New-York tribune., 1876-03-24
MR.. CONKLINGS FATAL VICTORY.

STRUGGLR-THE WORDS OF CURTIS MAKE A
POWERFUL IMPREssIoN-soME WILD RUMoRs
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBUSEI
ALBANY, March pa good proportion Of the
delegates to the Syracuse Convention adjourned
from Syracuse TO Albany last night ard this morn-
ing and the action of yesterday has been the main
topic of discussion among members of the Legisla-
ure and delegates alike. The discontinue of Sena-
tor Conkng's friends is too plain to be concealed.
Where they had hoped for a bloodless triumph they
came off victors it is true, but with more wounds
than they can carry, and more dead than they can
bury. The exultation of the opponents of Mr. Conk-
ling there is no attempt to conceal They claim to
have succeeded in accomplishing their two great OBJ
ects First that they have prevented tie direct in
stuction of the delegation to vote unit for Mr..
Conkling; and second, that they have frustrated
what was apparently the sole object of the Couklng
moyement-to obtain a delegation that the Senator
might use as an instrument to further his personal
fortunes There are those among the uncom-
promising Republicans who perfer to believe that
Yesterdays minority vote, Intellectual a. it was, was
the signal Of the overthrow of the Administration
partsans and the OF the best elements i'll the
party to power. Now that man has mustered
up courage enough to speak his mind il surprising
10 see how many tongues are loosened. There mas
been more frank talk about Senator Conklng around
the Capitol to-day and more open cOngratulaion on
the bold stand made against him than that Senator
would care to hear, or Mr.. Cornell is likely 10 en-
balm in tire amber Of his kilograms.
The great subject of comment on all sides IS the
laundering way in which the Crstom-housc man
aged the Convention, blundering that s set down
both to imbecility and fear. lhe Committee on
Resolutions, appointed virtually by Mr. Conklins,
turned out TO be to all intents and purposes an
antiConkling committee. voting down by ten to six
the direct request of Mr. COnklng's Oneida County
friends for instructed delegation One of his fore
most supporters was unwilling TO vote for the resoli-
ion of request TO tie delegation which he himself
had drawn and one dclegate-George Opdyke, who
chooses to pass for a Conkling man-0biectcd even
10 the compromise resolution which was finally re-
ported and adopted by the Convention. In the Con-
vention itself there seemed to be no definite plan OF
action among the majority, except that they voted
as they had been told to vote. The speakers who
came forward in Mr.. Conklng's behalf lacked both
ability and courage and generalship while Mr. Cor
nell sat on the stage rs mute as sphinx.
The failure of Mr. Conkling's friends to support
him "a they might have done both in committee and
on the floor gave rise 10 wild rumors that Mr. Cor
nell had betrayed Conkling in order not to injnre
his chances for the Govororship. One was that
Secretary Bristow had been quietly influencing some
of the delegates under his official control. The
trath seems 10 be that the majority really supposed
without having consulted Mr.. Curtis that the reso-
luton which they offered would not seriously DIS
tIrb the harmony of the Convention, and hoped
mat having compromised, they would not be called
on 70 surrender. Many who do not believe that ir.
Cornell knowingly betrayed Mr.. Conking, yet insist
that his ambition and his fears blinded his eyes. As
TO this 1t is only to be said that Mr.. Cornell Is too
sIrewd a politician not to know that nothing which
iiurcd his superior could leave him unharmed. The
majority are now bewaIlng their lack OF wisdom III
not insisting on an ron-clad resolution They could
have mustered as many votes, and gained strong
cominendation of the Senator IL ia admitted on all
sides that Yesterday put an end 10 Mr.. Conkling AS
Presidential aspirant.
II now becomes an interesting question whether
the delegation can be held 10 the support OF dead
candidate. Mr. Curtis evidently does not care to say
who his candidate is and declines TO commit MN
self as to what he should do i'll case OF Mr. Conk-
lng's nomination at Cincinnati; but those VINO are
familiar with his views say that he positively will
not vote for Mr. Conkling even in complimentary
vote. prominent Republican who has very good
means of knowing -aid to-day that he believes that
fully one-third of the delegation unwilling as
matters now stand to vote for Mr. ConklnS AT all.
If they are cOnciliated they may do SO. Conhling
delegates themselves have admitted that probably
not more than half of the delegation are really Tor
Mr.. Conking. Among those who may give him
formal support at first, but who are believed on
good grounds To desire the nomination of some other
cand;date are President Andrew u. White, delegate
at large, Senator Prince from the lst District, the
delegates from the Brooklyn District if they fairly
represent the sentiment Of the delegates III the state
Convention, L. ID. Morgan and George Opdyke OF
the XIth District. Senator Robertson and Speaker
Hustled of the XlIth District, John H. hechalh ana
Jacob II. Uayrault Of the XIIIth District, ex-sen-
81 H. lam, pf
the XIXth District, Charles f. Fitch of the AHAth
District, and Senator 5. s. Rogers Of the XANlst
District. There are others. like Senator Woodin of
the XXYIth and Frank IIisc0ck Of the HANth, who
NAV make q show of allegiance TO Mr. Conkling
which he is not likely to find of much value.
ANY speculation az to the first vote of the delega-
ton would of be premature, but II Is believed
by many that Mr.. Curtis will not stand alone III his
refusal 10 cast even q complimentary vote for the
Senator TO whose magnificent physique, golden
curls and ornate speech delegate referred SO feel
inply yesterday. From present appearances the can
didate of most of the antCOnklng delegates - Mr.
Blaine. There was strong personal iceling BACK OF
tbe minority vote OF yesterday. When the discus
sion WAS fairly under way it BECAME evident that
the opposition to pledged delegation Lad resolved
itself into a personal opposition to Mr. Conkling'
Mr.. Curtis's speech devoid rs it was OF any ihng
like offensive attack upon him, had upon liis hear
ers all the force of denuncaton, and the drit o the
speeches which followed showed the weakness OF the
former protests Of the minority that they were not
actuated by hostility to the candidate himself.
Much of the strength of the movement derived
from the friends of VIM. 4. Wheeler, who urging
him for place the national ticket, but whose
real object is understood to be his nomination for
Governor. Mr.. Cornell is thought to he irretrieva-
bly, damaged by the publication of his dispatch
8 Al. -.