Year: 1874




be chiefly given by wealthy democrats of this
city; and unless they feel that their party is
strong and unconquerable at home and q
tower of strength for the democracy of the
other States to lean against they will have no
hopes and, therefore, no motive to be liberal
Everything is staked. therefore. on the posi-
bility of carrying the New York election this
year, and thereby giving the party the pres
tige and influence of a democratic Governor in
Office during the campaign of 1876.


The democratic leaders are sagacious enough
to understand that General Dix, the inev-
liable candidate of the republicans, will be no
easy man to beat They perceive that in
bringing out candidate they must guard
against two principal sources of weakness
first, the lingering anti Tammany feeling,
which has been such damaging obstruction
and, secondly, the fresh popularity which
Governor Dix has acquired by his admirable
message to the Legislature demonstrating
against imitation. They will probably try to
find a candidate who combines in the highest
degree an unimpeachable and aggressive hos



for its life with thoroughgoing soundness of
financial views. There are, doubtless, men in
the party who think they combine these indis-
pensable requisites but whether the people
Of the State will recognize the claim is quite
another question Certain it is that no can
didate whose very name is not guarantee
on these cardinal points has any chance Of
competing successfully with General Dix.


Such a candidate for Governor, if the demo-
cratic party can find and elect him, will have
the fairest chance for the Presidential nomi-
ton in 1876. He would 60 into the National
Convention with the thirty five votes OF this
State, and the assured certainty that they
would be cast for him throughout. His friends
would say that he could certainly carry New
York against any republican candidate after
defeating the most popular republican in the
State for Governor, and that New York is
too important a State to be put in any
jeopardy. They would also say with truth
that the money needed for election expenses,
which must in any event be mostly supplied
by New York, could be raised more easily and





ton of citizen of the State. These being
the democratic views Of the situation, it will
be readily conceded that the meeting at the
Manhattan Club this evening is we'll worth
watching until it shall appear whether the
hopes by which it is inspired have any good
foundation.


It may be thought that making social re-
spectability organized in club chief full
crum of politics is not very democratic.
But the democratic party, with all its pro-
fessions of equality, has never been anything
but an aristocracy Of political leaders. There
was never time when it's action in this State
was not controlled by fewer than dozen men.
The Van Burens, Wrights, Marcys, Flaggs.
Croswells, Richmonds and other noted
never for day, except with their
mere lips, recognized the political equality of
men. If all citizens controlled merely one
vote they would be politically equal But
man who can control no vote but his own
was not born to shine in politics. The wealth,
talents, connections and capacity for intrigue
and combination by which party movements
are directed make their possessors q veritable
political aristocracy, and by such an aristoc-
racy the democratic party has always been
led, from the days of Jefferson down, as
much so in this State as in old democratic
Virginia, when her politics were in the hands
Of her F. r. VS..