New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-30
THE AIR THICK WITH REFORM.

THE AIR THICK WITH REFORM.
d A PEYsIvE but UNCoMPRoMIsING CROWD OF DELE
GATEs-How THEY TALK AND ACT-ALL AT SEA
ABOUT THE NOMINEE.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO TRIBUSE.l
SARATOGA, n. Y, Aug. 29.-The Refomers are
upon us. Whoever looking in upon last weeks
convention grieved the lack of leading states
men among the delegates and absence of enthusi-
astic devotion to principle and of the earnest and
determined purpose of reform, should look now
upon the hosts gathering here in the name of It'll
den and Reform" and be treasured. Last night and
today the hotel corridors and piazzas have been
filled with politicians and statesmen of the first
water, and about the ffty-first brandy and water.
Here sitting about in the reading rooms and on the
pazzas in eontemplative mood, are the thoughtful,
earnest men of the bernie bank and the tow-path,
who through all these years of peril to the States
great commercial artery, have stood by with con-
slant shovel and pick and unremitting derrick, and
made contract after contract for the enlargement of
the leaks in the Treasury and the repair of the leaks
in the canal You may read on their noble brows
their devotion to reform. The events of the past
two years have made them thoughtful. Gov. Tiden
has clasped them to himself with hooks of steel.
The desire of their hearts is for administrative
form; and though they would sadly miss Gov Til
den from his place at Albany they feel willing to
give him uI in order that he may bless the whole
country as he has blessed the State with real and
practical reform. They are not only to counsel
such action as will assist Gov Tilden in the Presi
Dental canvass but to advise well the selection
Of a successor for him in the Gubernatorial chair
who viii carry out the canal reform in the State.
1t is the fear that the canal reform in which they
are 80 deeply interested, will be neglected al
4bo4r oIxaof bo Hon I'd md
the good boo" Denison rest their heads upon
their hands, and devote themselves to such sober
and serious reflection and incites them when the
Governor is called up higher to pluck from his hand
the banner of REFORM and in the face of the angry
and defiant mule charge boldly down the tow-path.
This is the thought that makes the Hon. Jarvis
Lord at this crisis not sad but serious and reflective
What Mr. Lord and his "compatriotsD are yearning
for above all other things and what they are deter
mined at all hazards to have, is reform. Just as MI
Manton Marble said in his platform two years ago
about specie resumption, those gentlemen are now
SAYING over and over to themselves in the most de-
termined way, about canal reform, " No step back
ward" Their devotion to reform is one of the most
touching exhibitions connected with this uprising.
They seem to be absolutely wrapped up il it. Then
there are the delegates from New-York City-Iam-
many, and Anti Tammany. The mere appearance of
such men as these as delegates to State convention
and representatives of the element of reform is at
once the harbinger Of success the assurance OF
purity IN politics, and the guarantee of the perpe-
tuity of free institutions As these men gather on
the piazzas and discourse in their large and COM
prebensive way of the state Of the country and the
demands of an elevated and pure public sentiment
upon the individual voter, cannot help feeling
encouraged at the prospect for the future OF the
nation.
Judging from their conversation, very few politi-
cal conventions have ever furnished 50 many Judges
or 80 much judicial evasion to the square inch
Each calls the other Judge and to carry out the re-
semblance to judicial tribunal, there are more
oaths to the minute than would serve for whole
Court of Sessions. There is certain familiarity of
tone and manner with which these persons
discourse to each other of their own i'm
mediate pedigree which impresses one with
their .geniality of temper, while their scriptural
quotations and their frequent references to the
Deity calculated to impress the bystander with
sense Of their regard for the proprietes and their
reverence for sacred things and these delegates
without exception in favor of reform. They bear
the banner. indeed they stagger under it, of "Tlden
and Reform The strength of their vess for reform.
Many Of them have no other mission and no other
means Of livelihood Since Tweed and the rest went
away they have Just had this principle Of political
REFORM on Ilelr ne4lUS ana cOnsclenceo lucy uebue
now, above all things, that we should have pure
State administration, under which, in comfortable
and lucrative positions, they draw fair salaries
accompanied with reasonable perquisites for sup
porting the Constitution and carrying forward the
work of reform. They will sit tomorrow on the
front seats with absolute sincerity speaking out from
every hair Of their dyed musaches and will cheer for
"Tilden and Reform" as only these earnest patriots
can who have the cause at heart and make living
byit.
la such a crowd II would be invidious TO mention
names. To tho heart of the true patriot they are
equally dear Some of them have stepped from be-
hlnG bars, and at the call of their country have
abandoned the noble and lucrative pursuit of wash
aug tumblers and mixing drinks to dispense justice
from the bench and enrich the annals Of jurispru-
dence with the sweetness and light of their decisions
Others have grown up in political life, beginning
with that school of practical statesmen, the prize
nng, and bsssonng out into the high places OF the
State and nation and they all for reform. They
mt up nights planning great political reforms, and
they are here for other purpose in the world than
promote reform. You would hardly suspect from
their appearance their conversation that they
% entirely engrossed in the business Of reform bat
MS the fact for they distinctly say So and they say
moreover that In them, and in them only, ia the
nations salvation. OF course don't dispute it,
but it seems queer.
ms is more mysterious and more complicated
gathering than that Of last week. There were more
candidates to begin with, and they have thinned
out more rapidly and everything is more at sea
WIZ reference TO probable resuts Last night men