New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-12
NFw.yORK AND The PRESIDENCY.


A TALK Win REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN WHO
RELIEVES THAT THE UTICA CONVENTION WILL
DECLARE FOR GRANT-wHY THE GRANT MOVE
MFNT WILL FAIL AT CHICAGO
IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE 1RIBUNEl
WAsuINGroN. Feb. IL" Oh, yes, we shall have
the Harrisburg performance repeated In Otlca
said Republican Representative from Centrai
New-York yesterday. "Of course there VIII be op-
uosition, and perhaps a row. In the Convention;
bnt Grant delegation will be chosen, and Grant
instructions Will be given If Senator ConKhhs
thinks that is the wisest course to pursne."
.sDo YOU think that majority of the Republicans
of New York State desire General Grants nOmna-
tionYv asked the correspondent of THE TRIBUNE
"a majority p exclaimed the gentleman vi
conrse not. don't believe that one Republican IN
five throughout the State wants it. But that makes
no difference. The machine is for Grant and the
.machine will control the Convention"
by the machine suppose you mean the party
managers throughout the State" remarked.
"Yes, principally the Officeholders, State and Ma
tionaI. and the county committees, which are con-
trolled bv them or by the personal adherents OF
Senator Conkling don't say it out of any enmity
Conkling but it is true that there is 10 State
in the Union where the one man power is as great
as it is in New-YOrk."
"Do you mean to say that small body of office
holders and personal adherents of Senator Conkling
are able to override the will of four-ffths OF the
Republicans of the State and commit the party at
Chicago TO a policy and candidate not of their
choice ~ asked
THAT is just what do mean," was the reply.
ut is true that if there was great popular upTs-
ing i'll the State against machine CONTROL sort OF
tidal wave as it were, it could not be done. But
there will be no such uprising; and, although the
opposition to General Grant may be four to one, it
has no organization and no leaders around whom it
can rally President Hayes, by his Civil Service
order intended to break up the machine in New
York. but instead of that he strengthened it at
the same time that he threw away the opportunity
he had of encouraging an effective opposition TO IT,
For eight years Grant appointed men to office IN
New-York because of their loyalty TO him or to
Senator Conking, which amounted to the same
thing. The strongest recommendation which most
of them had was their ability to control caucuses
and conventions in the interest OF the
machine i don't mean to say many or
most of them were not good officers, that
Grant or Conkling would keep dishonest or
incompetent man in office; but. besides his compe-
fency and honesty, the candidate Tor place was
Obliged either to have performed some valuable ser
vice for that wing of the party to which he owed
his promoton or to be able and willing to do so in
the future Now, President Hayes's Civil Service
order has caused the retention of all these men III
office OF nearly all of them. If he has removed one
of them, the machine men have raised the
cry, with great force that the President
was violating his own ruIes, and the men he has
appointed have been prevented from exercising
controlling influence the party for the same
reason II is trne there has been an outward show
of obedience to the Civil Service order but in fact
Federal oficeholdeTs IN New-York-thOse appointed
by Grant, / mean-have done just as effective
partisan work during the last three years as be-
fore. The President undertook to smash the
machine: but his very first act was to throw away
the only weapon with which it would have been
possible for him to have accomplished It,
"Tbere are other reasons why the Conkllng party
in our State is stronger to-day for the purpose of
carving out it's policy without reference TO the
wishes of the people than it has been for years 1t
has taken advantage of the alarm of the Republi-
cans of New-York during the last two campaigns
In strengthen itself and obtain control of the local
ORGANIZATIONS in many parts Of the State where it
never had the support of majority of the Repub-
Icans In 1873 and 1870 our rallying cry
WAS Harmony and Victory Senator COnklng's
friends got control of the conventions. and through
them they extended their influence all over the
State Those counties in which the caucuscs will
he called and managed this year in the usual way
will return men who will follow the dictates Of the
machine There will be great show of fairness,
will be rushed through before the mass of Republi
cans know what is taking place."
II understood you to say that there woud be
onpositiop and perhaps row i'll the Convention"
remarked ." and now YOU say the Grant men will
carry everything before them. How can that be "
"Oh the machine will not elect all the dele
gates by any means, but 1t will elect a majority.
The minority will insist on being heard That is
what mean."
"Then you expect Grant to he nominated at Chi
cago. presumed If the machine can carry New
York and Peunsy against the will of majority
of the Republicans then 1t can, in the same way,
carry Illinois and Iowa and many other States. and
General Grant will go into the Convention with
very favorable backing
"Non was the reply; Grant will not be
nominated Public sentiment i'll the party will
not hermit it, You will see an uprising after the
New-York Convention that will frighten the
machine men, and cause them TO hesitate. The
managers of the Grant movement are Wise poll
ticians. aud they will not be anxious to nominate
the ex-Presdent If they are CONVINCED that be
cannot be elected Long before the chicago Con-
yentCn the people Will be beard itom' anu they
will put forth no uncertain souud" .
Itis fact that the few Grant men in Washington
have not been in The least Dy Ine ss a bs
generally received by Republicans. They are aim
ing for success at Chicago and as long as they get
The delegates they don't seem TO care much what
people have to say about the manner in which they
get them. | ought to qualify this remark
little or at least to explain it. There are some
Grant men in the New-York delegation who favor
the nomination of the ex-PIesident because they
think he is the strongest candidate who has been
named and because they are more anxious Tor the
tnccess of the party than for the elevation of any
single man. One Of them said to me yesterday:
g i can support with ell my might, with my
voice and my purse, either of the cahdi lates who
have been named. The people Of my district feel
very solemn over the political situation. They
alarmed at the events OF the extra session. and
ia looking about for the man who was most likely
70 succeed, they have como TO the conclusion that