New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-22
PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRACY.

rur panty IN RAD HUMOR-REvIvAL OF ALL THE
ANCIENT CURRENCY AND PERSONAL FEUDs-IHE
DELEGATES GENERALLY FOR HENDRICKS AND
CURuN-PROFUsION OF PLATFORMS.
FIJI TELEGRAPH 10 THE TRIBCNE.l
LANCASTER. Penn. March 2l-The Democratic
State Convention will meet here tomorrow 10
choose dele gates to the National Convention at ST.
Louis and to nominate Presidential electors. Up 10
midnight last night only three delegates had ar
rived fact that gives the long dispatches III the
PHILADELPHIA papers this morning protesting to give
tho views and predictions current here the look OF
having been manufactured at home. Tonight the
hotels are well filed but there is no
such crowd as goes to conventions that
nominate state officers. Almost no outside element
besides the newspaper reporters is present Most of
the prominent party chiefs are on hand. however,
aud all old local and personal leaousles crop out
anew. The Pennsylvania Democracy has for long
time been unfortunate in IT'S leaders IL mas pro
duoed in the course of the last dozen years no single
man of commanding ability, and the few politicians
who have developed talent for leadership are con-
stantly ouaIreling with each other and damaging
the party Ivy the sguabbleS of the factions they
control.
This year the party comes together in an nm
usually bad condition. The loss of the State last
Fall by the folly of the Erie Convention has MOI
been forgotten. The hard-money element would
like 10 punsh the inhatonists for causing that dis
asfer and the inflatiOnsts will not acknowledge
their error but accuse their antagonists of letting
the election 20 by default. Then there is the over
recurring contest between Senator Wallace and
Congressman Randall to stir up bitterness. Both
the rivals are here az delegates TO the Convention
and each is seeking 10 shape its policy and control
the charac ter OF the delegation TO 81. Louis. MI
Wallace has unquestiOnably the upper hand, and ap-
pears stronQ enough 10 take his revenge tor ms NOR
tifying defeat at Erie by preventing the selection OF
Mr. Randall a. one of the delegates at large; but
he will not be able TO prevent HIM from
going 10 St. Louis for the delegation from
his own Congressional District will elect him,
II he fails 70 carry his point IN the Convention MI
Wallace does not desire place on the delegation
for hims SELF hut wants 10 be represented Dy HI Hend
State Senator Dill and by others who have stood by
him In his struggles for the party leadership. Col
Mcclure who always manages to have hand on
the lever Of each of the two party machines Is here
making strong fight against Mr.. Randall, on the
ground that he has been too intimate with the Ad-
minstration at Washington.
The drift of OF iniOn Oh the Presidential question
il decidedly in favor Of Mr.. Hendricks, but 1t is
evident that a large part of the strength OF the
Indiana candidate comes from the conviction that
he il the only man TO whom Ex-Governor Curtin can
be harnossed as the nominee for the NicePresdency
The Hendricks NOV ,ment cannot be separated
from the cffcrt in behalf Of Mr.. Curtin.
II the Question were on the Presidency
alone and were not complicated by the
maneuyers Of MIR. Crtins friends, believe that MT
Thurman would have more real strength than Mr..
Hendricks Recent events have thrown doubt on
she availability of Mr. Hendricks, and the most
sagacious politicians have little confidence IN his
ability to carry this State with all the help he could
get from the popularity of Pennsylvania's dis
tngushed War Governor. Gov. Tilden has lew
supporters, but they in such a small minority
they dare make no demonstrations
Col. Barr of The PitsbUgh Post is pushing his plan
for uniting the delegation upon jeremiah :. Black
on the first ballot in order to sOdiiy II and give II
an opportunity TO view the field carefully before
taking position in favor of either of the strong can
dldstes. This programme does not seem to gam
favor A strong objection to il Is, IT would weaken
the party to put forward its representative man
fossil politician who has given no sign OF having
made au inch OF progress since the days OF
James Buchanan. There is disposition to instruct
the delegates to st. Louis as to candidates. but an
effort to constitute il a. 10 secure the carrying out
of the Curtin programme so well organ
lied that the delegates will no doubt be nearly al
committed to that scheme. The question OF instruct
ing them to vote unit is a good deal discussed
The expediency Of such course is opposed by al
who remember how the influence of Pennsylvania
was lost at New-York in 1865 by the stupid and per
sistent support its delegation gave to Mr. Packer.
The stumbling block in all the ready-made plat
forms circulated tonight is the currency question
Col. Mcclure has u resolution that pretty well ex
Presses the attitude of Mr. Hendricks. Ii straddIe
the fence. with one leg down on tine Indiana soft
money side. Senator Ermentrout has one com
mondins the Payne BILL Congressman Randall