Year: 1866

STATE ELESIlON.


1t was remarked by the First NAPOLEON
during his second exile, to DR.. OMEARA, that
the Bourbons neither forgot nor learned any
thing; by which he meant that they neither
forgot to cling to hereditary errors nor
learned any wisdom from the logic Of cur
rent political events The Democratic party
Of New York State arc in about that condi-
ton. They cling SO tenaciously to their
party traditions as to be perfectly blind to all
the facts relating to the altered condition Of
the country and the altered circumstances Of
political parties.


This was so apparent during the war, that
the late DEAN RICHMOND, the wisest man
among them, undertook to wheel the en-
tire party into support Of the war. This
was resisted by HoRArIo SEYMOUR and JoHS
VAN BuREN and their bevy Of admirers. At
their last National Convention, at Chicago,
Mr.. RICHMOND made vigorous effort to beat
this idea into the heads Of the SEYMoURITEs,
but was overruled, and their anti-war platform
and overwhelming defeat at the polls were
the resulting consequences. At the close
of the war, the Democratic party in
New York, as elsewhere, was broken down
and utterly demoralzcd. Its war record
like BASQuo's ghost, haunted its chambers
in every part Of the country. RICHMOND
made another effort to convince his friends
that as party they were dcfunct, and that
the only possible way for conservative Dem
ocrats to save themselves was to endeavor
to effect union with the conservative Re-
publicans who supported President JouNsoN's
administration The Philadelphia August
Convention afforded the opportunity which
that wise politician desired, and he put forth
his great energies to separate the sheep of
his flock from the goats, and get into this
body none but conservative Democrats Of
good war antecedents, who were willing to
fuse with conservative Republicans and stand
by Mr.. SEWARD and the policy he supported
And although he was partially defeated in
this purpose, (several anti-war Democrats
creeping into the delegation from fear o.
being left out in the cold,) he succeeded at
Philadelphia in making his friends keep 81.
lence and allow the conservative Republican
delegates to guide the action of that body.


Had RICHMOND lived and retained his
health, there is no reasonable doubt that he
would have been able to have kept his politi-
cal friends in that State upon the track
marked out at Philadelphia. But unfortun-
ately he sickened and died whilst on his way
home; and his death left his party without a
leader of influence and wisdom enough to
keep it up to any saving standard.


1t is true that the State nominating con-
vention held subsequently, at Albany was
composed in part Of conservative Republi
cans, and it is true that body put ROBERT ii
PRuYN, conservative Republican, upon it
ticket; yet the tone Of the speeches of thu
Democratic delegates was such as to sla!
their ticket the instant it was nominated
General JOIN A. Dix was the man who wa!
clearly indicated for Governor by every die
tate of sound policy. Had he been nomi
mated he would have been elected beyon'
the shadow Of doubt. But SEYMOUR
friends would not consent TO that; and il
their heat they declared that the Democrat
party was strong enough to dispense wit
any extraneous aid.


The result was that the ticket nominated
the HoFFMAN ticket, so-called-was run an'
advocated in most Of the State, not as
National Union" ticket, but as a Demo
cratic ticket This cast wet blanket owe
the entire movement, disgusted the conserv0
tive Republicans who had favored the Phia
delphia Convention and the fusion of consei
vatives of both parties for the restoration 0
the Union, embarrassed the canvass, and
naturally enough, doomed the ticket to dc
feat. The Fenian element was drawn int
the support Of the radicals but it was no
sufficient to have turned the scale if Gen
DIX had been nominated and the policy 0
the Philadelphia Convention had been faith
fully carried out.


The moral of this is perfectly clear. Th
masses of the people of the State of Ne
York will not consent to restore copperhcat
to power again in that State or in the natiol
This is what DEAN RICHMOND tried in vain
teach his Democratic friends. This is whG
the Philadelphia Convention endeavored t
inculcatc This is what President JoHYsO
and Secretary SEWARD have hundreds c
times intimated. And this is the moral c
the recent New York State election. Wi
the Democrats Of that State understand


now, and thus be wiser than the Bourbon
who would never learn anything from til
ineXorablc logic OF current cvents2 w


shall see.