The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-01
THE TRUE INUdRDNESs or THE TWO
CONVENTIONS.


tunity to talk with delegates who werc In both
the recent State Conventions. representing
each OF their factions. and also to gather up
opinions from various other sources in regard
to the proceedings OF tho Conventions md
place fair samples OF the whole at the disposal
OF THE Sun
First rs to the Democratic Convention. After
carefully examining the facts. there can BIO little
doubt that Of the 1884 delegates regularly cho-
son TO the Convention. the Robinson wing Of
the party had n majority which ranged from 90
TO 80. and II hard pushed on the question Of
heartily endorsing the Governors admnistrn-
tion. It would have risen to about three times
those figures. At this point II In wise To draw lis
tnction which has not boon generally noticed
and the non observance whereof by editors and
reporters hhs caused such wide differences in
their estimates OF the strength OF the two fac-
tons in tho Convention.
Though Gov Robinson il carrying out tho
reform policy initiated by Gov. Tilden in this
Stnte the factions occupied very different ground
in tho Convention as to tho future of each and
especially the latter The same liz true in re-
spect to the party generally in the State.
Therefore. while in certain sense nil tho
Robinson mon in the Convention. and indeed.
in the party outside. may be called Tildcn men
yet, when you come 10 talk Of tho candidates for
tho Presidency in $780, tho proposition will not
hold out TO the end. In plain words. u large
body OF Democrats who cordially approve Of
Robinson's administration are wholly opposed
to Tilden's nomination at tho next National
Convention. On the othor hand. every anti
Robinson man in the State. whether moderate
or immodcrate. is utterly hostile to 'ridcn
This statement will apply to the delegates to
the Convention: and here We have the main
source OF the different estimates OF the strength
Of the so-caled Tilden and anti Tilden factions
at Syracuse. This same key will explain the
discrepancies in the count OF the old and the
new state Committeos. Then. too there nro
masses Of Democrats who are In favor Of going
nll lengths 10 expose and punish tho Great
Fraud. and hence ars Chased Ms Tilden men.
but are. nevertheless. opposed for various rea-
sons to Tildon's denomination for the Prcsi-
dcncy. Now. he who docs not know all this
cannot clearly understand the conflict nj SYRIA
cuse; while he who does not soc It all. has but
an imperfect standard for measuring the future
OF New York Democratic politics.
From this point Of view we can comprehend
what tho sharp struggle at Syracuse was nbout
and why the nnti-Tlden majority in tho old
State Committee strained every nerve to cap
turc tho Convention. II WAS not properly
speaking. n fight between Tammany and anti
Tnmmany. and certainly not contest between
the friends md the foes Of Gov. Robinson. II
WINS nn effort on the one side to revive and i'm
prove Gov. Tilden's chances for tho prosidon-
ial nomination by giving tho control OF tho
party organization to his supporters and on
the other. TO throttle him there and then by
placing that control in tho hands OF his antag-
onists. And. strange TO say. though tho five
days battle at Syracuse closed ut shutdown on
Friday. both comhntants claim the victory. since
each claims 10 have majority Of tho now State
committee. which II tho key OF tho position.
The Committee meet in New York on Thursday
to organize. and you may then he able 10 solve
tho riddle. and you may not for tho new officers
may BE- OF that Kind Of political material which.
In times like the present. eludes precise classi-
hcation.
Tho drift 81 opinion seems to 10 thu, Mr.. Til
Den received bad blow at Syracuse. and that il
was rather a foul blow or. in other words TINT
his opponents wrestcd the Convention from his
friends. and then threw rs weight upon him
and crushed him. One Of his lending nntago-
nists gayly quoted 20 me. as descriptive Of Til.
denis fate ut Syracuse. tho couplct Of Scott. de-
scribng the death OF Marmion at Flodden
Field.
In the lost battle. borne down BY the nvins
Whore minEles wars rattle Win Of the dying
All must have noticed the appearance ~ Gov
Seymour's brother at the Convention in the nj.
ttudc OF an anti Tilden delegate. have ample
reason for believing that he reflected tho views
OF the venerable Oneida statesman. Senator
kernnn's son WIS present PLAYING tho same
role. There Is no doubt that he represented his
fathers opinions.
What will be the ultimate effec; 81 the wranCle
In the Convention on the elections for the As
scmbly is not yet apparent. only know the
friends OF Mr.. Conkling expect Ia gain by II.
They look to ace some Tilden candidates cut
down by implacstbe anti-Tiden voters. and
some Tammnny candidates left in tho lurch bv
relentless Tildon voters. The quarrcs ut SYRIA
cuse will doubtless influence some Assembly
districts and may swell the throng Of Green
hackers and Labor ne,ormers in disturbed To-
cnlities. And it Is VOL to add that the oxpecta-
ton is universal NIL through the central and
western counties that tho aggregate vote ems, by
this outside organization will be much larger
Tor Assemblymen and Congressman than for
Judge OF the Court Of Appeals.
And now Ms 10 the Republican Convention and
the consequences that AFRO likely 10 follow
Everybody regards the triumph Of Mr.. Conk-
ling at Saratoga rs sweeping and complete. II
surpassed the general expectation in its stupen-
dous proportions. But though he so thoroughly
heat tho Hayes Eyar;s Curtis -Fcnton faction
thelr bitterness toward tOnkIlng Ia not nlntcu
ono iota. Tho struggle which was anticipated 1T
Saratoga was unlike that which actually occur
red at Syracuse in essentia, particulars. 1t had
only the rcmotest reference Ia tho next Presi-
dency. 1t was in some measure n contest for
the future control o, tho party organization in
tho Stntc; but only few lIaycsitcs were 80
stupid Ms TO believe that the Convention would
be composed of such materials IA could wrost
that control from the friends OF Conklng.
Then what were they hoping To achieve by n
Convention ! happen to know that they tx.
pocted TO be- strong enough TO get up quarrel
about endorsing lInycs's Administration aud
thus indirectly damage Conklng's canvass for
tho Scnatorshp in close Assembly districts
And why did they not fomcn, such q coniro-
versy nj Saratoga? Tho answer is Obvious. A
prominent Anti Conklng leader told me they
did not raise their standard Mt Saratoga IA they
did nj Rochester simply because they wished
not 10 disclose the pAucity Of the numbers that
would rally around it when compared with
those who stood by Mr.. Curtis n year ago. But
waxing classical and warm. hu added: we
will moet Conklng at philippi:" or in other
WOr1s WE will elnV him M tho ,nlla ,b,