New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-26
NE DECLINES 4GtIN

We should have felt as if something had
really gone wrong, and we are quite sure that
the history of the present period would have APP
peared to pOsterty as though something essen
tial to the sense had dropped clean out in the
makeup If HOratio Seymour had not once
more before the assembling of the Cincinnati
Convention put on record his positive refusal to
be a candidate for President There are some
things VIC might get along without; some that
have REQUIRED with such regularity that we ex-
pect them ut stated intervals, and mOmentarily
miss them if for any reason they are not forth
coming at the time appointed. Such, for in
stance, are the announcements that Mr.. Thomas
A. Hendricks will not take the second place on
the ticket, and the regular interviews which
Western wayfarers have with Mr.. Tilden, in
which they discover vigOr and robustness in
the old man which astonishes them. These
we might miss for the moment, and ini their
absence feel that indefinite sensation of longing
and loss that comes to the household when the
milkman has forgotten his round, or the driver
of the ice cart his duty. But the failure of Mr..
Seymour to communicate, through the CORE
spOndent who watches him constantly, his un-
deviating purpose not to accept the Presidential
nomination of his party, would have aroused
deeper feelingj feeling of actual bereave-
ment. we should have said: Somehow this
world goes not on smoothly it bumps along
the way there's cog out somewhere"
The present announcement Of Mr.. SeymOur's
positive refusal is day or two later than usual
and some anxiety was beginning to be felt lest
something might have happened either to him
or the correspondent in attendance. A very
general feeling of relief will DO experienced at
the publication. We judge that it has been
DELAYED in this instance in order to make it final
and conclusive as there remains between this
and the assembling of the Convention barely
time to get in one moro positively and absO-
lutely final proclamation Of his fixed and UNI
changeable purpose If the usual course is fol-
lowed, we shall have, say by day after to-
morrow, letter from the same correspondent
to another Democratic paper-prObably in
Westinghouse letter saying that the present
announcement misTcprcsents the Governors
position that it is true he does not consider
himself candidate, and has no idea that the
Convention would nominate him it no were
but that as q matter of fact he would not con-
slider himself at liberty TO refuse it if the party
should Insist upon his taking it. Then there
will be discussion lasting several days between
the newspapers, or rather between this cOrre-
spondent and himself us to whether any Deepen
dencc can be placed upon anything he says, and
the dispute will subside. There will then be a
pause in which tho waves of the great cOnten-
ton will roll West and Southwest in the
columns of the weekly press. This will go on
until about the time for the meeting of the Con-
ventiOn, when the positively and absolutely
final refusal will be sent out from Utica.
This is the respect which makes n calamity of
the Convention. After it we shall have no
more of these exciting communications from
Utica. We shall no more be ravished with de-
light at the intelligence that HOratiO Seymour
will consent, nor plunged in despair at the an
nouncemcnt that he will not. These excite
mcnts have become almost n second nature
to us, and we shall miss them beyond measure
One CLEAN Of hope, however, lights up the
prospects, that is, that Immediately after the
nominations are made for 1880, he will pro-
coed to decline being a candidate in 1884
That would keep up the interest, and furnish
occupation for the correspondent in Attendance