The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-30
Conkling's Strength Among the Repub-
icans as Presidential Candidate.
TlLDEN'S DANGEROUS POSITION.
What is Thought Of Bayard and Hendricks
and Blaine and Brstow.
WHEN SEYMOUR MAY NOT DECLINE.

ANhougn, tecnnically speaking, the campaign VIII
not begin until after the two national conventions
shall have completed their work there probably
time just previous to the meeting of the
tions when the politicians OF both parties were SO
active and the voters generally wrought up over
the political situation they at present In the
interior Of this State During the past three weeks
have travelled through majority of the Congressional
districts outside Of New York and Kings countless and
able, after the careful investigation and
patient inquiry from all likely to be reliable
TO give fair and impartial review Of the political
field II is often the practice OF many people in
New York city to rely for their Information as to what
tho sentiment of the in the interior of the State
is upon tho wild talk OF the local politicians in the city
1t this failing that msled many in the campaign
of 1872 who because New York city before the Octo
Der elections was Greeley stronghold and everybody
appeared to think that Greeley had the inside track
felt convinced that certainly the looming man."
while all the time his weakness in the country districts
marked and distinct from the very day OF his nomi
nation But seeing believing they say and propose,
therefore TO give you the situation as have found IT.
unvarnshcd by any New York city influence.
coSkLIxa AZ A CANDIDATE.
shall begin first with the republicans It was the
impression among many republicans at tho time the
Syracuse Convention held that the vote the
Curtis amendment was irrefragabe proof thar there
throughout the State very strong feeling against
Conkng as candidate and that a large majority of
the delegates who voted for that amendment intended
by their vote to show then and there their opposition
to him and Of implicitly the feeling that
entertained for him by their constituencies 1t
stated that at least twenty OF the seventy
delegates heart and soul opposed to his
lion, and that rule having been adopted to compel
The delegation to vote the majority should dictate
They would refuse TO vote for Conkling. 1t Is quito
possible that there may have been at the time
lruth in these statements but from what have been
able to learn by close observation every Congress
sional district have been in there is now yhng
like serious opposition to Conkling The delegates
will vote for him, II Is evident, with three possible
ceptions Curtis being Of them, only the first
ballot, but they will vote for him heartily every
ballot until there is longer any hope of his nomina
tion, taking it for granted that his failure
TO receive the nomination is possibility.
The only real difference OF opinion between OF
the delegates as to Conkng is this-A large minority
of them are opposed to being transferred" TO any
particular candidate should Conkings chances become
too slim for success while undoubtcd majority be-
eve that II will DO for tho best interests OF the party
In such contingency for the delegation work
whole tremendously together, that in voting for
whatever candidate they do vote for the delegates
shall be scattered and thus New York that de-
cisive influence in the Convention which should be
preserved at all hazards There Is scarcely in
the delegation who believes In the q transfer policy,
ms It is called In other words, who is willing that Mr..
Conklng, falling to secure enough votes to give him
the nomination. shall dictate for whom the delegates
shall vote His strongest friends in the delegation
deny that there ever such intention their
part and this being will be that the charges
that have been made against Mr. ConkIng of desire
TO exert this power of transfer based nothing
stronger than the suspicious OF three OF the del
Ia q opnO scdt q m pref IN
see some other candidate nominated by the party.
With the masses OF the republican party in tho State
my observations have convinced me that Conkllng 10
by long odds the favorite for the nomination. Even
in those districts where the old feud between Conkng
and Fenton ragged the furiously can but
one opinion to Conkling's strcngth-ne is surprs-
ngly strong. Indeed, there scarcely OF this
feud left, and have found among the warmes advo-
Gates of Mr. Conkling candidate OF influence
In their localities who went TO the liberals with
Fen,op. Here and there IL Is there are few re-
pub.lcans who express their dislike Tor him, basng
their opposition to him the ground that he Is too
naughty, not u man Of tho people, too hard 10 ap-
proach, too lordy and all that But from the begin
ming OF my journey to the end did not once come
across republican who did not assert, though he may
have preferred other candidate that If Conklng
nominated he would checriuy work and vote for
his election, and will say just here that made it
would not vote for him II nominated As one OF the
delegates remarked TO me when asked him II there
would be any serious opposition to Conklng :-"The
republicans from end of tho State to the other
look upon his nomination o matter OF State
pride. This end or the district Wayne county,,
strongly for Fenton when the quarrel between
him and Conklng was 1t its height, but the SEN
tment is overwhelming for Conkling and the
republicans OF this section with but few exceptions.
would be delighted to him nominated and those
who would not would certainly work and for his
election. And this is PROFESSIONALLY, the feeling in
every district among the republicans is ovcrwhelm
ing for Conking and in the face OF what have
aud heard In the interior II Is absurdty for any
10 charge that there Is serious division tho party
In the State as TO the ACCESSIBILITY OF his nomination,
especially when the very who would prefer, for
some special reason Of their own, some other cand-
date Indignantly the idea that they
such preference they would oppose Conking IL nomi-
mated. Even the delegate whom found tho least
friendly to Mr. Conkng acknowledged that, while no
personally would prefer other man. "yet in DEF
to the wishes OF the very great majority OF tho
republicans in tho district" he felt It his bounden
duty support him at Cincinnati The feeling gem
fral among the republicans that nominated Conklng
viii carry tho State against any candidate the
Gratis can nominate against him. although many, | am
FREQ confess, assert that he Is not the only New
York republican who can carry the State
BRIsrow.
In many Of the districts Blaine has evidently
strong hold the voters, and with tho great mass OF
them believe after Conklng they would prefer him
candidate to any other But the feeling Is wide
spread that his nomination would by means secure
the State OF New York against such as Seymour
and tho republican sentiment OF the interior to
succeed In tho coming struggle tho party must carry
New York whether justly or not, the impression
exists that n Conkng Is nominated, matter what
else may happen 81 81 Louis Seymour cannot be in
duced to accept the democratic nomination against his
brotherinIaw This impression Is not confined to the
republicans the democrats being Of the same mind,
and many republicans who appear 70 have terrible
fear OF Seymour a candidate argue that 10 put any
other man In the field than conkIing would Tor this