National Republican., 1876-06-01

peared to think that Greeley had the inside
track, felt convinced that he was certainly the
looming man." while all the time his weak
ness in the country districts was marked and
distinct from the very day Of his nomination.
But seeing is believing, they say, and pro-
pose, therefore, to give you the situation as
have found it, unyarnished by any New York
city influence.
CoNKLIHG AS A CANDIDATE.
shall begin first with the Republicans. 1t
was the impression among many Republicans
at the time the Syracuse convention was held
that the vote on the Curtis amendment was
irrefragable proof that there was throughout
the State very strong feeling against Conkling
as candidate, and that q 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 course implicitly
the feeling that was entertained for him by
their constituents. 1t was even stated that at
least twenty-five out of the seventy del
crates were heart and soul opposed to his
nomination, and that no rule having been
adopted to compel the delegation to vote as
the majority should dictate, they would re-
fuse to vote for Conkling. 1t is quite posi-
BILE that there may have been at the time some
truth in these statements, but from what l
have been able to learn by close observation
in every Congressional district have been in
position to Conkling. The delegates will vote
for him, it is evident, with three possible ex-
ceptions, Curtis being one of them, not only
on the first ballot, but they will vote for him
heartily on every ballot until there is no longer
any hope of his nomination, taking 1t for
granted that his failure to receive the nomina-
tion is possibility.
The only real difference Of opinion between
some of the delegates as to Conkling is this:
A large minority of them are opposed to being
stransferred' to any particular candidate
should Conkling's chances become too slim
for success, while an undoubted majority be-
lieve that 1t will be for the best interests of
the party in such a contingency for the delega-
tion TO work as whole harmoniouSly together,
so that in voting for whatever candidate they
do vote for the delegates shall not be scattered
and thus New York lose that decisive influence
in the convention which should be preserved
at all hazards. There is scarcely man In
the delegation who believes in the "transfef"
policy, as 1t is Called in other words, who is
willing that Mr.. Conkling, failing 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 was such an intention on
their part, and, this being 60, it will be seen
that the charges that have been made against
Mr.. Conkling of desire to exert this power
of transfer are based on nothing stronger than
IHC eusllClOHo VI lNO VI tuISC vi thS
who, while not opposed to him, would prefer
to see some other candidate nominated by the
party.
With the masses of the Republican party in
the State my observations have convinced me
that Conkling is by long odds the fayorite for
the nomination. Even in those districts where
the old feud between Conkling and Fenton
ragged the most furiously there can be but one
opinion as to Conkling's strength-he is sur
prisingly strong. Indeed, there Is scarcely
trace of this feud left, and have found among
the warmest advocates of Mr.. Conkling as a
candidate men of influence in their localities
who went over to the Liberals with Fenton.
Here and there it is true there are few Re-
publicans who express their dislike for him,
basing their opposition to him on the ground
that he is too naughty, not man OF the peo.
pie, too hard to approach, too lordly and all
that. But from the beginning of my journey
to the end did not once come across Repub-
lican who did not assert, though he may have
preferred some other candidate, that if Conk-
IDgwere nominated he would cheerfully work
and vote for his election; and will say just
here that made it a point to hunt up Repub-
hcans whom / had been told would not vote
for him If nominated.
As one of the delegates remarked to me
when l asked him If there would be any
serious opposition to Conkling "The Repub-
licans from one end of the State to the other
look upon his nomination as matter of State
pride. This end of the district (Wayne
county, was strongly for Fenton when the
quarrel between him and Conkling was at its
height, but the sentiment is now oyerwhelm-
ingly for Conkling, and the Republicans Of
this section, with but few exceptions, would
be delighted to see him nominated, and those
who would not would certainly work and vote
for his election" And this is unquestionably
the feeling in every district among the Repub-
ltcans. 1t is overwhelming for Conkliog, aud
in the face of what l have seen and heard In
the interior, 1t is an absurdity for any one to
charge that there is a serious division In the
party In the State as to the advisability Of his
nomination, especially when the very men who
would prefer, for some special reason of their
own, some other candidates Indignantly scout
the idea that because they have such prefer
ence they would oppose Conkling If nominated.
Even the delegate whom l found the least
friendly to Mr.. Conkling, acknowledged that
while he personally would prefer some other
man, "yet, in Difference to the wishes of the
very great majority of the Republicans in the
district he felt it his bounden duty to sup
port him at Cincinnati. The feeling is general
among the Republicans that If nominated
Conkling will carry the State against any can
didate the Democrats can nominate against
him, although many, am free to confess, as
sert that he is not the only New York Repub
licau who can carry the State.