ntered in a Democratic assembly was a deep humiliation, and
after expressing the hope that the Tammany man would fight for the
Democratic party as gallantly in future as he had fought against it in
the past, the illustrious statesman withdrew his motion. When, later,
his name was announced as presiding officer of the permanent
organisation, the convention discovered to its dismay that Seymour,
feigning sickness, had returned to Utica.[1335]

[Footnote 1335: "Governor Seymour was given to understand that he could
not be president of the convention unless he would forego his
philippic against the Tammany thieves. This he declined to do."--New
York _Times_ (editorial), October 9, 1871.]

At the end of the day's work it was plain that Tweed had controlled
the convention. The Reformers had been excluded, the committee on
contested seats had refused them a hearing, Seymour was driven home,
and a eulogy of Tammany's political services had been applauded to the
echo. The platform did, indeed, express indignation at the "corruption
and extravagance recently brought to light in the municipal affairs of
the city of New York," and condemned "as unworthy of countenance or
toleration all who are responsible," but the contrast between the acts
of the convention and the words of its platform made its professions
of indignation seem incongruous if not absolutely empty. When one
speaker, with rhetorical effect, pronounced the frauds in New York
"the mere dreams of Republican imagination" delegates sprang to their
feet amidst ringing cheers. In the joy of victory, Tweed, with
good-natured contempt, characterised Seymour, Tilden, and Kernan as
"three troublesome old fools."[1336]

[Footnote 1336: New York _Tribune_, October 6, 1871.]

After adjournment the Reformers made no concealment of their bitter
dissatisfaction. Oswald Ottendorfer, editor of the most powerful
German Democratic organ then in the State, threatened to issue an
address denouncing their betrayal, and William E. Curtis, referring to
the refusal of the credentials' committee, declared that a voice from
the Democratic masses of New York, seeking relief from a gang of
thieves, was stronger, higher, and more sublime than mere questions of
technicality. Under the spur of this threatened revolt, the
convention, when it reconvened the next day, listened to the
Reformers. Their recital was not a panegyric. Ottendorfer said that
the operation of the previous question exposed th