The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-06-04
THE CONTEST AT ALBANY.

In the great contest at Albany upon which
the eyes of the nation are now rivIted, there
has thus far been little beyond outside sKlr-
misbing. All efforts of the Conkling side or
stalwarts to get the l0j republican members
Of the New York legislature together into a
caucus have thus far failed though the anti
Conkng men claim to be largely IN the ma.
iority and thus ought to he able to control the
caucus against him. In this view they claim
to have full confirmation by the votes which
were taken in JOINT convention Of the two
houses Cd Tuesday and Wednesday, when the
highest vote Conkling at any time received
was 35, with 70 republican votes against him.
1t is noticeable, however, that Of these - votes
10 were cast for Cornell . for Folger and
for Crowby, &c, all stalwarts and believed to
be ultimately controllable by Conkling, so
that the anti Conklng forces, who are in reali.
ty able to muster but AZ upon whom they can
rely OF the SO they need to beat Conkling IN
the caucus, dare not take the risk Of gong in
to that midnight conclave. In all the ballot
ings on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
the democrats cast their 53 votes steadily tor
Jacobs and Herman, democrats.
1t now looks as if there was no way out OF
the deadlock except to postpone the contest to
next winter, allowing the people in the mean.
time to elect new Legislature, step the re-
publlcans would be ready enough to take were
it not for the almost dead certainty that the
next legislature will be democratic. AS that
would give the U. g. senate to the democrats,
of course no such outcome is thought of, and
the better probabilities thus ATE that the bal.
loting will be kept up until choice Is made
though 1t take all summer. OF ultimate VIC.
tory in such a contest both the Conklng and
anti. Conkling forces seem to be equally conf.
dent
Meantime the war of the factions, at red heat
at Albany, is spreading throughout the state,
and excited Conkling and anti. Conkllng meet
ings are being held in all the counties. At an
anti Conkhng or administration" meeting at
Williamsburg on Monday evening, when the
resolution was presented endorsing the admin
istration, an amendment was proposed asking
the Legislature "to re.eect those tried and true
men, senators Conkling and Platt." A heated
discussion ensued, in the course of which
great excitement prevailed. After vote had
been taken, the Garfield men, finding them
selves IN the minority, left the hall to their OPP
ponents, who adopted resolutions condemna-
tory of the president and in support of sena
tors Coming and Plat.
There is no doubt that Senator Conkling,
though in divesting himself all government pa
tronage through his quarrel with Garfield, he
may have "lost his grip" on the party leaders
and precinct politicians, is, with the mass or
the people, who neither expect or want office,
rs strong as ever. So that though IN this con-
test at Albany he may be beaten, the poll
tcians know very we'll he will he shorn of Int.
tie of his real strength in the grand popular
forum, and that ne Will still remain Il man
whom it will be death to the republican par
~ to cast overheard.