New-York tribune., 1876-02-28
P1R1Y E-PTLLING.


II begins to be evident that this is not
good year for convention packers. Their wires
and their wies seem to produce much less
effect than formerly. The "plain people" as
Mr.. Lincoln used to say, manifest an uniiSuai
disposition to think and act for themselves
and treat with discOuraging contempt the
efforts of party managers to make candidates
and platforms for them. In the Democratic
party nearly all the managing and wire-pulling
appears to be i'm the interest of Mr.. Hendricks,
but there is an obvious disposition to smash
that slate on the part Of two distinct elements
which agree in nothing else. The uncompro-
missing soft-mOney people, who ought to regard
Mr. Hendricks with favor because he tried to
help them in Ohio, have nominated Mr.. Lam
ders for Governor of Indiana, a proceeding
which plainly shows that they are de-
cidedly IN earnest, and do not care whether
they interrupt the little games OF Mr.
Hendricks or not. If the State Convention,
which is expected to ndorse him for the Presi-
,ifncy, should accept their candidate and plat
Iorm, that would put an end To all evasion by
Mr.. Hendricks, while if the Democrats at
tempt to run a separate candidate. the pros
meet of defeat is by no means beneficial to the
claims of Hendricks upon the national party.
On the other hand, the hardmoney Democrats
regard Mr. Hendricks as a tlickstcr. They in
>ist upon candidate like Mr.. Tiiden or hr
!ayard, and those who seek reform through
he agency of the Democratic party are grayi-
tating toward Mr. Tilden.
On the Republican side, Mr.. Morton, Mr.
Conlling and President Grant have all the
machinery in their hands. Their friends pull
the wires. and if mere deXterity in manage
mant would win, one OF other of them would
doubtless prevail. Mr.. Blaine has not few
shrewd workers la his favor, but the official
patronage aud the party machinery would quite
surely secure the nomination OF President
Grant, OF one of his iayorltcs. il the plain
people had, rs usual, nothing to say. But II
Glance at the newspapers will convince any
man that the oflicc-h holders are not to be al
lowed this year to do as they please without
resistance. A great many Republican papers
uroc the nomination of Secretary Bristow ; IA
great many more urge the nomination OF Mr.
Blaine; some speak for Mr.. Washburne, and
some for other candidates; but the important
laci is that n very large proportion OF Rcpub-
lican Journals express a preference for some
body else instead of President Grant, or any
Of his faction. Beyond doubt, if the people
could vote for President directly, without the
Intervention of party conventions, Mi. Morton
would not carry Indiana, Mr. Conkling would
not cary New and President Grant
would not carry any State in the Union and
,hc public sentiment is growing so strong and
uumi,taLahle that there is n prospect that
marty leaders may be compelled 10 respect it.
Ii j. ouite possible of course, that public
opinion may once more be defeated 10y the de
vices OF party managers. Often enough such
tricks haSo prevailed, in defiance Of very can
phatic popular sentiment. The Democrats may
defy the honest hard money men and the in
haiion extremists hy The selection of Mr. Hen
dlicks. Tho Republican Convention may in
suit the wOrthicr clements of that party by the
selection of some representative Of Grantsm,
or even of Grant himself. But il is already
evident that the experiment would be a dan
gerous one for either party or for both. The
number of voters who are prepared 10 dlsre-
gard all party nominations, and To support an
independent candidate against either, or both,
is manifc,tly very large, aud rapidly incrcas-
ing. If either party treats public opinion
with contempt il il likely TO get beaten and
if both outrage the convictions of the more
honest and earnest of their followers, an in
dependent movement may yet take such form
az to defeat both parties.