The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-05-02
The Utica Convention.
A Candid Review from Friend Of Til.
den.

The New York Evening Post, which has
. been warm supporter of Gov. Tilden, thus
frankly reviews the Utica Convention
Two conclusions are unavoidable from dis
passionate observation of the doings of the last
two days. ~ That the convention was a mere
machine in the hands of the leaders who had
prepared Its programme long before it met, and
~ That Gov. Tilden was not its real choice for
Presidential candidate. As we said yester-
day, its unconditional submission to Tammany
. Hall allied it with the political machine in its
most familiar and disreputable shape. The
idea OF independence of thought or act is
wholly Inconsistent with the fact of the su.
premacy OF this arrogant and intoerant organ
izatiou, whose root is in secret society. whose
methods are those of the dark lantern, the
grip and the password, and whose system is the
substitution of the will of one man or COM
bination of men for the will of the popular
majority.
But the foreordained triumph, of Tammauy
IS not the only sign of the machine. You may
search the proceedings 10 vain for hearty,
spontaneous, impulsivo word in support of the
principles which the convention affected to
support. The turgid platform bears the marks
OF cautious, it might almost be said knav-
ism dehberation, which avoids committing the
democrats of the state to any embarrassing
convictions, or even to the support of any per
son who may be distasteful to the Democrats
OF any other state. Take for instance the finan-
Csei tuceeion, upou Mhico, IL upon anything,
the position of the New York Democrats had
been believed to be sound and unequvocal. 1t
will not escape notice that the words Specie
payments" nowhere appear in the platform 1t
Is true that reference is made to the platform
adopted in 1874 and 1876" and ANYBODY who
will search for the latter in newspaper files
will lind that it favors a coin currency; but
why was there such apparent fear to cay
anything specifically in favor of coin cur
rency in 1875? One line of the fine writing of
MI Dorsheimers report wonld have pledged
the convention and the party in this state to
honest money without interfering with the
terseness and brevity of the platform. A sim
gle sentence in place of such bombastic phrases
as the recognition OF this supreme necessity"
or 1ncarnation of this vital issue would have
sufticed The Boston resolution is shorter than
the Utica resolution, but it declares emphati-
cally for the right side of the paramount oues-
ton of the time.
The Utica convention evidently was not sin.
cerely for Tilden. 1t formally declared for him
under orders. 1t would not be surprisipg-we
doubt that the Governor would be surprised
to see the New York delegates avaing them
selves Of the liberty conceded to them, throw
him over at the first favorable opportunity.
From, q body so manifestly insincere it would
be folly to expect a fidelity to perfunctory
promises Who shall be the st. Louis candi.
date is question as open now as it was before
the convention met on Wednesday. Whoever
he may be, he will receive the New York Dem
ocratic vote in November, including that of
Morrssey's faction. The anti rammany men
mean mischief in this city, perhaps in the
STATE. put they will support the national Dem
octatc ticket We do not believe, however,
tnat the ticket has gained single independent
vote Dy the proceedings in Utica