The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-25

n
Which, taken At the food, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyase OF their life
Is bound In shadows and in miserics.
These oft-quoted lines Of the great drama
fist are among the many proofs of his keen
insight as an observer of human aftairs.
Bacon, his greatest contemporaries pre-
eminent in philosophy as Shakespeare was
in poetry-expresses the same idea as strik-
ingly, but more quantity, in that repository
of sagacious sayings, his Incompatible
Essays: so Occasion turneth o bald nod
die after she hath presented her locks in
front, and no hold taken or, ut least, turn
eth the handle Of the bottle just to be re-
ceived, and after the belly, which is hard to
clasp" We commend these wise observa-
tons to the democratic leaders as singularly
opposite to this extremely critical conjunc-
ture in the affairs of their party.
Less than a month ago all the political
omens pointed to the success Of the demo-
cratic party. The exposures of the investi-
eating committees had made deep impress
sion on the public mind and had shattered
the confidence of the republican party. The
Bristow movement derived all its strength
from a feeling inside the party, that it had
been SO damaged by these revelations that
there was no salvation or rescue but in put
ting forward q candidate whose sole claim
rested on his relentless war against the
whiskey thieves. This fear was at the bot
tom of the Union League Club resolutions.
1t was a knowledge of the disintegrating
tendencies at work in the republican party
that led to the Fifth Avenue Conference
and its declaration in favor of reform can
ddate. 1t was this which gave Governor
Tilden so much strength and prestige Us o
Presidential candidate on the democratic
side. But change has come over the spirit
of the political dream with the events of the
last week, and the democratic leaders are
suddenly brought to confront new situa-
ton. The action of the Ohio Conven-
ton threatens A. formidable split and
bolt in the democratic party; while,
on the other hand, President Grants
unexpected coup dftat betokens republican
unity and compactness of organization
which it will be difficult for the democratic
party to cope with. Quite apart from the
significant events of the last week, the wings
Of Governor Tilden as rising candidate
have been clipped by the vigorous opposi-
ton to him in his own State. 1t was hol-
low and barren victory which he won in the
Utica Convention. That body was packed"
in his interest by the activity of his friends
in the Congressional districts 1t did not
represent the democratic sentiment of
the State, although it reflected, faith
fully enough, considerable portion of it.
But there was strong dissenting minority
a minority more powerful and earnest than
appeared on the surface-and the dissen-
tients have succeeded in making it appear
that Governor Tilden is by no means the
unanimous choice of the New York democ-
racy. The Tammany revolt was the first
pronounced symptom of disaffection; but
that alone would not have hurt him, for
Tammany is in bad odor both in the State
and out of it. Subsequent developments
have shown that there is strenuous opposi-
ton to Tilden among the New York
democrats outside Of the city. Even the
city opposition is fatal to his hopes. The
capture Of the Express by the opponents of
Mr.. Tilden was suggestive and significant,
but the surprising change in the proprietor
ship and editorial management of the World
in this crisis of Mr.. Tilden's fortunes is not
merely ominous, but fatal. The World has
long been recognized as the chief
organ, not only of the democratic
r ~. 1~,.k - H.
cratic party of the whole country.
It's late editor has long been an init
mate and confidential friend of Governor
Tilden; its new editor has no illusions re-
specting the Governor, and while he is too
wise to provoke the hostility of Mr. Tilden's
friends he is too fully cognizant of the
strength of the opposition to him in this
State to allow the World to be the leader of a
forlorn hope. The conversion of the leading
democratic organ from pro-Tilden to an
anti-Tilden exponent of democratic senti-
ment will enlighten the party in other States
respecting Mr.. Tilden's real strength. The
conference of prominent democrats held
last evening in Albany will also serve ns m
"eye-opener" to the democracy Of tho
country. It will convince them chat Mr..
Tildcn's fancicd strength is Fictitious; that
the blowing of Tilden's trumpets was mere
noise; that it is not the democratic party Of
New York, but only faction of the party,
that presses the Governor upon the st. Louis
Convention. But if he be not the
choice OF New York he is tho choice
of nobody, for q strong opposition to
him in his own State is rs fatal to Tilden
as it is to Thurman. Everybody sees that
Thurman is ont of the field since the Ohio
Convention, and the revisory action of the
New York democracy over the proceedings
Of the packed Utica Convention will dwarf
the chances Of Mr.. Tilden in the same way.
The canvass has reached pass Mt which
M tV'ildan must decido befween hiq nor