New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-27
with Neutrality-suspicious., and provoking acrimoni-

might have been expected under the circumstances
The anti-Administration men had the power and
exercised it, making pretence Of giving the Adj
ministratiOn wing show upon any of the COM
mittees. 1t would have been magnanimous, ut least
to put Mr. Curtis the Committee on Resolutions,
but suppose il was thought such step would not
be conducive to the harmony so much desired; so
the committee was made up IN such manner
as TO avoid any difference of opinion in that
body, and insure a unanimous report The opportu-
nifty for gaining something by the appearance at
least of fairness and magnanimity was lost. do
not know whether to attribute the remarkable per-
Torrance by which Mr.. Platt was continued as per-
manent chairman. to a disposition TO force the issue
against the Administration, by indorSing in this
way the bitter speech of the temporary chairman,
or to desire for dramatic effect, OF to unpremed-
itated laundering. Mr.. Conkling. of course,
knew that he was to be the permanent presiding
officer, and knew it in time to have had the commit
tees report changed if he desired but instead of
doing this he waited until the committees report
had been accepted, and the gentlemen appointed for
the purpose had waited upon him TO escort him to
the chair Even then lie did not seem to have
communicated his change of purpose to these
gentlemen until just as they reached the
platform with him, when he abruptly left
them. and walking down the aisle to his seat,
made the remarkable speech in which he declined to
accept the chairmanship, and nominated Mr.. Platt
in his stead The tone OF the speech was aggressive
in The highest degree His reference to the forth
comingreport OF the Committee on Resolutions broad
" indicated that they were hostile to the Admins
tration and would bring on fight in whch-with
not over modest assumption of responsibility-he
said he felt to be- his duty to be on the floor IN the
thick of the fray. When, to these limitations Of
trouble ahead, he added the proposition to
amend the committees report by SUBSTITUTE
ing Mr.. Platts name for his own as per-
manent chairman. there was no mistaking
his purpose. Obviously enough the intention was to
put the convention in an Enthusiastically hostile at
ttudc toward the Administration, and make its ac-'
ton in that regard rs offensive possible Itwould
hardly do to put in the platform the plain language
in which Mr.. Plat had avowed his personal hostility
10 The Administration aud his contempt for IFS policy,
but The end would be answered if, after listening to
Mr. Platts utterances. the convention should adopt
them as its own sentiments by making him its
permanent presiding officer. | DO not know that
this was preaTanged plan for making the hostility
Of the convention to the Administration as cOnspic-
uous aud pronounced as possible, but il certainly
had that appearance. OF the brisk and animated dis
CUSTOM not entirely free from personalities. which
followed tins piece Of tactics Won have full report
elsewhere. Mr. Forster speech was spicy and
tart, and went with the utmost dIrcctness TO
the merits Of the que lion. | cannot forhcar
saving that the respectful hearing given him
bva convention opposed 70 him by more than two
thirds majority, was creditalo 10 the fairness and
candor Of the body itself and hc party trepresented
II was the sort OF frank talk that would have broken
up most conventions in row. The vote upon the
question disclosed the fact that over a hundred
posed deliberate aliront upon their own Adj
ninistration. The belief has been there
were not more than seventy or eighty who sympa-
thsed with the Administration. The announce
ment Immediately on the heels of this result that
the report Of the Platform Committee was ready
and would be received aud acted upon, at once set
at rest the suspicion which had been gaining ground
that to avoid debate the report would be postponed
till after the nominations, when it would he too
late for discussion. IL clearly to be
an opportunity for the largest kind of free speech
as well as the occasion Of the largest kind of
a free fight. The dignifed or diplomatic utterances
of the platform conveyed the real sentiments of the
convention, more by what they omitted than what
they contained and no doubt Mr.. COnkling and his
friends felt the need Of an outlet for freer dis
course upon the Presidents policy than the limta
tons of platform rhetoric allowed them; 50 the
resolutions were read, and Mr. Conkling-much
matter of course proposed his amend
ment and opened the ball of discussion. In
another dispatch you have a report Of the speeches
They tell their story, and carry their own COM
ment. The hall was densely packed with an inter
ested and attentive audience who listened with
manifest enjoyment and frequently interrupted the
speakers on the other side with bursts of hearty
applause So far as a spectator could judge of the
I, &C 4I,o nv he
majority or the delegates opposed to
the Administration, but a clear majority of
the whole audience, including spectators, were IN
sympathy. Noparty convention in any State. for
many years has enjoyed such free discussion of its
platform of principles. The convention was phe
nomenal in the respect of unrestricted freedom of
discussion No one seemed DESTROYS of choking oil
debate and every one freed his mind without re-
strant or check. All this takes time and is tedious,
but it clears the political atmosphere and perhaps
in the end does good.
Senator Conkling has now frankly answered the
oueston which was in everybodys mind, afterit APP
peared that he held the convention in his own hand.
What he has done with it is to array it in an ati-
tude of Enthusiastically and apparently uncompro-
missing hostility to the policy % the Administration
He has done il without evasion or concealment III
his management of the convention is open
to criticism for what seems 10 DC an Ill
indged and unwise policy, calculated to
provoke discussion, instead of promoting har-
mony it may at least be said. on the other hand,
that he has met the Issue with manly frankness and
exhibited the courage OF his convictions. lie Will
lingly assumes what justly belongs to him-the
entire responsibility for the step taken. 1t must
be conceded he has shown the quality OF
holiness. so essential in leader, even if he
tIa otb
equally important quality, OF discretion AS TO
tl1nrh n nor hia frinnds