Year: 1875

/
will be to Governor Tilden. Almost every
local convention to choose delegates has
passed resolution of eulogy and virtually in
structed its delegates not to cross the wishes
of the Governor. sense of official pro-
priety will prevent his going to Syracuse;
but he will be represented there either by
Senator Herman or some other democrat of
high standing who possesses his confidence.
The platform, drafted in advance by the
most skilful pen in the party, will be sub
mitted to the Governor for approval and
emendation. The action of the Convention
on essential points will be ''cut and dried"
and the public expects harmonious body,
whose well oiled machinery will run without
friction and consume little time. Consider
ing that Governor Tilden is a prominent
candidate for the Presidency, it may be
doubted whether it is quite wise for the
local conventions to proclaim that the State
Convention will be wax in his hands.


On the whole and in a large view we think
it is wise. There is no room for doubt on
this point in respect to local New York
issues. So far as the reform question in
volved in Governor Tilden's vigorous war on
the Canal Ring is concerned it is good
tactics for the party to promise strong sup
port to the Governor. But the nation at
large feels little interest in the New York
Canal Ring and it is absurd for Governor
Tilden and his friends to suppose that this
local question can eclipse national questions
of universal interest. If Mr.. Tilden were
not a Presidential candidate, if everything
done or omitted by his State Convention
were not to be planned with reference to his
Presidential chances, it would do very well
to obscure and subordinate the financial ques-
ton. But in the list of national questions
this stands first, and it would be fatal for a
Convention which Governor Tilden will
control to ignore or belittle it, especially since
the democrats of Pennsylvania have indorsed
the Ohio infationists. The people Of the
United States will look to the Syracuse plat
form for an expression of Governor Tilden's
views on the question which is likely to be
paramount in the Presidential canvass. They
will regard its declaration on the currency
as the expression of his personal views. If
the Syracuse Convention shirks this ques-
ton, or speaks with bated breath, the coun-
try will regard it as proof that Governor
Tilden has 'caved, and as a proof of his
willingness to run for the Presidency on an
imitation platform. The Endorsement of the
Ohio infationists by the Pennsylvania dem
ocrats concentrates public interest on this
point Outside the State of New York the |
misdeeds of the Canal Ring are bagatelle |
in comparison


We should have no misgivings as to the |
action of the Syracuse Convention if Gov
ernor Tilden were not a candidate for the |
Presidency. Nobody doubts that New York
is hard money State, or that in this State
both political parties favor sound currency.
In contest waged with sole reference to
New York opinion neither party would be
tempted to falter on the initiation question.
Unfortunately Governor Tilden is looking
outside of the State. Besides wishing to de-
monstrate his personal strength by carrying
the New York election, he is trying to recon-
mend himself to the Democratic National
Convention. Success in that body is likely
to depend on the position Of the candidate
with reference to the overshadowing question
of the currency. If the Syracuse Convention
should denounce the imitation heresy of its
party in Ohio, indorsed by the Pennsylvania,
Indiana and Missouri democrats, Governor
Tilden's Presidential hopes would go into a
hopeless eclipse. Will he sacrifice them for
principle? When we recollect that his |
friend, Governor Seymour, accepted, in 1868, |
a Presidential nomination on Pendleton
platform, which he scorned; when we
recollect that Judge Church and Governor
Hoffman supported that platform on the
stump against their convictions we fear that
Governor Tilden will not be their superior
in public virtue. The Presidency is so
tempting and dazzling a prize that nobody |
can safely predict what any politician will do
who has got that ''bee in his bonnet"


Our doubts as to Governor Tilden are JUS
tilted by several circumstances. In the first |
place he has maintained q studied silence on |
the imitation question since it was faunted |
in the eyes of the country by the Ohio demo-
Gratis lie has evinced the same lack of polit-
ical courage as Mr.. Thurman and Mr.. Hen
bricks, his two most formidable rivals
for the Presidential nomination. Like
them, he dares not speak out and denounce
the infationists; and if they should not be
denounced and defed in the Syracuse plat
form Mr.. Tilden will be classed with his
Western rivals. His silence, when he has so
good chance to speak through convention |
which he will control, would be regarded as
q proof that the infationists had subdued |
every prominent democrat and that the |
Ohio platform is the accepted party creed. |
If any democrat is ever to speak out in
strong denunciation of infation that act of |
political courage is reserved for Governor
Tilden in the opportunity afforded him by |
political convention obsequious to his wishes


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