Litchfield enquirer., 1878-09-05
THE MACHINE. "

There is great deal said of ''the machine" in politics, and especially in New York poli- tics without very clear idea of what the term means Those who use it without understand ing it's real significance are easily silenced by ''the boys who run wid de masheen," and who sheer that it is merely silly word coined by the s'outs" in futile rage with the ''ins," and that it means nothing but the 'ssore head" of the person who uses it. Others soberly remark that it means only the intelligent direction of party, which must necessarily be lodged with few persons. This is the argument which, as we lately said Mir. O'Gorman gayly advanc- ed to justify. the Tweed Ring What 'sthe machine" really is, was the subject of a late letter to the Evening Post by ssAn Original Republican" who shows himself to be also politician of experience, perfectly familiar with the working of 'the machine" in New York. He justly says that it's tyranny has been so ab- selute that the order for the late changes in the Custom House is we'll called the new Emanci- patton Proclamation, for it relieves the Repub- ican party of New York of 8 rule which has been arbitrary and upscrupulous, degrading and demoraliIng. 4.sE
 The machine" is the system of using the patronage Of office to carry out the will of few persons in State, and especially of the head of the system, who is the Senator. The effect of the Tenure of office Law and of ''the courtesy of the Senate has been to vest in the Senators almost absolute power over the live lihood of subordinate officers in their States, and the ambition of young men interested in politics. In New York this power has long been in the hands of the only Republican Sen ator, and has been used remorselessly. We do not mean by thls that he has personally di- rected every detail, but that his political inter- ests have been most carefully served by trusty henchmen in the higher places, which they held by his favor, and by which they control led appointments to the lower. It is said that the Senator never asked for subordinate ap- pointments. But why should he ? He appoint ed the appointing officer. Was it likely that that officer would use the power adversely to his superior :? Such system is not matter of specific orders and requests. It is general understanding. Yet we are pointed to the ab- sence of specific orders and requests as evil dence that there is no understanding. These holders of the higher places are the essential parts of ''the machine" They have perfect understanding throughout State. Through their subordinates who are in turn dependent upon them, as they are upon the Senator, they control as far as possible the primary meetings, and thus secure Convention, which they rule absolutely. Every man in place. or who de. sres a place, or who has higher political as- piration, necessarily depends upon the favor
 
 it's members from various parts of the State are perfectly we'll known. They make the slate. They prepare the platform, and they carry out their plans, not by argument and ap- peal and discussion, but by bribery, by threats and intrigue. We are saying no more than we know, and what is as we'll known, and what is as we'll known, evidently, to 'An Or iginal Republican" and to hundreds and thou sands of them all over the State of New York.
 The letter in the Post speaks of the opera tien of ''the machine in the City of New York, and it is well worth attention. This is State of four millions of people, containing the great city of the country, in which thousands of the most intelligent and conspicuous citizens are Republicans. But in a Republican State Con- vention how many of this class are usually dele gates As rule, the delegation from New York is not representation of the Republican character and sentiment of the city. It is a body selected by ''the Custom house" sent by the Custom house, and solidly obeying the nod of the Custom-house. With exceptions which are very few, this is the annual fact. 'An Original Republican" says:
 'It is safe to say that out of all delegations sent to State Conventions for this city in seven years there have been but five men who dared oppose, even by single vote, the autocratic power which selected them, and of these one (Wm. H. Anthon) is now dead. The Assem- ply districts came to be known not by their members, but by the names of the local party leaders into whose hands the distribution of places therein was committed, and who were held responsible for the running of the prima- res' and the production at the proper times of the names agreed on for delegates and commit tee-men. Thus we have 'O'Brien's district,' Burns district 'Cregan's district" '"
 A Republican State Convention usually con- tains 454 members, and the delegation from the city alone was at the last Convention sixty, and from Brooklyn, which is largely under the same control, thirty -four. Add to this number delegates elected from other parts of the State under the same influences, and it is evident that Convention will generally be amere reg istry of the edict of ''the machine" This re- suit in the city is brought about very simply. The Republican vote here is nearly 50, OO0 but nobody can vote for delegates to Convention who does not belong to an association" and nobody can belong to an association who does not agree to support the regular nomina- tions. The associations, moreover, have been generally officered and managed by off1ce-hold- CTS, and as they were merely mills to grind out just what the CustOm-house chose, the mem- bership was not more than 5000, and this number of persons, or very small percentage of them, have annually performed the farce of electing delegates to Republican State Conven- LlOIS lCT Gllc OU,UOO 1ecpuULlCdu FOICIo OA tlAC city. With this kind of business in full opera tion, Republicans were exhorted to harmony and peace," which meant placid indifference and abject submission to the preposterous sys tenn. So bold and arbitrary had unquestioned power made ''the machine" that at the last Convention it deliberately usurped the entire authority of the party, and declared itself in permanence for two years, intending to make the Rochester declarations stand as the voice of the party for that time, and to hold over un- changed, and without giving the party an ep. portunity to speak, until ''the machine should have made sure of the reelection of Mir. Conk- ling.
 This plan has been seriously disturbed by the thew emancipation proclamation" The chair man of the Committee has been summoned home from Europe The most dilligent inqui- ries into the probable feeling and character of Convention have been made in every quar- ter, and we have little doubt that the plan will now be changed, and that Convention will be called. The reason is plain. The Conkling interest now says, ''It is always asserted that Mir. Conkling is strong mainly through the pat ronage. But the patronage has been taken from hlm. There shall now be Convention called, and he will be stronger than ever. No body need be deceived by thistone. A change indeed, has been happily made in the Collect orship and Naval office in New York, and they are no longer part of the Conkling machine But the old organization of the party in the Senator's interest, the ward associations in the city of New York, many of the offices through out the State filled by him, all remain and | this formidable power, desperately fighting for
 life, believing that he will yet be able to restore the old system, and united by common and bitter hostility to the Administration, will send l a strong representation to the Convention Should it be majority, it will assert itself to | be the unbought voice of the party. But a great wrong is not se easily undone. As "An 1 Original Republican" well says, ''The fear of the return of the old power and old proscrip- tion will retard the full cOnsummation." But should a Convention be called, it is for those who wish to break the yoke to be earnest and active in the selection of fitting delegates 1 There will be no harm done by careful and ample preparation, even if it be thought un- wise by the Committee to risk Convention
 We have heard it said that if this Ring be broken, there remains the chance of worse. Certainly evils are always possible. But a man does not refuse to heal his,broken arm be- l ho may como fino hrooH h;C lonr