Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-10-06
THE NEW YORK REPURLICANs.

we have strong stomach and nave
IN former days made a study of
pathological anatomy, so we can
stand a good deal, and believing it
necessary to probe to the bottom
some of the diseases which are af-
flicting our body polite, we invite
our readers to a dissection of the re-
cent Republican Convention of the
State of New York, held at Roches-
ter, on Wednesday, the 18th inst.
1t was known before the COnven-
ton sat that the same topic of dis
sention would be introduced here as
that which convulsed the Maine
convention, namely, the approval
or disapproval of the policy of
the President and his Cabinet,
and the red cloud of war hung
huridly over the field as the
serried hosts took up their positions.
Mr.. Geo. w. Curtis was expected
to place his lance in rest as champion
of the Administration and Mr.. SEN
ator COnkling was to strike his
shield in token of combat q POu-
trance against it.
1t soon became manifest that no
quarter was to be given and that
nothing short Of absolute control of
the convention was going to satisfy
Mr.. Conkling and his friends; OPP
position to any jOt or title of their
behests was to be met with war to
the knife, and he who might fall
was to be dispatched with the unre-
lenting vigor of combat jtLsqlte a
Ia mort.
The first passage of arms was on
the occasion Of electing a perma-
nent president: at the opening of
the proceedings Mr.. T. C.. Platt was
nominated by Mr.. Williams, tenn
porary chairman, and unanimously
elected to that position. In his
speech on taking the chair he took
occasion first to dilate upon his own
merits and secondly to make furi-
Gus onslaught upon two members.
His effort at self-portraiture is too
good to be lost:
Itismy pride and my boast that from the
birthday OF the Republican party to its at
tainment of what is supposed to be its ''years
OF discretion" there has not been a campaign
that has not found me in the front rank OF
the battle. There has not been an election,
either national, State-and may almost
say lOcal-that have not stood at the polls
nom sunrise TO sunset and fought without
WEAKNESS or rest for the ticket, the whole
ticket and nothing but the straight Repub-
lican ticket.
There stands self-pOrtrayed the
true, unfiinching, unrefecting, bull
head partisan who goes it blind, dear
to the heart of party rulers and wire
pullers, and as he Immediately goes
on to make a bitter personal attack
upon two Of the cabinet officers we
are Of course to infer that the party
he fights for now is that section of
the Republican party which refuses
to indorse the policy of the Presi-
dent.
Much discussion now arose regard
ing claims of some delegates to sit
in Convention who had been elected
by other organizations than those
which the central organization calls
regular. They were all however re-
ferred to the committee on creden-
tials which swamped them all when
ii reported.
When the customary committees
had been reported a notable circum-
stance appeared, that Mr.. Curtis
name was not on any of them nor
that of any delegate who was not
known to be thick and thin sup
porter of Mr.. COnkling.
The committee on organization
soon reported Mr.. COnkling as their
choice for permanent Chairman and
the convention seemed to acquiesce
In the choice, but Mr.. COnkling de-
clined the nomination, saying that
ne preferred acting as a delegate on
the floor of the house. He then
moved that Mr.. 7. c. Plat, the
temporary chairman, be declared
the choice of the convention for per-
manent chairman. This at once
kindled the torch of war. Mr.. Plat
had already offended a large num-
Der of delegates by his attack on the
Cabinet and policy of Mr.. Hayes,
and it was looked upon as a viola
ton of the consideration due to
strong minOrities in assemblies of
men avOwedIy belonging to the
same party. The question was,
however, put and carried by 81 to
10.
It had now become manifest that
the convention was divided into a
large majority of Mr.. Conkling's
friends and a small minority of
the Presidents friends, and that the
latter were to be dealt with as a hos
tile element and vigorously pros
cribed.
Mr.. COnkling, as Chairman of the
Committee on Resolutions, now
brought up his draft of a platform.
They do not call for extended notice !;
there were the usual perfunctOry
common places about purity in civil
service, etc, for the practical carry
ing out Of which this convention is
now Mt war with the President-but
any allusiOn to the president or his
policy or his reforms was cOnspicu-
Ously absent. Tammany was de-
nOunced, but, in one little point not
rendered very conspicuous; the
platform agrees with Tammany in
recommending the removal of the
present Attorney General of New
York from office. This will enable
the potentates of the Canal Ring
TO breath more freely. 1t is not the
first time that they have been shield
Ell from public condemnation by a
coalition of Radicals and Tammany
Democrats.