National Republican., 1877-09-27
THE NEW YORK CONTENTION

THE NEW YORK CONVENTION.
The New York Republican convention
which met at Rochester yesterday attracted
. great deal of public attention from the
fact that it has been generally ex-
pected that it's action would determine the
future relations of Mr.. CoNKLING to
the Administration II must be admitted
that the speech Of the temporary chairman,
Mr.. PLAT, was not at all reassuring. The
style in which he spoke of civil service re-
form Is that Of those who are at heart op-
posed to any change In the old system of
spoils. II Is very easy to say that none but
honest, capable and faithful officers should
be appointed. Why did not Mr.. PLAT 20
ono step further and say something about
assuring good officers permanency in the
tenure Of their places? He did not do it
because he knew that II would he admit
ting q principle which would be fatal to
the syst EN- of sp0ils TO which he is so de-
votedly attached.
Mr. PLATT's treatment Of the question Of
civil service reform was wholly wanting in
fairness and logic. II was low appeal,
which could only be suitably addressed to
men whose highest aspirations are for Office,
and who look upon politics ~ trade. His
observations on the Southern question were
in keeping with the rest Of his speech. He
totally ignored the grand work of recon-
ciliation which President HAYES has ac-
eomplished. He preached the doctrine of
sectional hate At time when the sky is
more serene and clear than it has been for
years, he has the shameless audacity to
speak Of black and threatening clouds rs
obscuring the horizon, and to say that the
friends of freedom now have cause for de-
spondercy. In view of the cordial rcccp-
ton which the Southern people have Just
given President HAYES and the loyal
ayowed in that section Of the Union.
Mr.. PLATT's utterances were but little
short OF reasonable. Whatever Mr..
PLATT and narrow minded partisans
like him may think about the matter, we
are confident that the great mass of the
people throughout the North are willing to
trust the HAMpToNs, the HILLS and the
LAMARs. They believe that those states
men are now loyal citizens of a common
country, and that they desire to promote its
glory and prosperity as objects of the first
Importance. Mr.. PLATTs speech is mis-
erable attempt to keep alive that spirit of
sectional issue which has already produced
% many evil results in this Republic, He
deserves to he rcbuked by every patriotic
citizen for his ill-omened words of hate
We are very far from believing that Mr..
PLATT spoke the sentiments of any cOnsid
orable portion Of the Republicans of New
York. The fact that he received some APP
plause in the convention Is u matter of but
little moment, for il is very doubtful
whether that body was in any proper sense
Of the term u representative one. II is
comparatively an easy matter for a skillfnl
politician to 20 manage party machinery as
t, ion which will snhaar,ri-
emily register the DEGREES of its masters 1t
n quite another matter for such body to
get Its action approved by the people es-
pecislly in these times when party fealty is
% little regarded.
The action Of the convention in making
Mr.. PLATr permanent chairman of the con-
vention after he had made such o speech
amounts of course, to q virtual Endorsement
by the convention of all he said. 1t is not
surprising, therefore, that the committee on
resolutions appointed by such body should
report platform which arraigns the Presi-
dents civil service order. The proposition
that the President has no more right to ex-
clude his employees from participation in
political affairs than an ordinary business
man has to forbid his from 80 doing is cum
ningly worded to evade the real point ut
issue. II is well understood that the Presi-
oents Oruer uOeS not deprive any man Oi ms
privileges as citizen, but was aimed at that
odious system under which Government
officials had usurped the active management
Of party affairs, and virtually excluded or
dinary citizens from any share therein. The
public are not ignorant Of the fact that the
custom house gangs have for years con-
trolled the Republican conventions of the
State Of New York. The people will re-
joice to be relieved from that tyrannical
and hateful oligarchy which has so long in
solently domineered over them.
The platform makes an issue in plain
terms as to whether or not q real and per-
panent reform shall be effected in the
civil service There is no mystery rs to
what such a reform demands. One of the
most crying evils OF the old system WINS the
interference of Federal officials in political
Affairs. At State conventions they invaded
hotels and public halls worse than the
frogs which plagued the Egyptians. They
did not seem to think that common citi-
gems had any rights which they were bound
TO respect and, consequently, their inso-
lenco and corruption brought the Rcpubli-
can party to the verge of destruction.
In this matter the President stands upon
the national platform of his party. He can
take no step backward. If the pledges
which both parties made to the people in
the campaign of 1875 are not kept it will
not be because Mr. HAYES will not make q
vigorous and earnest effort to carry out the
great reform to the uttermost upon his