The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-15 00:00:00

THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEES.

Both the time and the number of ballots show
how hard was the struggle in the National llmo-
cratic Convention ere the party candidates for the
Presidency were nominated. It was not till Thurs-
day, and after 22 ballots, that Mr. HORATIO SEY-
MOUR was unanimously selected, General FRANK P.
BLAIR being chosen by acclamation for the Vice-
Presidency. The latest mail from America fore-
shadowed that the party would be compelled to

fall back upon HORATIO SEYMOUR. lle most
nearly answers to all the Democratic require-
ments, and he would have been the favourite
from the beginning could he have been persuaded
to stand. HORATIO SEYMOUR comes forth with
a pure public record with a high character
as well for ability as for integrity, sound on such
questions as those of finance, and patriotic in his
aspirations, however strongly tinged his views may
be with the colouring of his party. The reason he
has hitherto held back has been openly given by the
Washington correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette,
and hinted at by numerous other journals. As a
matter of public notoriety we may here allude to it,
which otherwise we would not have done. Gover-
nor SEYMOUR is believed to have an hereditary
tendency to insanity, and he has been warned by
his physicians that the excitement of a Presidential
campaign would develope the latent germ, and if it
failed the labour and harassing cares of a year in
office would almost certainly do so. At first it
was supposed that he had refused the honour of the
nomination, as RICHARD In. refused the throne,
that it might be thrust on him; but this was not so.
Ambitious, and prompted by a craving for power,
he earnestly desired to throw himself into the
struggle, but checked by the fearful danger under
which such a contest could only be undertaken, he
had given way to the advice of his friends and de-
clined to run. The impression prevailed a week
before the Convention met that it would eventually
be compelled to fall back upon HORATIO SEYMOUR
although he favoured CHASE. The nearer the ap-
proach of the meeting the more evident it became
that the Copperhead section of the Democratic
party could not endure such a candidate. The
clearer their views came out the more distinctly
was it seen that neither the Chief Justice nor
PENDLETON could secure the nomination. To select
CHASE was to break up and re-form the party. To
select PENDLETON, coupled with a repudiation plat-
form, was to bring down on those who call them-
selves the Conservatives of America the contempt
and abhorence of all who hold honour in the highest
esteem—a class immensely powerful in influence
whatever may be its number. No doubt the fight
raged under these two banners, and it was found as
anticipated that the conflicting opinions could not
be reconciled. Who could expect such a display
of dishonesty as a thorough bred Copperhead
declaring for Negro Suffrage ? The supporters
of PENDLETON would give up their favourite only in
favour of a Democrat, and, as we before observed,
no amount of soap and water could wash out the
Republican stripe of the Chief Justice. But if the
Copperheads pronounced decisively against CHASE,
there must have been a section almost as strong
who pronounced as decisively against Repudiation.
That it was beaten on the platform is the very
reason why it should put its foot down on the prin-
ciple of an honest observanc3 of the National faith
in its candidate. To publish a Repudiation pro-
gramme, and to elect a Green-hack Redemption
Candidate, was to pledge the country in case
of success to the principles enunciated. But, to
make the appeal first to the dishonesty of
the country, and then to choose a statesman
pledged to a policy exactly the reverse, may be
taken as proof that the programme is partially in-
tended as an electioneering dodge. Then comes the
question—will HORATIO SEYMOUR stand on such a
platform ? We know his disinclination to run, and
the terrible sacrifice it may entail upon him. We
know, for we have his speech delivered only a fort-
night before his nomination, that Repudiation,
however disguised, is wholly opposed to his prin-

