Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-28
Tamnany RatificS.

The Tammanyites ratified the nomina-
ton of Tilden and Hendricks Tuesday
evening. Boss Kelley presided, filling the
seat once occupied by Tweed, the coadju-
tor of Tilden in the election frauds OF 1868.
The first speaker after Kelley was Dana
of the New York Sun. who having become
weary of serving the democratic party
while pretending to be republican, has
at last taken his proper place among the
democrats. where it is hoped he may con-
tinue to abide. The others were such
small fry as Tarbox of Massachusetts, and
dull time they made of it. The Tribune
and all papers except the democratic Or
gans pronounce it failure. The Tribune
says:
comparatively speaking the democrat
ic mass meeting at Tammany Hall last
night was failure. Some local and
many State campaigns have seen larger
and far more enthusiastic gatherings of
this party The hall, which accommo-
dates about $500 persons. was not filled
| to overlooking as we have seen it on the
occasion of mere faction fight and the
outside meetings did not attract more than
| a thousand listeners. The attendance did
not exceed three thousand persons. 1t
was larger than that of Monday, bat Meth
| er of the democratic meetings was as i'm
pressive as that held by the republicans
| fortnight ago. The failure of the initial
| democratic meetings ot the canvass in this
! democratic city is very suggestive. Con-
| trasfed with the success OF the large and
enthusiastic meeting of the republicans,
it may be consided almost prophetic
of democratic disaster. Certainly the
meetings illustrate very fairly and hon est
ly the doubt and dependency under which
the democrats labor. and the vigor and
confidence with which the republicans en-
ter the canvass.
The circumstances surrounding the
meetings were wholly favorable to the
democracy. The city is democratic under
any circumstances of a national campaign,
and each of its factions ought to have
made an immense demonstration. But
neither did. The weather was much more
favorable for public gatherings for the
democrats than the republicans, for last
night and Monday evening were cool and
comfortable within doors, while the re-
publican meeting was held in the middle
of the heated term and on one of its hot
test nights. The speakers announced by
the republicans were neither prominent
nor eloquent; those announced to speak
at the democratic meetings were leading
men of the party, active in Congress and
in the State Administration. Yet the les
ser lights proved the greater attraction.
Every point made by the republican ora
tors found quick appreciation and met with
enthusiastic response. The best speakers
at the democratic meetings failed to make
any points which were thus hailed. Only
certain names aroused applause. and the
denunciations Of the administration were
more generally approved than the laud-
atoms of democratic virtues. In short
the republican gathering was impressive.
and spontaneous. The democratic meet
ngs were dull, and had the appearance of
being too much damaged.
The apology most likely to be offered
for such positive failures is the fact that
pending the submission OF the letters of
acceptance of the democratic nominees
the issues are not we'll defined and enthu-
siasm cannot be reused. The true ex-
PLANTATION probably is that enthusiasm is
dampened by the too glazing insincerity
Of the ticket"