New York Democratic State Convention of 1883

The Cortland News, Friday, October 2, 1883.

New York Democratic State Convention.

   At the New York Democratic State convention in Buffalo Thomas E. Benedict was chosen chairman. The resolution adopted by last year's convention, declaring the County Democracy to be the regular organization in the city and county of New York, but allotting Tammany twenty-four and Irving Hall ten of the seventy-two delegates, was again agreed upon. Following are the nominations: For secretary of state, Isaac H. Maynard; controller, Alfred C. Chapin; treasurer, Robert A. Maxwell; attorney-general, Dennis O'Brien; engineer and surveyor, Elnathan Sweet. The platform adopted reads as follows:

   The Democracy of New York reaffirms the platform adopted at its last State convention which has received the approval of the people, as shown by a majority of nearly 200,000 at the last election, and they especially denounce the proposition that the people should be taxed to raise a surplus fund for the Federal government to distribute among the States. We claim with pride and satisfaction that every pledge therein made has been in good faith redeemed. Valuable reforms have been wrought; useless offices have been abolished; the civil service has been freed from the debasing and injurious influences at partisan manipulation; the freedom and purity of primaries have been secured; political assessments have been abolished; receivership abuses have been corrected; the principle of local self-government has been adhered to; the efficiency of the national guard has been increased; taxation for the support of government has been reduced; a State bureau of labor statistics has been established; the rights of the working man have been further protected, and the injurious competition of convict labor has been curtailed. Business methods have been the rule in the management of State affairs.

   On the record thus made, and to which it will steadfastly adhere, the Democratic party asks a renewed award of the confidence of the people. We invite with reason all friends of improved State administration, irrespective of party, to join with the Democracy in preserving and perfecting the reform in progress and in extending them to all branches of the State service. We heartily indorse Governor Cleveland's administration. It justifies the great vote which elected him. He has deservedly won the affection of the people by his industry, firmness, intelligence and aggressive honesty. The results make his administration one of the best the State ever had.

Democratic State Convention.

   The Democratic State Convention, held at Buffalo last week, was composed of the same discordant elements which characterized their county convention in this county the week before, only on a larger scale. The regulars under the leadership of Daniel Manning had full control of that convention as they had here under the leadership of Hon. O. U. Kellogg. The real John Kelly, with his twenty-four car-loads of Tammany braves, attempted to control the State Convention, the same as the miniature Cortland Kelly, with his paid satellites, attempted the control of the Democratic County Convention, and with the same results. In both cases the kickers and bolters of four years ago were overthrown and went home swearing, while the regulars smiled upon the fruits of their labors and regularity.

   John Kelly all the time insists that Tammany is the regular Democratic organization in the city of New York, and every year charters an extra special train to take his backers and claquers from the city of New York to the State Convention wherever it may be held. But when he gets there he finds about two to one given to the "County Democracy" and "Irving Hall Democracy," and the result is that while he is permitted to vote a part of the New York city delegation, any candidate favored by him is surely defeated.

   This year he put forward Mr. Wm. Purcell, of Rochester, for Secretary of State, and had high hopes that the name of Purcell would carry him through. He had been chairman of the State committee, and is editor of an influential Democratic daily in Rochester, and ordinarily his very name would be a tower of strength. But John Kelly supported him, and "a man is known by the company he keeps," and so an obscure man among the hills of Delaware county was picked up and laid him out. Politicians will yet learn that no matter what name is presented to a regular convention, no matter how unexceptionable personally, if he is a chronic bolter of his party or is advocated by chronic bolters, his fate is sealed. And it ought to be.

   The balance of the ticket was made up in the same way until toward the close, when they all wanted a drink awfully. Frank B. Spinola, in utter disgust and despair, sprang out from behind his high shirt collar and moved that the slate be put through unbroken, and it was done, though not on his motion.

   Then Tammany filled themselves with whisky and loaded up their twenty four cars, and went swearing back to New York city. And this was the harmony which was observed in Buffalo. If we trace it from the Democratic caucus in this village up through the county convention into the State convention with the above results, we see the brightest of prospects for entire harmony in the Democratic party—that is, we shall see it in the Democratic papers!

   In the meantime what the Republicans want is to pull together, and this fall we will redeem this State and county, and lay the foundation for a grand victory in the campaign of 1884.

To Thoughtful Republicans.

