Year: 1878




The question now uppermost in all minds
which take an active interest in the poiitics
of the country is, ''What next ?-and next'
Political calculations are for the present
baffled and disconnected. 1t will take
week or two for party managers ana ma
nipulators to recover from the shock ana
distraction of the unexpected news from
Maine, which put an extinguisher on
the last glimmering hope OF re-
publican majority in the next Congress.
Democratic politicians will exaggerate the
consequences of the republican defeat In
Maine. and are likely to be SO elated as to
fancy that they can safely venture on the
widest experiments. They are more likely
than ever before to perpetrate some OF those
stupendous and fatal blunders which Gen.
eral Grant thinks they can always be relied
on to commit whenever victory seems TO be
within their grasp. But if they should
steer clear of wrecking mistakes their
chances are not merely good but resplend-
ent for carrying the next Presidential
election. The drift of events is so
strongly in their favor that nothing
but their own folly and blunders, the
fruit OF over-sanguine and high wrought
expectations, can defeat them. ihey are
already certain Of both houses of the next
Congress, and their subsequent success de-
pends on the wise or unwise use they may
make of legislative authority. If no eyre
gious mistakes are made in the first session
of the Forty sixth Congress-the session OF
lS79-SO it is morally certain that the dem
ocratic party will elect the next President
This hopeful outlook, which. in demo-
cratic estimation, is an assured prospect,
will impart liveliness and animation
to the contest inside the democratic
party for it's Presidential nomination
in $780, The republican aspirants Will
stand back and rather deprecate nomlna-
ton than court it, making clear, open
space around General Grant if he will con-
sent to be the republican candidate. But
the democratic aspirants will regard a nom
ination as equivalent to an election, and
from this time forth there will be vehe-
ment competition for the first place on the
| democratic Presid entail ticket.


The new face which has been put upon
the political situation by the Maine election
will infuse energy and animation into the
democratic struggle in New York for the
control of the State Convention. Mr.. Til
den feels that lie has n right of pre-
emption on the National Convention of
his party, and that his only chance
! Of asserting this assumed right with sue
cess depends on his regaining control OF
the democratic organization of his own
| State. MIR. Tilden is the most secretive
| of American politicians but it is supposed
| that bis sstill hunt" method has been pur-
! sued with even more than his ordinary dill
| gence, and the Maine election will infuse
| new ardor and confidence into his efforts.
| There is no county or Assembly district in
the State where Mr.. Tilden has not ac-
knowledge gives him great facilities for the
effective underhand work in which he ex-
cels His vigorous antagonist, Mr. John
Kelly, knows the politics of New
York city ''like book" but he is
no match for MIR. Tilden in ma
nipulating the rural democracy. It re-
mains to be seen which of the two will
|
come into conflict in the Democratic State
Convention. 1t is o matter of political life
and death with Mr.. Tilden to control the
Syracuse Convention, for if Mr.. Kelly
should triumph over him there the defeated
candidate of 1876 may as well chang his
harp upon the willows and sit down by the
rivers of Babylon and weep." The. fresh
hopes of democratic success inspired by
the result in Maine will invigorate the
struggle on both sides. Mr. Tilden has a
stanch ally in Governor Robinson, who.
like Mr.. Tilden, is strong in the
rural districts of the State, and
understands them almost as well. II
is certain that the conjoint influence of the
actual Governor and the Ex-Governor will
be exerted to the utmost for securing ma
jority of the delegates at Syracuse; and
since the rural delegates largely outnumbel
the city delegates there is a chance that Mr..
Kelly, omnipotent as he is in the city, may
be foiled.


1t is safe to assume TINT Mr.. Kelly will not
show his hand in city politics until after he
has fought his battle in the State CoDven-
ton. II he comes back victorious from
that scene of action he will be clothed with
n prestige which will make him monarch OF
all he surveys III municipal politics.
He will not disclose who his candidate
is for Mayor or any city Office
until it Is seen whether he comes back as 9
conquering hero from Syracuse. If he con-
trolls the State Convention, if he ''lays out
Mr. Tilden and his supporters in that body,
he will put on the con nfidont airs Of die.
tator in city politics, and no section OF the
local democracy will be bold enough te
resist his will. But il he returns from Syra
cuse like u beaten garnecock. with dropping
plnmage. the antiIammany democrats will