New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-01
UR. TILUEN,S MIST1EE

So Mr.. Tilden's regular Democrats are cor
nered at last. After trying vainly to run away
| frpm the opposition and to find some calm re-
| treat where meditation upon the virtues Of Mr..
| Tilden and the delights of reform" will not he
disturbed 10y the yells of the Tammany warriors,
the friends of the Claimant must confront their
adyersaries. They have not been able to get q
city all to themselves for their Convention, nor
to exclude Tammany fiOm halls and hotels, nor
to prevent the contrast between the two Con-
ventiOns, which they seem to have dreaded so
much. The world will have q chance to com
pare the two gatherings, side by side, and to
see which represents the more truly tie Demo-
cratic voters If Mr.. Tildcn was afraid that bis
followers might be seduced from their ale
glance, by the appeals of another Dcm0catic
Convention in the sacred cause of "haImony,r
or if he feared that they might be bulldozcd by
threats of another bolt, lie has only taken pains
TO advertise his fright Whatever the motive
for trying to keep the two Conventions apart,
the performance can only be construed as a
confession of weakness. Fancy Mr.. COnkiing
trying to hold a Republican State Convention
in some corner where it could not be rudcly
approached by convention Of Young
Scratchers! No leader ever stopped to such
devices before, who really had the strength of
his party Behind him.
MI Tilden has not managed with his usual
sagacity or skill, in preparing for his Stale Con
ventiOn. Ii was excessively childish to ATTEMPT
to dodge the Tammany faction, rs if any city
WAS not big enough to hold Tildcn and an
anti-Tidcn Convention at the same time. Tho
still-hunt for halls and hotel rooms was calcu-
lated to make Mr.. 1idcns followers exceedingly
ridiculous They seem 10 have been afraid that
they would be swampcG and drowned in the
vastly superior asscmbage which might dcIug.
any city to which the Tammany Committee
should summon the opponents Of Mr.. Tildcn.
But the ludicrOus phase of tie business is not
the worst one for tie Candidate of Cpher
Alley. Ii will he said i'll sober earnest and by |
many believed that lie did not dare, if it could |
possibly be avoided, TO bring his supporters |
together where they might hear the singing !
criticisms of his cOuise which the opposition !
would utter. With still mole force it will be |
aid aud bell we'd that he did not dare to face |
he responsibility of rejecting the appeals for
larm Ony, which were sure to be made by an
'thcr Democratic Convention sitting in the
same city with the convocation of his friends.
He knew" it will be said, that his ambition
"'o"0 "o"'u n'"'" III u'o way OF complete
union of the Democracy, and did not want TO
be forced to declare openly, through his SUD-
portcrs, that his policy was to rule or to ruin
the party" But it was very weak and
oolish thing to appear anxious to avoid situa.
ion into which his opponents could surely
Orce him.
Whether the situation In which lie was ploced
wholly due to the laundering incapacity of
lis subordinates, or to timidity and weakness in
is own plans, Mr. Tden has certainly lost
restige greatly by this performance. The
'ammaEy people will now be encouraged to NJ.
emble convention which shall represent all