   The editor of the Cortland Standard has again entered upon a campaign of treachery towards the Republican party in this county. While professing to publish a Republican paper, he is a Democrat at heart, and all his instincts and affiliations are with that party. While carrying the Republican ticket at the head of his paper, he is daily and nightly closeted with the leaders of the Kelly Democracy in this county, plotting how he may defeat the regular nominations of the Republicans this fall.

   The plan has been partially matured, and it is this: The Democratic convention to be held on the 17th, if run by the Tammany Democrats, is to nominate S. S. Knox for County Judge, and some weak man for Member of Assembly. Then if the Republican convention, to be held on the 22d, should fail to nominate John W. Suggett, a Kelly Republican and the Standard's candidate for County Judge, a bolting convention is to be called by W. H. Clark, B. T. Wright & Company, who will place in nomination Knox for County Judge, and James H. Tripp, of Marathon, another Tammany Republican, for Member of Assembly.

   But Clark will not appear openly in this movement, for that would end his influence for evil with the conscientious Republican voter. Oh no! He will keep the Republican nominees at the head of his paper, as he did last fall, but his pen, his printing press and his influence will be for sale, and will be used to help defeat the very ticket he will put up in his paper. Last fall he kept up the names of Robert Bushby for County Clerk, Horace L. Bronson for District-Attorney, Charles W. Gage for Member of Assembly, John B. Cummings for Superintendent of the Poor, L. R Scrivern for Justice of Sessions, Dr. H. C. Hendrick and Dr. S. C. Webb for Coroners, down to the day of election, and yet for six weeks before election he was shamelessly and treacherously engaged in a plot to elect the Democratic candidates. His insincerity is one of the worst traits in his character, and many good men who once trusted him regard him with suspicion.

   We have penned this article hoping that thoughtful Republicans will take warning in time, and not be led off by this false guide. All over the State the Republicans are uniting to present a solid phalanx against the common enemy. If we succeed this fall, it must be done by a firm support of regular nominations. We must frown down [sic] any attempt on the part of Tammany Democrats in disguise to draw off votes from the Republican ticket.

   The true character of W. H. Clark is being understood through this country. His unsavory reputation as a political trickster is well known to many. It has come to pass that no candidate can get his support except with the use of money, and that he has levied blackmail upon candidates for office outside of his county is more than suspected.

   This fall the regular Republicans made an effort to harmonize with him, but he demanded as the price of his fidelity to the Republican cause that THE NEWS be suppressed, and that he be allowed to name the candidate for County Judge and Member of Assembly. He was told that THE NEWS was the only reliable Republican paper in this village, and would continue in the helm, and as to his naming candidates for office, that must be left to the County Convention. Finding that he could not "dicker" with Republicans, he has gone back to his first love, the Kelly Democrats, and it is understood that if he bolts this fall, and Knox is elected, he is to have one-half of the patronage of the Judge and Surrogate.

   It will be recollected that Clark was placed on the Republican County Committee, but immediately declined. He explained to a gentleman afterwards that he did so because he did not expect to support the Republican county ticket at the coming election.

   Clark will have no excuse for bolting this fall. His delusive cry of "Ring" is played out. There is no worse "Ring" in this town and county than the one headed by him. The citizens of this village know by bitter experience what this "Ring" has been able to do. It has kept us in a turmoil and fight ever since this trickster came among us. It succeeded in removing the post-office to a remote part of the village to the inconvenience of three-fourths of our people, because the "Ring" owned a block and they wanted to put their hands into the U. S. treasury and take out $700 for the rent of a room, when better accommodations could be secured in the central part of the village at $300. This Ring last fall imported Prof. Dixon, and sent him through the county with Geo. L. Waters, the model reformer, to coax the people to vote the reform ticket, and thus elect Kelly Democrats to office.

   The eyes of the people are opened, and the game of last fall cannot be successfully played again. Honest Republicans ask themselves the question, "What have we gained by electing Democrats to office?" Temperance Republicans say, "We were led off last fall into voting for Waters for Assembly, thus electing Dr. Nelson, and what have we gained? Dr. Nelson voted with his [Democratic] party for free rum, and did more to retard the temperance cause than all other things combined." Let all true men stand by the grand old party this fall, and rebuke treachery and political double dealing. Clark will then be obliged to go where he belongs, to the Tweed and Kelly Democrats, while the Republican party, purified and strengthened by his retirement, will go forward as in the past to victory.