New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-12

,ni,4ee oonsist;nr If Isaac Dayton, Thomas &.
Acton and Newman Sherwood, appointed 10 con-
fer with the Wing Committee With view 10
matchmaking the two organizations were treated
with scant courtesy by the representatives OF the
older party when thee called at the Wing meet
ing in the old Broadway House.
They simply bounced us out, is the way MT.
Acton describes tie experience OF himself ana
his friends But Mr.. Acton was not greatly caso
down over this failure TO effect consohoatloh'
nor were his neutrality-suspicious.. with perfect
faith in the ultimate triumph OF hepupllc"Ai
y..rincples. they went ahead with the work oil
party organization, and IN far less tAah uecouc
after the Stuyvesant Hall meeting Republican
Mayor, Mr.. Opdyle, had been elected IN New
York. The Wing party had ceased to be OF any
practical importance in politics. The last Wing
70 hold office in the city was eX-Mayor A. Oakley
Hall. Tre was District-Attorney when the war
broke out. Another active Wing who also alter
ward became notorious in Tammany Hall was
the late prince Harry" Genet. The last chair
man of the Wing County Executive ComnlV'ee
was the veteran George b. Deane, now vlce-presI-
dent Of the Republican County Committee
But while Republican county organization
was thus early formed, it must not DE supposeu
that it was anything like the organization thae
now represents the party here III was Simply viie
nucleus of what exists at present. Inc Olu WING
General Committee consisted of an OId Mems anu
a Young Mems Committee. Each of these was
made mn of five delegates from each ward, re-
gardless of the partys voting strength there Inc
maxim of old men for counsel and young men
for war" seems to have been the idea upon
which Wing organization was originally based
though in practice the young men were frequently
found on the side of the elders and gray-halrs as
often among the youthful delegates. The ke-
publicans constructed their organization at hrSt
on similar lines They had also young men
and old mems committee, and the same arpltrary
basis of representation-that is, five members from
each ward-was maintained for years. The En-
ecutive Committee was simply joint committee
Of the Old Men and Young Men, one of each from
every ward.
The unfairness of allowing every ward an equal
vote in the party councils wGs pointed out early
in the history of the organization. A vigorous
effort was made TO correct 1T, but despite the fact
that some wards, the With, for example, which at
one time had only about twenty Republican votes
in il, had few more members of the party than
the delegates they sent the old Wing system was
kept in practice for a long time When at last
il was decided to base the representation In the
committee ON the vote cast for the party candl-
dates. there was much dissatisfaction expressed,
thoroughly
of the fathers. Equally strong opposition was
also offered to another change which was made
about the same time. This was the decision to
have the State Committee made up as it now Isl
one member from each Congress District, instead
of from each Judicial District, as formerly.
A complete history of the Republican organiza-
ton in New-York down to 1871 would involve
the history of the various elements that composed
it, such as the Wings, the American party the
Wideawakes, the War-Eagle party, the Union
League, the Grant Club, the johnson party, and
various other associations. At no time prior to
the year named could it be said that the entire
party was represented in one central committee
such as we have now. And since that time no
second or opposing organization has been able to
maintain itself here.
Rival organizations have been confined for the
last twenty years TO Assembly Districts. vi
course it is hardly necessary to say that causes
for this lack Of unity existed then that have
long since passed away. What was known as
the johnson party, for example, was composed
largely of those Federal offcehOlders and their
numerous friends, who supported, or tried to sup
port, the policy Of Mr.. Lincons successor. They
had complete organization Of their own, and
maintained that they were regular SO did their
opponents. Later the personal currents became
especially marked IN the State ana city poIlllcs
Governor FcntOn had, during his two terms
from 1865 10 1869, acquired the political leader
ship and held it until Roscoe Conkling's rising
power had created strong rivalry. The strug-
Gle Of these antagonstic interests appeared IN the
State Convention Of 1870, when Mr. Greeley was
defeated for Governor and Stewart l.. WoOdford
was nominated. In 1871 it appeared in still
more decisive form. Through the contention of
these opposing wings the general committees and
two organizations of the party had been created
in this county, each claiming the seal of regu-
larity and each sending a full delegation 10 the
State Convention. One represented the friends of
Mr.. Greeley and Mr.. Fenton, the other the friends
of mfr. Conkling. The significance of the
contest was fully recognized IL was deci-
sive trial of strength between two divisions.
Each of the New-York County delegations went
TO the convention. which was held at Syracuse
with the utmost confidence. There were clever
politicians on both sides. -" Hank" Smith and
Waldo Hutchins, who afterward went over 10
the Democracy, were conspicuous among the
Greeley and Fenton managers, while on the Conk-