any candidate of that party would
succeed, and nothing is to be gained or lost
by the selection. In the strong democratic
States, on the other hand, no republican has
any chance, and it would be absurd for the
Cincinnati Convention to select its candidate
with view to those hopeless States. 1t is
indispensable to carry New York, which can
be wrested from democratic hands by no
Cincinnati Convention looks at facts as they
are, and makes true estimate of the situa-