The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-22
Tn. Anti-conh,inx Conference.

| of the administration in this State do not
intend that Mr.. Conkling shall be reelected
to the Senate, or at least not without q
struggle. For several weeks after the ad-
journment of Congress everything looked
so favorable to Mr.. Conkling that 1t was
supposed his republican enemies wouid
give in without battle. But when Fresi-
dent Hayes took advantage OF the recess 10
remove the Custom House officers 1t became
evident that what had seemed peace was
| not even truce, and that the
friends of the administration, as well as
Senator Conkling's jealous rivals, would
make an effort to defeat his reelection.
Harper's Weekly, under the direction OF Mr..
| Curtis, who had the famous tilt with the
Senator in the last State Convention, is per-
sistently assailing him from week to week,
| and his Other republican enemies are be-
coming equally active in their opposition.
| The conference held yesterday at Saratoga
| betokens growing boldness on the part OF
his opponents and purpose to act against
him on an organized plan.
There is one method by which Mr.. Conk-
ling could undoubtedly be defeated, If the
administration republicans are sufficiently
embittered and vindictive to adopt 1t. By
tirring up n venomous internal quarrel In
the party and melting q war OF recrimina-
ton the opposition to Mr.. Conkling might
be infamed to such pitch as to cause
bolt in the State Convention if he should
control it, or bolt in the republican legis-
lative caucus if it should nominate him.
The success of which his friends have all
along been so confident was under
| stood to depend on the maintenance OF
party discipline Nobody has ever imagined
that every republican elected to the Assem-
bly, will be Conkling man, but only that
the Senator will have handsome majority
of the republican members. According to
sure his success, since every member is ex-
pected to vote in the Legislature for
the caucus candidate. But if the anti
Conkling republicans should refuse 10 be
bound by the caucus o Senator might be
elected by coalition between them
and the democrats There can be no ques-
ton that republicans like Mr.. Curtis and
Mr.. Ellis H. Roberts would prefer demo-
crat to Mr.. Conkling, and it is probable
that most members of the administration are
of the same mind If Mr. Conkling cannot
be defeated by more ordinary means it may
be done by quarrel pushed to an open
bolt But an attempt Of this kind would
require considerable caution and tact
in its early stages, otherwise it would
expose the administration to q damag-
ing charge of disrupting the republican
party.
Sensible Of this danger and the caution it
imposes the authors Of this movement sent
no invitation to Collector Merritt nor to
any federal ofice-holder to attend the Ssr-
atoga conference. That every federal office
holder sympathizes with this movement
against Mr.. Conkling, and will abet it In all
sorts of adroit and underhand ways, no in
| telligent politician can doubt. The osten-
sble purpose of the conference was to
insist that a regular republican State
convention shall be held this year
o demand which is fair enough
| on its face to pass without much censure.
The Convention Of last year left it optional
with the State Committee to call conven-
| ton or not in their discretion. As the only
State officer TO be chosen this year is judge
of the Court of Appeals, State Committee
was appointed for two years, with
permission to nominate candidate
for Judge themselves, if they should
deem it cxpedient, or to assemble o
partial convention for that purpose,
consisting of one member from each
Assembly district, or to call a full and reg
ular convention if that should seem wiser.
But it was the evident purpose of this ar
rangement to avoid a regular State conven-
ton of the party. The friends Of Senator
Conkling had complete control Of the State
Convention last year, and, not willing to
leave anything to accident, they appointed
State Committee for two years-a
period which overlaps the Senatorial
election, thus giving to Mr.. Conkling
the advantage Of q committee devoted
to his interests in the most critical point
of his public career. This manpuvre was
o little too fine and adroit and is proving q
source of embarrassment. Such nm attempt
to forestall tree party action was mistake,
and Mr. Conklings friends have been de-
liberating for the last few weeks whether il
will be better for the interests Of their
chief to have regular State convention
as usual. Before they decided the point,
or at least before they announced their
decision, this Saratoga conference is as.
sembled by tho Hayes republicans with Q
view to force the holding OF q regular con.
vention. If the Conkling men had not been
so doubtful AMI dilatory they might have
yielded gracefully what mny now wear the
appearance OF being extorled from them.
They cannot oppose a convention without
seeming to dread free expression of opin.
ion and exposing themselves to the