New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-06
Tile HARRLSBHRG CONTENTION

The Republican Convention of Pennsylvania,
meeting in Senator Don Cameron's back par
lor. seems to have been very small and Sc
lect body 1t consisted of Mr.. Cameron HIM
self and two assistants, whose services were
ONLY called into requisitOn III reducing to
writing MIR. Camcron's platform the nomlna-
tions having been made in the privacy OF Mr..
Cameron's bosom several weeks ago. On Tues
dav evening number OF persons who
had come TO Harrisburg in the purely
honorary and ornamental capacity Of dele
gates. visited Mr. CamerOn's house to in
spect the work, and 10y the courtesy of the
chief they were allowed to read the resolutions.
One by one the various clauses of the Penn
syIvania declaration of principles were put to
the vote, and Mr.. Cameron adopted them all
seTiatim, with the remark, g see no objec-
"ton to that" 1t is understood that some of
the company were not entirely satlsfed-but
what could they dO7 1t was a Cameron affair,
and since the chief purpose of the Con-
vcntion appears to have been to prepare
The way for Mr.. CamerOn's reelection
to the Senate, we do not see why he
should not have been allowed to manage it in
his own way. He had more interest i'll the re-
suit than anybody else. If he had "nO Obiec-
Z" ton to the Southern policy, to reform Gn the
abstract), to sustaining pleasant relations with
the Administration, why should anybody else
make trouble2 At any rate, tie eminent auto
crat was not disposed to tolerate insubOrdina-
tion. He swept away objections with a wave
of his hand; and after pleasant, and in the
main harmonious meeting, he sent his guests
TO their quarters for the night, with instruc-
-, at+n ictlt
ceremonial proceedings of the public session
on Wednesday.
II seems to us advisable that these Harris
burg transactions should be understood. When
we are assured in the very loud tones which
now come resOunding along the wires, that the
Republican party demands the election of this
or that distinguished son, the adoption Of this,
that. or the other national policy, we have a
right to know who is speaking. In this case
it does not seem to be the Republican party
of Pennsylvania at all. 1t is not any represent
alive body of Republicans. 1t is not
the gentlemen who have been sent to
Harrisburg to consult and vote i'll the name of
the various constituencies. 1t is nobody but
Mr.. Cameron and although there was a strong
feeling in the Convention that the Senator was
and using the party as his private property,
only one or two delegates had enough cOur-
age or independence to offer serious OBJ
lection, and they could do nothing. Pennsyl-
vania is used to this sort of thing, and has
been ruled by the Cameron family so long that
it would probably feel lost in a state of free
DOM
If it is not the voice of Pennsylvania, how
ever, which speaks at Harrisburg, we should
remember that 1t is the voice of a very shrewd
and wel-informed politician, who knows the
temper of his voters and makes 1t his business
to reflect their feelings, so far as he can do so
without detrimont to his personal interests
The Camerons are not the men to offend pub
lie sentiment When Mr.. Cameron tells us,
therefore, that he does not mean to quarrel
with the President that he honOrs the pa
triotic motives that have guided him, that he
respects honest differences of opinion on the
Southern question, that Democratic abuse of
the Electoral Commission will not impair popu-
lar confidence in Mr.. Hayes's title, that riots
must he suppressed by the strong arm,
and the old silver dollar restored to cir
culaton, we know that he is expressing
what he believes to be the prevailing opin-
ion of the party, and we feel sure that
he is nearly right in his Judgment. Still,
the cautious and calculating utterances of
man like Mr.. Cameron, lodging along the
edges of one question, straddling another, are
but poor substitute for the voice