New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-27

about the antecedents Of their witnesses. But
they wanted the testimony so badly that they
had no time for such inquiries.
Mr.. Morril's bill to establish an educational
fund was advocated by him yesterday In
speech which dealt more with the wel-known
facts of the census than with the value of the
national agricultural colleges. About the latter
he gave a few brief statistics, and then added
the general statement that these colleges had
not yet had time to get into full WORKING
ORDER As it is well known that some of them
are real successes, and others are unquestionabie
failures, would it not be good time now TO
amend the system so that the agricultural col
leges which are doing nothing to justify their
existence should be quietly put out OF the way
There is a prevailing delusiOn that the Dem
ocratic Convention now in session at Utica has
for its main purpose the choice of delegates to
the National Convention at st. Louis. 1t Will
be observed by the report of the proceedings
that this is the merest incident In Its business
The delegated intellect and patriotism of the
party have been called together to settle the
Tammany and anti Tammany quarrel, and all
ance entirely subordinate to that. That has
been the principal business of DEM
Ocratic State Conventions from time
whereof the memory of man runneth
not to the contrary. They never settle
anything. to be sure, but they always go at 1t
as though they expected to, and seem to take
great comfort in it. If it should ever happen
that Convention of the New-York Democ-
racy should he held without having Tam
many and anti-Tammany fight on hand, no
one can tell what the consequences would be.
Very likely the delegates would think they
had stumbled into the wrong hall, and the
Convention would fall to pieces. The ball
was opened yesterday as usual by Mr.. Ira
Shafer. At midnight the usual committee was
holding its usual session, listening to the
usual arguments from the usual authorities,
while the Convention was taking the usual
drinks at usual intervals, and everything was
going on about as usual.
A breath of fresh air comes down from
Massachusetts. 1t is almost the first that has
come thus far from any political convention.
1t is honest, vigorous, clear, and pure and
comes direct from the people without
any IdlnU OF INC Ddu Atmosphere VI
the caucus. The Massachusetts, Repub-
leans have done in their Convention
for choosing the delegates just what they
and all honest men hope the Cincinnati Con-
vention will do in selecting its candidates:
taken men whose names are assurance enough
of integrity, ability, and purity of purpose,
without instructions, resolutions, platforms, or
any other foolishness. The speech of
Mr.. Sanford upon taking the chair
struck the keynote of the occasion,
and the subsequent action of the Convention
was in perfect accord with it. The delegates
selected were chosen not because they were
the supporters of any particular candidate, but
because the Convention had confidence in their
intelligence, honesty, and discretion, and
felt that they could be trusted to repre-
sent the honest sentiment of the people.
OF the four delegates at large two are
claimed for Blaine, but Brstow's friends
count three for HIM, and but one for Blaine.
The remainder of the delegation has not been
canvassed, but it Is probable that the dele
gates from Boston and the eastern part OF the
State are favorable to BristOw, while Blaine's
strength is in the western counties.