Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-05-01
The Constitution Against the
Empire.
NO LIenT FROM SYRACUSE.

NO LIGHT FROM SYRACUSE.
We said but little in the way of
commentary upon the proceedings
at the Syracuse convention last
week, because we desired more
light ourselves before we undertook
to furnish any to our readers. We
hoped against hope that something
might transpire to give a prospect
of such harmonious action on the
part of the New York democracy as
is essential to the success of the
national democracy next Novem-
Der. We delayed our comments
with this hope, and now we feel
constrained to acknowledge that the
prospects Of such harmony are more
clouded than ever.
Even If we looked upon the mat
ter as a mere question of Tilden or
anti-Tilden, as so many of our con-
temporaries unfortunately do, we
could see no ground for cOEgratula-
ton either to Tildenites or TO anti
Tildenites, and to those who, like
ourselves, look upon the great pOlit-
ical issues Of the approaching con-
test as so far predominant over per-
sonal considerations as to reduce
them to mere nullity, the situation
i'm New York is well-nigh fraught
with despair.
We almost arrive at the paradox
ical conclusion that to gain the
united vote of New York at the
presidential election, it will be nee
essary to look for our candidate out
side of that state; the New York
democrats seem likely to unite upon
any candidate sooner than upon a
New Yorker.
What we see at Syracuse is two
bodies, each known to control a
portion of the votes of the state,
meeting separately, one knowing
nothing, caring for nothing except
the purpose OF procuring Mr.. Til
denis nomination at Cincinnati, the
other intent upon the one object of
defeating that nomination. 1t is
futile to say, however true it may
be. that one of these was the regular
convention of the state, the other
not that one was recognized by the
state executive committee, the other
not. The practical consideration
for all men outside of New York
state is that both OF them control
votes essential to democratic vic
tory in the presidential election.
Habitual readers of this paper need
not be told that we are nc lovers of
Tammany; that we entertain a
profound disgust for Tammany men
and Tammany measures and Tam
many methods. We pass over the
whole of the proceedings of the
Tammany convention, therefore,
and what do we see in those Of the
anti-Tammany convention? Simp-
ly the adoption of Tammany meth
DDS by an anti-Tammany assembly.
The two measures angrily protested
against by anti-Tammany men
when Tammany had majority in
the democratic counsels were, that
the delegates to the national con-
ventiOnal were appointed by the
state executive committee, instead
of from a committee elected in the
usual way at the state convention
and that in voting on disputed dele
cations, delegates whose seats were
under dispute should be allowed to
vote on their own case. Both these
methods SO loudly protested against
when adopted by Tammany, We're
actively enforced by anti-Tammany
when it gained the prepondcrance,
and with less excuse; for at the
Syracuse convention there was no
pretense of it being necessary to
curb the excuses of the Tammany
wing by exceptional means. Tam
many was not there; it was sitting
in a separate convention, yet in a
convention from which the organ
lied opposition to Tilden was eX-
cluded; so fearful were the managers
lest it should not be possible to man.
ipulate it in the 1ilden interest, that
several delegations must still be eX-
Guided, and, for the purpose, dele ,
gates whose seats were disputed |
must sit i'm judgment on their own
case. How unscrupulOusly this |
privilege was exercised may be seen |
from a report which was chOked off
at the convention, but has since /
been published. From this 1t APP /!
pears that in six counties known to
be adverse to TiIden's nomination,
though equally opposed to Tam
many rule, Tiiden delegations were
Struggled into the convention in
the place Of the anti-Tilden men /
who were elected there. This bit
Of sharp practice was done by the
on credentials. When
the report Of that committee was
Mr.. r. NJ. Townsend, of
Otsego, stated that some of the COM
mittee differed, and asked for the
minutes to make a minority report.
This the chairman refused, and the
majority report was rushed through
without debate allowed.
This is an indication how far the
5eople are the supporters of Tilden.
In order TO give some appearance of :
ia his favor, the voice of
he people has TO be carefully shut
,ut by process familiar in Louisi- {
una returning boards, and even SO ]
here was a considerable minority /
ep0rt against the Tilden nominal {
ion in a convention from which :
he organized opposition to Tilden t
yas first excluded and from which {
nti-Tilden men were carefully \
,oa4ad oarf hyy the SqCulOuS care of \