Year: 1876




which adjourned sine die on the 3lst of Au-
gust and has been called to reassemble
on Wednesday next. 1t is worth while
for our readers to run through this
mass of interviews, for they convey
vivid idea of the difficulties with which the
reassembed Convention will have to cope.
Hardly any two Of the multitudinous dele
gates whose crude opinions we have ELECTED
are of the same mind. They do not even
agree on the merely historical question of
the sources Of the great blunder perpctrated
before their eyes when they were first as
sembled. and there is n still greater diver
gencc of opinion as to what they ought to do,
or what they arc likely to do when they
meet again in obedience to the call of the
State Committee These delegates are in
state of utter bewilderment. They are
blindly cropping in search of candidate,
not one in the whole number having fixed
choice, but each hoping, or protesting to
hope, that some name may be found on
which the party can agree. They are like
sheep without shepherd, or rather, they
resemble faithful pack of hounds smell





and awaiting the halloo of their mas
ter and the starting of the expected
game to leap forward in full cry. 1t is
singular spectacle which these embarrassed
delegates, these "many men Of many
minds" present to curious observers. No
body can predict what they will do when
they assemble, for not n man in their whole
bor lal


There is only one way out of this purpose
less imbecility. and that is for few innu-
ential leaders to combine on some expedient
candidate and bring their followers into
line before the Convention meets.
When tho great mass of delegates
are so undecided it needs but
small nucleus Of resolute men acting to-
gether with vigorous unity to "slate' q cam
didate and carry him through. In this i'm
beetle and purposeless attitude of the dele
gates no other method can succeed. Cover
nor Seymour, in the interview which we
printed on Saturday, hints this as broadly
as he could without saying it directly. His
cautious and guarded phraseology translated
in plain, blunt English means that





der in helpless confusion unless slate
is agreed on previous to meeting. He
feels that it does not become him to dictate,
and he hesitates even to suggest but if his
suggestion has any clear meaning it is that
the Convention will find itself in q new
muddle if it meets without prearranged
plan. Governor Seymour said to our cor





the democratic party increased the number
OF delegates from one hundred and twenty
eight to three hundred and eighty-four.
This makes consultation impossible. 1t
causes disorder and excitement. 1t CON-
pels either what is called slate-making in
advance or else great confusion before any
policy can be marked out. Conventions
ought to be occasions for consultation, and
the old system should be restored"


1t is certain that the ''old system" cannot
'be restored" to meet the present emergency,
and the party must face the alternative of
'either what is called slate-making or else
great confusion" But in a conjuncture so
critical great confusion" is certain destruc-
ton. The party will be shipwrecked if the
reassembled Convention gets into wrangle
and tries to wash the dirty linen which the
former session left behind it. Governor
Seymour is Of opinion that "what is called
slate-making' is tho only alternative to
"great confusion" in a body so numerous as
to "make consultation impossible" The
mistake of making the Convention
unwedy and unmanageable by trebling its
numbers cannot be remedied this year. and
slate-making is necessary to rescue the
party, unless Governor Seymour is mis-
taken. The party leaders gave the strong
est evidence that they share this opinion in
their persistent efforts to wiring an accept
ance from Mr.. Seymour, and avoid the con-
fusion and decentralization of reconvening
so numerous and sprawling body as the
late Convention. They felt the difficulty of
stating its proceedings, and perceived tho
ruin of leaving it to founder.


Only two days remain before the Conven-
ton reassembles, and as yet there is no
agreement on candidate and no plan of
action. This lack of preconcerted unity
bodies no good to the democratic party.
After tho Seymour yfosco contentious,
wranging Convention will shatter every rea-
sonable hope of carrying the State. The
weakest candidate in the list or out of the
list, nominated with unanimity, would
have better chances than the strongest
if nominated after great and confusing
row. Things have come to such n pass that
the New YORK democracy cannot afford
struggle of clnshing factions at Saratoga.
plainly as propriety would permit HIM to
say it, but it is so obvious that no sensible
democrat should fail to see it without a
monitor. But, in spite of warning and re-
monstrance. the party is all agog and seems