Year: 1876

hOrk AAcpuDAtcuhs 0emAho AoscOo


ConkIing.


The meeting of the Convention at Syracuse
to-day will be an important event, as show
ing the attitude of the republican party in
New York on the question of the Presidency.
It will go far toward determining what the
party throughout the country will do The
action of the State of New Hampshire has
shown that the country is by no means in
the hands of the democrats On the con-
trary, there is no reason why, if the republ-
cans nre wise, it should not be carried by
the republicans. Thus far the democrats
have presented no issues, with the exception
of administration reform, on which they
could expect TO carry the country. Admin
istration reform is an issue that may be
fought as we'll within the ranks of the re-
publican party as outside. The republicans
have a half dozen candidates in reserve with
as good record for honesty as any that
can be named by the democrats They have
also the power Of the administration. Who
ever may be nominated Grant will be too
anxious to win the Endorsement or the quasi
Endorsement that must come with the sue
cess of the republican party TO permit any
hesitancy on the part of the offce-holders as
to their duty in the canvass. More than III
the impulse of party fealty will go far tow
ard drawing the republicans closer aud
closer together. The fall of BellSnap, so far
as it may withdraw Grant from the canvass
and destroy Cesarism, may be a great good
to the party. Just now there is nothing like
the mutiny that was seen in the early part
of the canvass of 1872.


Consequently it is of the gravest impor-
tance, not only to the party, but to the coun-
try, what the Convention at Syracuse will do.
For some time past there has been a rising
current for Roscoe Conkling as the choice of
republicans in New York for the Presi-
dency. The general sense of the party, Of
the men who do the hard work, has been that
Mr.. Conkling is their natural leader and
should have the nomination. This senti-
ment grew naturally, and was the express
sion Of the party's sense of the great
ability and service of Mr.. Conkling.
His enemies criticisms are really his
high praise. Enemies say that he is a
partisan, combatant; that he has stood by
the administration through good and bad re-
port, never questioning any of its actions;
that he has been the leal friend of Grant,
fighting his enemies and giving him not
hating timid, questioning support, like
that of Edmunds Morrill, and others-who
are only republicans as long as they can
make anything out of the party, and hasten
to abandon it when there is any reputation
for independence" to be won-but sup
port that never varied in sunshine or
storm Now, if this is the objection against
Mr.. Conkling, and we can find no other, the
men who make it are men who have served
Grant for the greater part of his administra-
ton with slavish devotion. Who has done
as much to strengthen the President as Mr.
Curtis who now leads the opposition to Mr.
Conkling because he is favorite of the
President? For years the voice of Mr.. Cur
tis has been eloquent and incessant in praise
of Grant. So long as there we're foreign Min
listers and Cabinet officers to be appointed
the statesmen of the Union League, who now
clamor for administration REFORM" were
the truculent champions of Grant and all
that pertained to his administration. Now
they censure Mr.. Conkling for what they have
made merit of doing themselves as long as it
was possible that the President might take
them into the service of the government.
No, gentlemen; whatever virtue there may
be an anti-Grant record within the republi-
can party does not belong to you, or even to
Mr.. Curtis. You have not the record to op-
pose Mr.. Conkling. Not one of you can
throw the first %one The difference between
Mr.. Conkling and most of those opposed to
him is that he declined the highest Office
within the gift Of the President. They talk
about administrative reform, which means
their own appointments to Office. Looked
at from a mere party sense there is nothing
more selfish than the movement against Mr..
Conkling. 1t is q movement that should
not for moment be encouraged by republi-
cans in New York.


The objections to Mr.. Conkling do not
hold against him as republican, however
they may affect him as a statesman. Should
Mr.. Conkling come before the country as q
candidate for the Presidency it will be time
lot tne peoPie 10 coh'aSs tnese ouJecuons.
But they do not belong to q republican con-
vention for when we ask Mr. Cur
tbs and his friends for their objec-
tions their answer, properly translated,
is, that 'AIr. Conkling is republican and
has never halted in his support of a repub-
lican administration. Well, this admins
tration has thus far won the support and the
Endorsement of every republican conven-
ton. Can sincere republicans, then, object
TO man whose principal offence is that he
has never abandoned his party2 1t is said
that there is objection to Mr.. Conkling be-
cause he is not the choice Of the State, like
Mr.. Lincoln and General Grant. This is the