icient
to alarm them, while a less arrogant and dominating spirit might
easily have avoided making the bitter assault which provoked a storm
of hostile criticism. Greeley's stinging retort illuminated the
Senator's insincerity. "Conkling declared it right," said the editor,
"to abolish the regular organisation because corrupted and controlled
by Tammany money, and then invited its delegates to an equal share in
making the platform and selecting a ticket. If he believed what he
said, he was guilty of party treason in the offer; if he did not, he
added the folly of insult to the crime of foul slander."[1322] This was
the view of the Greeley delegates, and refusing to accept the offered
terms, Moses H. Grinnell, Marshall O. Roberts, and their associates,
amid ironical cheers, withdrew from the convention.

[Footnote 1321: New York _Tribune_, June 1, 1871.]

[Footnote 1322: New York _Tribune_, September 29, 1871.]

After this business progressed smoothly and easily. There were no
divisions, no debates, and no questions of importance. Nominations
aroused little enthusiasm,[1323] and the platform which Greeley called
"the miracle of clumsiness,"[1324] indorsed the administration of
President Grant, denounced the crimes of the Tweed ring, and
recommended local option. Meanwhile the seceders, assembled in Wild's
Opera House, gave vent to bitter criticism and the whispered scandal
of hotel lobbies.[1325] When this proceeding finally ended they
separated with the consciousness that their last performance, at
least, had made them ridiculous.

[Footnote 1323: The State ticket was as follows: Secretary of State, G.
Hilton Scribner, Westchester; Comptroller, Nelson K. Hopkins, Erie;
Treasurer, Thomas Raines, Monroe; Attorney-General, Francis C. Barlow,
New York; Engineer, William B. Taylor, Oneida; Canal Commissioner,
Alexander Barkley, Washington; Prison Inspector, Thomas Kirkpatrick,
Cayuga.]

[Footnote 1324: New York _Tribune_, September 29, 1871.]

[Footnote 1325: _Ibid._]

CHAPTER XXI

TILDEN CRUSHES TAMMANY

1871

While Conkling was disposing of Greeley and the Fenton organisation,
Samuel J. Tilden prepared to crush Tammany. Tweed had reason to fear
Tilden. In 1869 he accused the Ring of being "opposed to all good
government."[1326] Afterward, in 1870, the defeat of the Young
Democracy's charter added to his bitterness. On the evening of the day
on which that vote occurred, Tweed jeered Tilden as the latte