Year: 1876

Within the ensuing day or two all the New
York delegates will be en- route for Cincin-
natl. They 60 to the scene of action full of
hope and courage, with the disposition and
ability for energetic efforts and with strong
confidence in the success of their candidate.
They are inspired by creditable feeling of
State pride, by warm personal admiration of
the man of their choice, by perfect trust,
founded on many trials, in his brilliant quali-
ties as a leader; by an unfaltering belief in
his ability to carry the Empire State against
any competitor whom the Democratic party
may put into the field against him. 1t is con-
ceded by all competent judges that New York
will be the main battle ground of the cam
paign, and that neither party can elect the
President If 1t loses this State. In the estima-
tion of Mr.. Conkling's friends, his strength as
candidate lies in the expectation that he can
carry New York, while it is certain that Blaine
cannot, that Morton cannot, that Bristow can
not, and that Washburne or Hayes would be
weaker than the man who Is the conceded
leader OF the Republican party of the State.


If it were the appointed task of the Cincin-
natl convention TO nominate q candidate who
would please the greatest number OF Republi-
cans, Senator Conkling might not be the
strongest man in the party. II the Republi-
can National Convention were an electoral
college, and not a mere nominating body, its
action would be as free as that of the Union
League Club in electing its president, or that
Of college of cardinals in electing Pope.
Democrats have no voice In choosing presi-
dent of the Union League Club; Protestsnts
have no voice In the election of q Pope, but
the Cincinnati convention, instead of choosing
President, will merely propose q candidate.
The Democratic party will have something to
say on the question of his election. II the
convention at Cincinnati had a commission to
elect the next President, and were under no
necessity of looking to any other Endorsement
than that of the Republican party In the
several States, 1t would be safe for 1t to act as
the sacred college does in the election of
Pope, which pays no regard to Protestant feel
ing. But the problem at Cincinnati is not to
find the candidate who would please the largest
number of Republicans, but a candidate who
can be elected. There are fifteen States which
can be securely relied on to give majorities for
the Republican ticket, whether their prefer
ences are Endorsed at Cincinnati or not. There
are fifteen other States which the Republicans
cannot carry in any event. 1t would be politi-
cal idiocy to nominate with reference either to
the fifteen States which the Republican party
can have no hope of carrying or with reference
to the other fifteen whose support of any fair
ticket admits Of no doubt. The election will
be decided by the few doubtful States.
The ticket on both sides, If wisely selected,
will be made up with view to It's chances of
success in those States on which tae election
is TO hinge, and especially New York, which is
the grand pivot of this campaign. The party
which wins New York will win the election;
the party which loses New York will be bank
rupt for the ensuing four years. If anything
relating to the canvass is certain this is certain.
Every prominent politician on both sides ad-
mits that the canvass hinges just here, no esti-
mate Of chances made up and paraded by either
party leaving out q claim TO New York, or in
cluding votes enough TO elect the President
without those of this State.


The great strength of Senator Conkling lies
in the undeniahle fact that his party can have
no rational hope of success without New York,
and that Mr.. Conkling is stronger in New
York than any other Republican in the United
States. He stands higher In New York than
any other Republican for various reasons, all
Of which have some weight. In the first place,
his abilities are superior 10 those of any other
Republican since the death of Mr.. Seward and
the alienation of Mr.. Adams, and IL is natural
that the party in bis own State should be
proud of his intellectual pre- -eminenee. In the
second place, he has been for several years the
recognized leader of the New York Republi-
cans, and they have found him q safe man to
follow. Every Republican who has competed
with him for the leadership of the party In I
this State has been rejected by the people and
remaDied 10 private life, including the three
Cx- Governors AMI -SeBa, ors, Messrs Fenton,
Dix and Morgan. No Republican in the
State approaches Senator Conkling In politi-
cal influence, and no Republican outside of
the Stale has anything like his hold on the
confidence and admiration of the party in New
York. Now, considering that the great prob