New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-26
MR.. COMBINES RESPONSIBILITY.

BILE SILENCE ON THE PRESIDENTS POLICY.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNE.l
ROCHESTER. n. Y, Sept 25.-There is not the
shadow Of question rs to who owns the
convention. By universal consent no one pre-
tending oven to question his absolute pro-
prietorship, it is Senator Conkling. So much
was known before the delegates began to
assemble. The tone of the Republican press of the
State the obvious lack of any hostile organization
and the absence of any serious effort to defeat the
well-known and openly announced purpose to con-
troll the convention by Senator Conklings
friends--an pointed to this result but /
do not think any one, even OF the Sen
ator's most sanguine friends anticipated such
easy possession or such an absence OF opposition
The question is not whose is it, but what will he do
with it, The convention will be a remarkable one
in this regard. No politician in this State ever
found himself so suddenly successful to such de-
gree and in consequence of his success so enVrOned
with the peculiar points that attach to great respon-
abilities. In 1874 and 1875 Mr. C0nkling's friends
fnobt vigorously for the control of the convention
and succeeded. lie had the Federal Administration
and al its power behind him, and worked
with al the machinery of the party in his
lands. He and his friends succeeded both
years IN bringing up the party in the State to the
suup0rt of the Administration, in resolutions OF IN
qualified approval Last year the convention was
ratherMr. Geo. William Curtis's than Mr. Conkings
and. in the face of Presidential contest the Conk-
ling party made no serious opposition TO the mani
fssf turn OF the tide but quietly took back-seas and
a.au'esced in the new order Of things.
To one who has witnessed the fierce faction fights
a tbo past four OF five years. and who Temem-
lers how the opposition TO Senator Conkimg
grew up 10 tie proportions of last year. when
il fairly won the fight the spectacle presented
by the delegates assembling here tonight
seems little singular. The men who opposed the
machine and favored its disestabhshment have dis
appe,red from the field. or if here, are SO few in
number and quiet in their demeanor as not to stir
ripple on the surface. Once in a while this after
noon some curious delegate has inquired in a Ian
guild way whether Mr.. Geo. William Curtis Is to be
here and if So what proposes do; but that is the
only reference made by any one TO the possibility OF
an individual negative to any of Mr. Conklngs pro-
positions. The antCOnkling element having et-
fected its purpose in some measure III the
pronunciation OF the disestablshment order, seems
10 have tacily admitted that its sole reason
for being las disappeared, and so faded away. On
tie other hand Senator Conklngs friends are in full
force and fine feather not urging the necessity OF
supporting their own Administration IS heretofore
but quite the contrary insisting that the only way to
preserve harmony is to ignore the Administration
entirely. IL is a remarkable change OF attitude on
their part From 1872 to 1876, they were in every
State Convention demanding the Endorsement in
terms of the Federal Administrator as test Of
Republican authority. The same men or their i'm
mediate representatives are now Of the opinion that
the Federal Administration has nothing To do
with the election of a Secretary Of state
for New-York, and that the state Convention
has no call to express opinion upon questions of
national policy. And those men are still office
holders or the friends and representatives Of the
policy of the ohice-holders.
Mr.. Conkling has the Administration machinery
with which TO fight the Administration if necessary.
lie has fairly resumed the sceptre which last year
fell for The moment from ms hands He and his
friends have been in the habit of saying that the
men who pushed their way into Republican Con-
yentions, only to oppose the policy and acts Of
Republican Administration, were quarrclsome dis
organizers. Ii rests with them to say now whether
themselves are dsorganizcrs disposed to quarrel
Their old opponents have pretty much abandoned
the field to them. and now stand looking on with
The inquiry: "Well what are you going to do about
itf" For the first time IN the history Of State Con-
ventions, Mr.. Conkling has a convention so clearly
his own that there is no one to divide any point of
the responsibility with. lie has not even an Oppor-
tunity 10 compromise with anybody upon dis
putcd point. There may be- il is true, some stub
born individual delegate, who has struggled into
this select assembly by accident, who viii propose
resolution of approval of the course Of the
Administration; but If such thing should
happen no viii be too lonesome to
mako any account Of. There will not
be opposition enough to compromise with or at
tempt to cOncliae. The Senator viii have il all his
own way. and will be solely responsible for what
comes of it, In this state Of things he cannot con-
tnue IN the attitude Of passive spectator or refuse
TO take any positive stand in favor of OF in oppOsi
ton 10 the Hayes Administrations nor can he con-
tnpe hold the place of leader of a faction Of the
party in the State The withdrawal of all opposition
TO him leaves him no choice but TO take the place
and the responsibilities of the leader Of the party.
lie cannot be leader Of a faction, when
an is conceded to him, and ho has no
faction to oppose him. He cannot quarrel
when he is allowed so completely to
have his own way, and there is no one
TO quarrel with. lie has shown how brayely
and ably he can lead faction he has it to show
how we'll he can unite and lead q whole party 1t is
no longer quarrel as TO whether Mr. Conkling shall
take the party IL has by its choice of delegates
TO this convention committed the ship to him.
The question now is: Can lie steeri He has shown
eonsummate ability in holding his OWL friends close
~ to himself in the internal divisions Of the
party the new responsibility put upon him is to
cement friends and opponents in one united party,
and make that party strong enough 10 insure it's own
success and further his ambition. The men who have
heretofore arrayed themselves in opposition TO him
have always insisted that their opposition was not
personal but directed to the policy of machine pol-
hlcs which he represented. Their surrender to his
leadership so soon as they had succeeded in in
"aiiing an Administration representing their views
tpon ss subJeet. must be taken as proof Of their