New-York tribune., 1879-04-08
TILE CONEERENCE.

against their own candidate is becoming ex-
citing and dramatic. To most OF us the worry
of the Presidential year is yet a trouble In the
far future. But our Democratic friends are
already thick in the fight. They are dis
tressed not so much by the strength OF their
enemy as by the pretentions of their own
general Within the past two years the can
iIdate whom they created, like the monster
of Frankenstein, out of the remnants OF the
dead, has become an insupportabe torment to
them. Stirred with an unnatural and spas
modc life, he is the appalling figure that
stalks forever at their side, filling Their
days with agony and their dreams with
horror. Everywhere they are confronted
by the cold and hateful creature OF
their own hands. He menaces Tammany
Hall; be fills the Mayors Office; he hus-
ties the Police Board he haunts the Legisla-
ture he overshalows the Governor; and In
Imagination they see him already dominating
the State Convention. The meeting which
they held the other night at Mr.. Belmonts
house was conference on the best way OF
getting rid of him. The dread with which
they regarded the prospect of being compelled
TO nominate him, and vote for him, and cheer
for him, and pretend that they liked him, was
not concealed i'm this melancholy gathering
it was hardly yelled in decent language; 1T
was openly avowed i'll the resolution to
send special embassy to Governor Sey-
mour and beg his aid in Kidding the
party of its incubus. We could almost find 1t
in our heart to be sorry for Democrats in such
dreadful trouble.
But why should the party shiver in abject
fear of Mr. Tilden 1t is not very long since
he stood barehcaded on the steps Of No. 10
Gramercy Park and nominated himself for
President with the cordial approval of several
hundred Democrats then and there shouting
for him, whose pledges were ratified the next
morning by the Democratic press all through
the United States. 1t was resolved at that
time that the rallying cry for the next cam
paign should be "The American people never
Twill condOne Fraud" 1t was solemnly
announced, with abundance of sulphur
ous oaths. that Mr.. Iilden, having been
elected once, should be elected again. and in
augurated too. All issues were to be sub
ordinated to the great work Of reversing the
monumental fraud " of 1876 and the pro-
gress of parties was TO be arrested until Mr..
Tilden had been seated in the White House.
has so suddenly changed its mind on this
vital subject How does it happen that the
man to whom IT attributed in 1877 prcscrip-
tive right to the Presidency becomes in 1879
an intriguing claimant deyoured by an in
satiate ambition 2 What is the reason why,
having bound itself, with much haranguing
and hurrahinG, TO rest 10 more until 1t had
secured for it, disappointed candidate of 1876
the sacred muniments OF the Presidential title,
it is now fighting tooth and nail to prevent
his becoming a candidate a second time, de-
nouncing all his representatives as unscru-
pulous apOstates, and organizing search ex-
petitions into the interior OF the country for
the discovery of somebody who can head him
OFF, There is mystery here which will
form an engaging topic of discussion during
the State campaign.
The explanation offered to the newspaper
reporters, that the conference only desires to
secure harmony, of course explains nothing.
To the inquiry why the party has become in
harmonious on this question which was so
lately put forth as the one great issue of the
age, there is no answer. Why do not our
Democratic friends harmonize on Mr.. Tidens
What is there i'll the character, or the
record, of this eminent Democratic re-
former to make him unfit, all of
sudden. to represent the cause which embraces
"the largest and hOlest interests of hu-
" manity"Y An unSympathetic world will
think that if there is an irreconcilable hostility
to Mr. Tilden onthe part of considerable fac
ton OF bis former followers, il is because they
have discovered the Fraud" cry to be a
humbug, and the whole series of pretences
upon which Tilden campaign must rest to
be false and absurd. In opposing the renomi-
nation of the candidate of l. $40. they acknowl-
edge that they were fairly beaten in that con-
test, and that they can expect no better result
if they try it over again.
The SEYMOUR MOyEHENT
Habit is everything, after all There's moth