New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-29
TIE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST
THE MOVEMENT AGAINST GOV. TILDEN.


M0vEMr NT-rAMMANY AND TILDhN-TnE TIL
DIN VIEW or IIIE SITUATION.
lTRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THE tribune
ALBANY, Nay C7-The recent apil-Iilden confer
ence here has naturally attracted wide attention.
The spectacle Of gathering of well-known Demo
Gratis to protest against the nomination of a cand
date for President who had already secured plac-
ticaly solid delegation from his own State, and was
far ahead of ell his competitors from other States
was 90 unusual and apparently 50 threatening that
il may well have excited alarm among his support
ers abroad if not AT home. 1t would naturally pro-
duce the impression that the anti-lllden movement
is gaining converts among leading men, and that
Gov. Tilden will be opposed ut st. Louis by men
from his own State who have only lately come to
the deterIniuat on to take such bold action. If this
true there is no reason to doubt that this
movement would seriously impcril the Governors
prospects, but so far as can be discovered IL 70
not true. The gentlemen composing this conference
are indignant at the publication of their proceedings,
and naturally 90. That publication was the most
unfortunate thing that could have happened 10
them. IT made their plans known month before
the meeting of the Convention giving Gov. lildcns
friends so much time in which to prepare to meet
them at st. Louis, though indeed some OF the more
intimate of the Governors associates say that every
ngement for the Convention has been made
with view to their presence. Such demonstra-
ton would have had vastly better prospects OF sue
cess l. it could have been well-mana8od surprise.
Then, TOO, this publication disclosed the fact for
which those who heard the ant-Tiiden rumOrs with
which the air was thick were not pTepared-that so
far as this conference was fair showing there were
apparently no new men Of prominence in the move
ment. These very same people held just such con
ference two years ago. in the hultlcs5 cndeaVor to
prevent Mr. TIlden's nomination for Governor.
Most of them belong TO a clique of ambitious hut
disappointed men, almost every enc of whom has
grievance hut few of whom have constituencies.
Their Names OF course, imposing rs ever, and
it is in these that their strength chiefly lies. To the
Democrats of other States they are still influential
men al the head of their party.
The Democrat of greatest prominence III active
politics connected with the conference of 1914 as
well as this was Judge Anasa Parker. After Chief-
Jndce Church and Judge Allen had both been
brought forward in that year AS candidates against
Mr.. Jilden without success 1t was determined 10
make stand in the Convention on The name OF
Judge Parker lie received about one-thlrd OF the
votes. He has been twice a Democratic candidate
for Governor, and has been each time defeated
Judge Parker was candidate after urgent solicita-
ton by bis friends, for delegate 10 the Syracuse
Convention las, Fail. and received six votes in his
district convention. u was understood that his m
tenhon in going to Syracuse to attempt to de-
feat MIR Farchid. GOV. 1ildens candidate Tor At
tornoy General and Gov. 1ldens friends defeated
him. Whether II was the most prudent thing III me
world to do is another matter; the TACT
remains that he was very easily beaten. Next
come Judge ParkeI's two sons-in-law Erasus
Corning and j. V. L. Pruyn. Mr.. Corning is
considered ono of the weathiest men in the state,
though the general estimate of his wealth "a doubt
less much exaggerated in the present condition OF
tie iron trade, in which large proportion OF us
Investments have been made. Tie was just a. much
opposed TO Mr.. Tilden's nomination for Governor aS
be is to his nomination for President. hr. Corn.ng
was a candidate for delegate to the Utica Conven-
ton IN April lac got fifteen votes in lis ward con-
ycDt;,n and not so much as in the district Con-
ventlon. Mr.. PUyn does not mingle Ia polltio6 10
the same extent as the two gentlemen Just named,
but his influence is greater These are men whose
influence is By no means commensurate with tHolr
prominence. Thus would be no reproach to them II
they were above Iningng in the actual contests OF
politics But they are not. They try to elect them
selves and fail the try to defeat others. and fail
Two Judges of the Court Of Appeals present,
and another was openly in sympathy with the move
ment if indeed it was not exclusively IN his inter
est Under ordinary circumstances thcpostions they
hold woud protect these gentlemen from political
criticism were il not for the fact that they do not
seem TO care 10 avail themselves of this protection
II was Judge OF the Court Of Appeals who publicly
denounced Gov. Tilden in the halls u al Albany
hotel the day he was inaugurated a. Governor, and
from that day 10 this has been busily plotting with
certain Of his brethren on the bench against him.
Il was Judge of the Court of Appeals who induced
Alien C. Beach to write his well-known letter TO the
Canal Commission, and pretty mess they made o!
if between them. Two Judges o. the Court OF Ap-
pcals are standing candidates for any Democratic
nomination. includin. and above that of Governor,
except that tho two being cousins never stand IN
each Others way. But it is hardly necessary to go
further 1t is sufficient to say that the anti-liiden
scbeming which goes among these Distinguished
gentlemen has been Intellectual. The judges OF the
court are officially resident in Albany great part OF
the year. and are much removed from thelr nome
constituencies that their actual political Influence
may be put down at low figure. Judge Church Ii
perhops an exception but his influence and asSoca-
tons have been almost altogether with class OF
men who have lost control in the party.
Ex-Gov John T. Hoffman, probably the deadcst
Democrat now alive, appeared at tins conference.
His poIitical influence is a negative quantity-it
helps those whom he opposes. When MI. holman
be- came Tweed's Governor he was 20 poor that John
Morrlssey paid his first campaign assessment. So
Norissey has declared, and wil it is said, support
fine declaration with his affidavit, if Hoffman ever
disputes 1t. One Of Mr. IIohman's staff officers Wa
olso present. Ex-Licut .-GOy. Beach, Lieutenant
Governor under Hoffman, who blamcs Gov. Iiidcn
for his difficulty with the Canal Commission, and
rightfu,ly no doubt, for the deposition from the
chairnianshIp of the State Committee which that
folly made necessary. was also present.
Outside of these three little clusters Of disafieced
politicians there arc Others who stronger Inc'i.
Ex-speakcr Dewitt c. Littlcjohn, who probably
was the direct representative IN the conference OF