Year: 1868

of the New York democracy. Published at
the capital of the State, within the immediate
influence Of the Central Committee, and OF the
democratic State government elected by the
sweeping revolution of last fall, it is cautious


and prudent in it's utterances, and is not apt


to commit itself to any positive position unless


previously advised of its acceptance by the
leaders and representative men OF the party.
1t is, therefore, safe to conclude from the
recent emphatic endorsement Of the nomina-


ton of Chief Justice Chase by the democratic


organ, that the New York delegates have be-
come convinced of the wisdom of accepting a
candidate who will cast the veil of oblivion


over the revolutionary past, and will fight the
battle Of the Presidential campaign upon the
living issues of the present and the broad
policy Of the future. Several weeks ago, at
an informal meeting of leading democratic
politicians, Governor Seymour pronounced
himself in favor of Chase's nomination, and in
his Cooper Institute speech last week, although
avoiding the personality of names, he laid
down policy for the party which plainly in
dictated his adherence to his previously pro-
claimed preference. But, although emanating
from distinguished and popular leader, these
declarations were no more than the expression
of an individual, and as such were naturally
limited in their influence upon the action of
the Convention. The formal annunciation of
definite line of policy by the recognized
organ of the party, speaking by authority, is
quite another affair.". 1t removes all doubt as





to the position of New York in the present


struggle and forces upon the Convention of


next Saturday the necessity Of choosing be-
tween the nomination of Chase and the final


destruction Of the existing democratic organi-


cation.


In every great political crisis the intelli-


gence, activity and broad commercial interests
| of New York have pushed the State far ahead


of other parts of the country and given her


the leading position in all important move


ments. This was the case in 1900, when the


hot contest commencing in New York re-
suited in the overthrow of federalism and the
triumph of the republicans, and thence extend
| ing over the Union carried Jefferson and
Burr into power 1t has been so from the
election of Jackson down to the present
time. The great difficulty with the demo-


cratic leaders has been that for the past twenty
years they have obstinately shut their eyes to


the progress of events and persisted in com


mitting series of political blunders which


have left them far behind the point reached by


the Intelligence and forethought of the people.


In lS4S, if they had gone in solid body with


the free democracy Of which Chase had years


before become pioneer-if they had adopted


Van Buren's platform not to extend, nationaize


or encourage slavery, but to limit and locaize


it, they would have utterly demolished Seward


and his party, and have brought the Southern


States of necessity into the support of an


organization which, while opposing the spread


of slavery, would yet have guaranteed it all
its constitutional rights where it legally
existed. They refused to do So and New


York. by her united Taylor and Van Buren,
vote, gave majority of a quarter Of million
against the pro-slavery candidate. In 1854,
under the administration Of poor Pierce, who
had been elected over a military mummy,
if Marcy had needed the voice of
New York, and resolutely opposed the
repeal OF the Missouri Compromise, the Ostend
Conference and all the other pro-slayerv
schemes that spread excitement and indigna-
tion over the free States, instead of yielding to
the demands of JEFF Davis, Soule, Mason and
their friends, the seeds of the revolution which
sprang up and choked and destroyed the demo-
cratic party in the Charleston and Baltimore
Conventions would never have been soyn.
But the administration of poor Pierce was
what it was, and in 1850 New York pave
fifty thousand majority for Lincoln. In 1862
the country had become dissatisfied with the
manner in which the war was conducted bv
the republican party, and New York spoke in
the most emphatic tones and turned hep ffty
thousand republican majority of 1860 into a
democratic majority of ten thousand. AT that
time If the democracy had needed the voice of
New York they might have forever taken the
management of the war out of the hands of the
republican party and insured the success of
their candidate in the next Presidential cleo
tion. But Seymour and his friends chose TO
return to their old hereses and follies: 10
counsel resistance to the draft to talk Of The
failure of the war in the very teeth of
splendid Union victories, and New York again
repudiated them, as did all the other States of
the Union. In 1867 the tide of revolution.
setting slowly In against the violence of the
Jacobin Congress and the complete demoraliza-
ton Of the government under tbe reckless leg
islation Of the radicals, was swelled into food
when hreached New York. While other States
spoke leeby in hard won victories or decreased
republican votes. New York, by her magnificent
triumph Of fifty thousand democratic majority.
again placed herself at the head OF The move !