Political Movements

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POLITICAL MOVEMENTS.

The Democratic party hold a mass ratification meeting in the City Hall Park on Wednesday (to-morrow) evening. The call is signed by the sub-committee of the City Committee—though one would think the County Committee might more appropriately conduct the ratification proceedings of the State and County ticket. The County Committee, in a card since issued, state that they had begun to make arrangements for a meeting for Thursday; but that when the City Committee heard this they eagerly forestalled them by calling a meeting for Wednesday, and thus inducing the intended meeting of the County Committee to be indefinitely postponed. By this means the City Committee men secure the power of framing the resolutions to be adopted by the meeting and they also possess the right of drawing up the list of candidates to be ratified by the masses. In view of the fact that Mr. Driggs is on the committee of arrangements, we can see how this superseding of the County by the City Committee may affect the prospects of Mr. Hanford and himself. Meanwhile Messrs Driggs and Hanford are endeavoring to effect a settlement by arbitration; they have each chosen two referees—the former Mr. Boswell and Mr. Runcie, and the latter Mr. R.W. Allen and Mr. Thomas Murphy. These four will select a fifth, and it is hoped that before the meeting tomorrow night the question will be settled in favor of one or other of the contestants. If not, the fact of the ratification meeting being got up by Mr. Driggs and his friends will enable that gentleman to get himself ratified instead of Mr. Hanford.

By the way, apropos of the Democratic ratification meeting, we notice that no less than twenty “distinguished gentlemen” are advertised as being “expected to address the meeting.” As several of these speakers are never known to address an audience for a shorter time than an hour, we must conclude that the ratification meeting begun on Wednesday night will hardly be over by election day, or at any rate will last out the remainder of the week. Would it not be far better, if an advertisement is designed to give public information, that it should state the names of the three or four who will speak, without adding these of sixteen or seventeen who it is known will not speak? Is it indispensable to the success of every party demonstration, that the Hon. D.S. Dickinson’s name should head the list of speakers, when there is no more reason for expecting his presence, than that of the man in the moon?

The nomination of Mr. Booth by the County Convention last evening was a settled thing from the moment of Mr. Powell’s resignation. Without any objection being felt to the latter individually, the sentiment in favor of Mr. Booth’s renomination was all but universal among the party. The only thing that has tended to damage Mr. Booth is the extravagant and ridiculous assumptions put forward on his behalf by the party organ, which appears to be of the opinion that except in Mr. Booth’s superlative merit there is no strength in the county ticket. We shall be surprised if Mr. Booth polls the highest vote of the names on the Democratic ticket.

The Republican Assembly Convention of this district meet again tonight, to see whether the estrangement between themselves and the Americans can not be healed. Moderate men among the Republicans as well as Americans think Mr. Strong should be withdrawn, as the Republicans can afford to be generous after having obtained the best part of the bargain throughout in this fusion business. Mann runs in a far easier district than Winslow, and Duryea stands a better chance than Atwater or Brittan, say they; and on this ground it is claimed that Mr. Hickox ought in fairness to be supported by the Republicans here.

Subjoined is a table showing the official vote for Assembly last year in the 13th and 14th wards, and the entire district before divided.

13th Ward	Hanford.	Hickox.	Tuttle.
1st district	342	259	421
2d “	263	411	479
14th Ward
1st district	358	56	58
2d “	311	170	122
3d “	257	107	76
	1531	1003	1156
			1003
			153
In whole District (old)	Hanford.	Hickox.	Tuttle.
Official	5125	2843	2864
			2843
			25