The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-09-25
senator conklin9 Ana tho Repub-
Iican Convkhtfon.

|
the election of delegates to the State Con-
vention, which is to assemble at Rochester
tomorrow, the politicians Of both parties
are on the tiptoe of expectation as to the use
he will make of his victory. This
Convention will be like clay in the
hands of a potter. the Conkling majority
being SO large that he can easily mould 1T
into any shape he pleases He is already
there himself as one Of the delegates from
Oneida county, and will probably be elected
as the presiding officer of the Convention,
an honor which will advertise to the conn
try and publish to President Hayes that
Mr.. Conkling is still the accredited leader
of the republican party in the Empire State
This is fact of which republican politi-
clans in all the States will take note. 1t
proves that under this administration, as
under the last the Secretary of State,
though New Yorker. does not exert
potent influence in our local pol
itics. Secretary Fish had as little to do
with New York politics as if he had been a
citizen of another State Secretary Evarts
would seem, in this respect, to be treading
in the footsteps of his respected predecessor,
and if not serenely indifferent, as Mr. Fish
was, he at least does not exert n controlling
influence in the party arena. Senator Conk-
ling is master of the situation, and we
shall soon know what shape he will give to
the proceedings of the Convention.
We notice that Mr. George William Curtis
is delegate from one Of the Staten Island
districts, and there will be some curiosity
respecting tho part he will attempt to play
at Rochester, since his intense hatred Of the
victorious Senator makes him the natural
leader of the anti-Conkling faction. If the
harmony of the Convention is disturbed it
will be by Mr.. Curtis rather than by any
other member. He will 60 to Rochester
charged to the muzzle with one Of his ele-
CANT and finished speeches. but whether he
gets chance to deliver it will depend
on the indulgence Of Mr.. Conkling's
supporters We imagine that the business
Of the Convention will be cut and dried
beforehand by Senator Conkling's friends.
and that it will proceed pretty regularly
according to the prearranged programme.
Of course any member of the Convention,
and MIR. Curtis among the others, will be at
liberty to offer resolutions; but rule will
probably be adopted at the outset that oil
resolutions be referred to the Committee on
the Platform without debate, which is the
customary device for shutting up the
mouths OF exuberant orators whose speeches
might be inconvenient. Still it is possible
that Mr.. Curtis may be dexterous enough
to find some occasion for wedging in his
prepared grafton. He is speaker to whom
all audiences are fond of listening as an in
tellectual entertainment, and the majority
of the Convention may feel so secure Of their
power that they can afford to permit harm
less amusement. Mr.. Conkling will, of
course, make an able and telling speech on
taking the chair, in which he will sound
the keynote of the proceedings. If he should
be dexterous enough to take the wind
out of Mr.. Curtis sails by anticipating his
line of remark and giving him nothing to
oppose he will put the Staten Island orator
in such position that he must either say
nothing or sail in the wake Of MI. Conk-
ling's speech.
Senator Conkling has been such on inscru-
table sphinx since his return from Europe
that it would be unsafe to predict what
political chart he will sail by. 1t is gener-
ally supposed that he does not love the adj
ministration but the impression is equally
general that his GOODNESS proceeds rather
from personal than political motives. He
may have imagined that it is the purpose of
al, 10 30 tho
ership Of the party in his own State. The
composition of the Convention shows that if
Mr. Hayes ever had such an intention he
undertook q pretty extensive job, and the
Senator may think he has proved to the
President that he is person whom it would
be safer to cultivate than to snub. He may
have had no design 20 break with the Presi-
| dent, but only to convince him that lie
is too strong to be quarrelled with for slight
reasons Having given this demonstration
| by his victory in the election of delegates
he may be too wise to push his advantage
| further until it is seen whether Mr. Hayes
may not now be disposed to treat him with
personal Difference and consid Grafton.
What rational motive can the Presi-
dent have for making war on the
New York Senator? Why should he
slight the real leader of the republican
party in the most important State in the
Union? What has Mr.. Conkling done that
can give just offence to the President? We
do not undertake to say what he may or
may not do tomorrow; but up to this time
he has neither aspersed Mr.. Hayes nor as
sailed his policy, and it is not within the
province of the President TO say wLsn the
republicans of New York shall recog-
nize as their leader. There would
be no justification for his interned-
ding with the merely personal poll
tics of any State, and there is no proof