New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-09
CONNECTICUT POLITICS.

CONNECTICUT POLfliC".
The Connecticut Republicans will make
serious mistake if they go into their state
Convention and make their nominations IN the
belief that they can afford to throw away any
chance for carving the State, or at least OF
reducing Gov. IngersOl's majority OF last year.
There seems to be an impression among the
leaders of the party in that State that the re-
election of Gov. IngersOll is fOregone con-
cusion, and that the best policy to pursue Will
be to nominate for Governor against him some
respectable person of large private fortune
who will be willing to pay roundly for the
honor of being candidate, and so furnish a
campaign fund to be used in the election OF
n LEGISLATURE which shall choose Republican
successor to the late Senator Ferry in place OF
ex-C;ov. English, who now holds his seat in
the Senate under an Executive appointment.
The advocates of this policy make no pre-
tense Of being able to carry tho State
this Spring, but hope to put the party in a
position to elect its State ticket next Novem-
Der. when the State and Presidential elections
will fall together. The candidates they are
discussing are not men OF special htness
or capacity. not such as would be
nominated were there a reasonable pros
pect of success. The wisdom OF such
a course is not plain. On the con-
trary it would seem to be the plainest dictate of
prudence and the suggestion of wise fore
sight to put a ticket in the field containing
the most popular names the party can furnish,
and to make the canvass vigorous, enthllsi-
astic, and aggressive. The present IS their
opportunity to strike out in new direction.
They have lost the State through local dis
affections and bad management; but 1t Is not
impossible to recover it. They have already
m lde a good beginning in issuing call for
their Convention which is broad and liberal,
and upon which all who are opposed to the rule
of the Democrats can unite. There are enough
candidates to select from who would awaken en-
thusiasm and draw out the full party vote,
and it is quite possible to shape the action of
the Convention so as to bring back the voters
who for the past two or three years have been
dissatisfied and either voted with the oppOs-
ton or not at all.
This State Convention will probably appoint
the delegates to the National Convention, and
it has been rumored that the friends OF Post
master General Jewell and Gen. Hawley were
each endeavoring to gain control ana
secure the delegation. The Republicans
of Connecticut have been divided upon
local questions and between rival pol
iticians for several years. and have
suffered severely from that cause. Perhaps
they have learned Ivy this time that it does not
pay to keep up that sort of warfare within
the party, and will try to forget old feuds
and to work together tremendously in
the coming campaign. Neither Jewell nor
Hawley is so conspicuously candidate
for either place on the Presidential ticket that
the party should run any risk of weakening
itself by division in quarreling over so unsub-
stantial q shadow as the Presidential or Vice
Presidential prospects of either. Last year the
Republicans threw away the little chance
they had of carrying the State in their
eagerness to support Grant in his Louisiana
policy. The nomination of Mr.. James Lloyd
Greene was a serious mistake. That gentleman,
though unobjectionable upon grounds of abil-
ity and personal character, had become
conspicuous by his Endorsement of the
Louisiana interference and usuipation, and
upon that ground solely was Overwhclm-
ngly defeated. There is no need and proba-
bly, no danger of the repetition OF that mis-
take. Mr.. Greene has written letter with
drawing his name as a candidate, and the p0-
ltical situation Is so changed that propaDly no
attempt will be made to wave the bloody
"shirtn or run the campaign on the strength
of Southern outrages.
1t is desirable on all accounts that the Con
necticut Republicans should nominate strong
ticket and take strong position before the
people. They should do this, if for no other
reason, simply to put check upon the Demo
Gratis and keep them SO far az may be on
their good behavior. Gov. lngersoll has made
an excellent executive officer, and we
hear of no serious complaint against him even
from his opponents. But the Democratic
majority in the Legislature has not
shown such wisdom or ability that the people
can afford to trust that party with unrestIalned
power or that they should consider Democratic
ascendency an unmixed blessing Good citizens
will hope to see both parties putting their
best men in nomination. That is the best KIND
of pxurdjpucy.