New-York tribune., 1880-06-24
NEwYORK DAILY TRIBUNE THURSDAY, JUNE "a, 1880

refused a voice in the Convention, and 1T was
made clear that Mr.. Kelly did not stand alone
in his determination to make an end, not only
of Tilden. but of Tildenism. Yet the motion
to admit the Tammany delegation to cast part
of the vote of the State was defeated-yeas,
205l2 nays, 457. A twO-thirds majority
sustains Mr.. Tilden in his merciless Ostracism
of the organization which represents many OF
the oldest and most influential Democrats in
other parts of the State, and the only
organization which has power to cast half of
the Democratic votes in this city. If the Con-
vention does not mean to nominate Mr.. Tilden
this is q fatal blunder, and it is one which the
friends of no other candidate had any reason
to advise. Mr.. Tilden is the only candidate,
out of twenty or more proposed, against whom
the Tammany party would have made
opposition in case of his nomination. If the
Convention had desired to elect any other
candidate, therefore. it should have sought to
appease the wrath of the Tammany men and
their rural associates, in order to secure the full
vote of the Democratic party in November for
its candidates. The logical meaning of this
decision therefore, is that twO-thirds of the
Convention is ready to nominate Mr.. Tilden.
The chief objection, in Democratic minds, to
the nomination of Mr.. Tllden, has been
doubt whether he could unite his party in
New York. poll its full vote, and carry the
State. But the Convention has put an end to
that objection. 1t has made it almost equally
doubtful whether any other Democratic candi
date nominated by a Convention which has
kicked out the Tammany delegation with
insults can unite the party here, poll its full
vote, or carry the State. Under such circum-
stances, the Convention may as we'll make MI.
Tilden's cause entirely its own, and nominate
the ablest and strongest enemy of Tammany.
Since positive loss is now assured in any case,
it may be as well to secure that positive
strength in New-York which Mr.. Tllden COM
mands Democrats may doubt whether it will
be enough Republicans feel sure that it will
not be; but one thing is certain it has nov
come to pass that MIR. Tlden can poll as
many votes in this State as any other candidate
that this Convention can name. Unless the
majority had determined to prepare the way
for Mr.. Iilden's nomination, it was piece OF
folly to insult and Ostracize his opponents in
New York but, having gone so far, the Con-
vention may as well go further.
The great shrewdness of Mr.. Tilden's tac-
tics begins to appear, even to those who have
been most eager to divide his Inheritance.
The old man has withdrawn himself just far
enough to insure the exclusion OF Tammany,
and the sympathy for him Which his letter
and his withdrawal kinded was undoubtedly
potent in the vote. He has promised several
men that they shall inherit his political estate
,rhen he politically dies. But for the
present he refuses to die. The help
given by some of his friends to Mr. Payne,
it begins to be suspected, has been given
only in order to make an end of Bayard,
Hancock, Hendricks. Field and English. That
Mr.. Payne can command strength enough to
secure the nomination, since the support OF
New Y Ork has been drawn away from him, is
no longer possible. The disposition of Ohio
to go over to Mr.. Payne as soon as
possible had he been kept in the field
served not only to kill Mr.. Thur
man, but to prevent any cOncPn-
tratiOn on Mr.. Hendricks for tie first place.
The fact that Indiana has given notice of its
readiness to vote for the old ticket, and voted
with the Tilden men all day in respect to the
treatment Of Tammany, is considered sig
nificqnt. In the warfare of plots and counter
plots the opponents of Mr.. Tilden have
developed no leadership, no capacity, no
no faculty of combination. and their
forces have been divided the more easily be-
cause Mr.. Tilden himself has pretended to be
ont of the race.
One thing must impress every observer Of
these extraordinary proceedings. There is no
question of political principles in this Con-
vcntion. Men are not favored or opposed be-
cause they represent this or that policy
as to important public questions. Tho
fight is for the spOls. What the COnvcn-
ton wants is to nominate somebody who
can get himself inaugurated, no matter by
what means, and have the power to distrib
ute the offices. The candidates of the great
est real merit will be suppressed, it is already
evident, not because the Convention is es-
pecially hostile to their opinions or
tendencies, but because it cares, as n
whole, nothing about the qualifications, or
merits, or convictions Of the candidate
provided he can get votes, or in any other
fashion have himself counted in. Mr.. Tiden,
the Convention begins to consider, has more
faculty than anybody else in the sort of work
which may be needed. Hence it will not be
strange ii "the old ticket" sweeps through
the Convention like whirlwind before tho
week ends
THE FIRST PHASE.
The Democrats can put nobody into the