The New York herald., 1879-10-30

A "Plug Muss" at the State
Capital.
ROBINSON AND THE RAG BABY.
Regulars" Indoraing the
Greenbackere.

Coming down the State from Oneida, through the
counties of Herkimer. Fulton. Montgomery and
Schenectady there very little of poticai interest
ana striking features that distinguish that To-
cality from the ordinary run of tho state IN Her.
kimer perhaps as much as in any other county. the
parties remain within their lines and go on
voting steadily without much change. except such
as may arise from the comparative interest OF
Indifference felt in an election. This year
while there are few dissatisfied republicans
as there always are the vote on that side will be
polled straight the state candidates. The Robin
democrats working to get out their voe but.
rs in all other places. there is a Kelly movement
although without definite organization. Mr.. Kelly
will get a good many votes in Herkimer, Little
Falls. Frankfort and German Flats The leading
railroad superintendent and most of the bosses
in that county for Kelly. and he Will therefore
find quite support among the workmen and en-
ployes of the road His in the county, without
any further movement will reach 50O Mr. Lewis will
obtain probably one thousand votes in the county,
and these will come principally from tho demo-
cratic side. Morgan's majority OF six hundred and
sixty in 1876 may be swelled int" plurality Of
twelve hundred for Cornell Montgomery may
change its small majority of three hundred for Rob-
inson 1876 about that plurality for Cornell In
Schenectady, where the college wields some in
fuence there will be quite force of young Cornell
in the place and some unfaithful Robinson demo-
Gratis who will vote directly for Cornell, the small
democratic majority of about three hundred in
1876 is likely to be turned over a Cornell plu-
rality.
POLITICAL MUss.
But If the counties Immediately west of Albany
are comparatively quiescent the dulness is amply
atoned at the State capital which is political pan
demonium. 1t is a remarkable feature Of the pres
Estate paper" is fed on the unctuous State patron
nge by the powers that be, for the supposed pur-
pose Of enabling it to preach orthodoxy to its party
where the administration of the hour dispenses
Its favors. and where all the ambitions pat
concentrate. there is really more political de-
moralization than is to be found in any
other locality. Indeed, it might be sad without
wandering far from the TRUTH that there is at the
present moment no regular democratic party at Al
bany. The Kelly democrats are. of course. irregu-
lar so far the State ticket is concerned, because
they oppose Lucius Robinson; but they insist that
In their local organization they have better claim
to regularity than their opponents. The Robinson
democrats. on the other hand while holding the
title to regularity, in far they support the
straitlaced Syracuse nominee. appear to have
abandoned it in their county affairs having gone
bodily tc the greenbackers and thrown themselves
under the wing of the rag money party The Albany
republicans also have their troubles. the party hav-
ing split into two factions their county nomina-
tions and put two candidates for Sheriff into the
FOR AND AGAINST THE MACHINE
For some years-ever since Peter Cagger's death
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. have been gradually growing
in the democratic party in Albrny until they have
first election the family guarrels nave been intens
fed, and wherever the fault may lie, it certain that
many OF the very best democrats Of the city and
chine" When such citizens Judge Amasa j.
Parker and Erastus Corning found in opposi-
ton to those who assume the title of the
regular democracy, it readily be imagined
that there must be something really Questionable
sumed the character OF an Argus and anti-Argus
fight the argus being the paper now fed on the gov
ernment patronage, and thus under obligation to do
the work OF the State administration whatev r it
may be. This year. under the impetus OF the Kelly
Robinson tactics has taken more definite FORM and
has. in fact, demoralzed and practically destroyed
test is involved The anti-Argus party held
their county and Legislative conventions at
:andidasss into the field Their sheriff. Robert 't r.
Moore, Is man who can command strength be-
Michael Cassidy. Frank Marshall. George W. Miller
and Joseph Hynes-are all democrats of consider
able influence. These nominations confounded the
AJvus party, who despaired Of finding men in
her ranks capable of beating them at the polls
{ would not, of course. Go for the regulars
he stout champions of the Robinson ticket
and the special advocates of Mr. Tilden's claim
% Presidential denomination. to be the
.hird in struggle between republicans
tnti-Robinson democrats and Robinson democrats
the capital OF the State But what to be done
when majority of the votes of their own party
threatened to be cast against them and they could
obtain no republican aid?
1t is said that the way supposed way out OF
he difhculty suggested itself first to Mr.. Tildens
mind or that his attention was called to it by an
Albany democrat and it received his high sanction.
The greenback ticket polet much larger vote in
Albany last year than in any other county of the
State including New York, its strength being
close upon six thousand. Az there
about sixteen thousand democratic votes i'll
the county all told 1t clear that the
capture OF these 5000 rag-money men, II 1t could be
aceomp plished. would save the regulars from the
awkwardness OF defeat by the "bolters" at the
seat of the Tiden and Robinson administrations, and
so it was resolved to tic the hard money Governor
and the hard money aspirant to the Presidency
the rag baby = tall The greenbackers had six weeks
previously made their county nominations putting
forward the names Of Alexander Gregory tor sheriff,
James J. Franklin for Senator and u full ticket,
including Ignatius Wiley for Assemblyman in
the Third Assembly diatrict The Tden- n-!sobinson
democracy or Argus party, az it is called. declined
to make democratic nominations of their and
adopted the greenback candidates for Sheriff. Sena-
ter and Asscmblyman in the Third district the lat
being intended to beat Mr. Miller, the Kelly
nominee in that district. There be ques ton
that this union OF Iobnsonsm with the greenback
party was intended TO cover mp and conceal the
exact strength of the Argus faction compared
with that of the Argus faction. be-
,ause the avowed principles of Tilden Rob-
inson and the State paper are opposed to
tho principles OF the greenbackers and the
antecedents OF the principal combination nominee
Mr. Gregory, have been republican 1t follows that
the only regular democratic county and legislative
I,ominecs in Albany county arc those of the Kelly
bolting democracy. while the Robinson regulars
have aband oned their county regularity and aono
into alliance with the rag money party. IL said
that politics makes strange bedfoows, and probably
the saying never had more striking illustration
than that furnished by the sight OF the Ti.densob-
nson regular democracy at the scat of the State gov
ernmcnt cuddlng under the same blanket with the
rag baby ia the latter's champion county.
THE REPUBLICAN TREE FIGHT.
While these strange proceedings have taken place
in the democratic camp the Albany republicans have
also had their troubles. AS the democracy has split
between Argus and anti lirgus factions republican
ism has divided IN Smyth aud anti-Smyth factions
The Superintendent OF the Insurance Department
has for three or four years essayed rule the
Albany republican organization and. il il alleged
has held very tight rein the party. There has
been more or less Kicking against his leadership.
but lac has held his power and has generally been
successful, leading his people to victory than
once In a county legitnatcly democratic This year
the Republican County Convention managed to get
into an acrimonious quarrel over the nomination OF
sheriff. and superintendent Smyth determined to
have his way aud nominate the candidate OF his
choice. Mr. Austin The Convention thereupon
split, and the antiSnytb division put in nomination
Mr.. uouck. Both these candidates remain in the
AnII 10 hn mn