ciples. But we cannot, perhaps, fully appreciate
the pressure brought to bear upon him. In our
preceding article, written before the nomination was
known in London, we touched on this speech. In
it he reiterated the views he had formerly expressed
on the financial question, opposing both contraction
and unwise issues of currency, and insisting upon the
payment of the bonds in gold. He described the
extravagance of the party in power, and the injury
inflicted on the country by a debased currency.
The Government expenditure since the close of the
war, wholly independent of the interest on the debt,
amounted to $1,000,000,000, of which $750,000,000
had been disbursed on the army and navy. Ile
contended that half the entire sum had been wasted,
which, if devoted to the payment of the debt, would
have raised the national credit to the highest point.
Credit was the basis of a sound financial position,
its immediate effect being to lower the rate of inte-
rest on the Bonds, and thus materially to redact)
expenditure. Economy was the essence of rye
subject which, if acted upon in time, would safely
carry the country through its financial difficulties, bill
if delayed would entail ruinous loss. " The whole
question is brought down to this point," are his own
words. Shall we use our money to pay our debts,
relieve the tax-payer, make our money good in the
hand of the labourer or pensioner, and help the
bondholder, or shall we use it to keep up military
despotism, feed idle negroes, break down the judi"
ciary, shackle the Executive, and destroy all con'
stitutional rights ?" The root of the evil he consi-
dered to lie in the vast expenditure to support DO.
tary government in the Southern States. Restore
these States into the hands of their citizens, revers'
ing the policy of Congress, and the reason for the
greater portion of the expenditure is at once re-
moved, the sum thus thrown away being in excess
of the interest on the National Debt. Now, this
the Democratic policy, which he affirms would
rapidly reduce the debt and restore credit,
the immediate effect of which would be the
power of obtaining money at four per cent'
greenbacks would be brought up to par, and the
question of repudiation annihilated. His opinion
is that the American people are disgusted with the
conduct of the Congressional party. He asks'
" Can we mark a policy which will unite the mu'
jority under our standard ? This can only be done
by a thoughtful, forbearing, unselfish course. '6't
the same time we must be outspoken, and nuls,.
confront all questions which perplex us. Men loox
forward with hope and fear to the action of the,
National Convention on the Fourth of July. j
of
shall not speak of candidates. Let the claims
each one be considered in a courteous on
kindly spirit, and let us take care that n 1 Per'
sonal partisanship shall draw us from our date
to our country. We should support with
hearty zeal every upholder of constitutional rights'.
The Democrats have had the wisdom to couple 10r
rotten platform with sound candidates. PESPI';
TON must have been fatal not only in the prase°
contest, but to all eternity—shattering into D,
ments every hope of democracy as now constituted'
but in the person of HORATIO SEYMOUR Americans
will recognise a gentleman worthy of any etaee.
~,
We would have preferred CHASE and the platfos
sanctioned by him as given in our last issue, and 0
the more that he would not in truth have been
biS
Democratic candidate, but have represented in
person certain national principles. GRANT roore;0
•
presents great exploits, but being a sound, seusl,
man, he may, we hope and believe, be trusted ill y 0
Presidential chair, and that he will be President
have little doubt. Were the two platforms uPhel
No
by wholly unknown candidates, that of Cllitt
would win from the glimpse we have got of tutor
of New York, for the shuffling of the 13t,,
will scarcely conciliate either those who sup,
port or those who oppose greenback redenisert
tion. To enunciate the principle, and to solar
a candidate violently opposed to its aduPti,
bla
may be a trick worthy of Conservatism, ena
stump orators to show to one class how they can
o,
wipe out the National Debt with a sponge, and
lieve the oppressed from the crushing taxes, wehil tf
the other they can proclaim the real honesty e
their intentions, as it would be absurd to sueP:sto
that Horatio Seymour would enter office pledg'ented
such a policy, or that he would have been seleelot,
had the party really intended to act on such a Plat
form.
Major-General F. P. BLAIR was a Voluutea
officer, who, though a Copperhead, served throu:jed,
out the War, and was several times severely weunnro
For four years he held his place in the Neste
Army, and although his operations were more eOO
i
fined, and his command inferior to the princoPol
leaders of the Northern Army, his military roe. a,
is of a high character. His peculiar deterl3l"ey
tion is urged by his supporters as a quali!.ol
tion, being, they say, a check to any 111%1d
attempt to carry the election by fraud -of
violence. It was thought that he bad I°3
supporters in the Soldiers' and Sailor.; C°l3ve°
tion, of Cooper Institute, as well as in the regal
convention in Tammany Hall ; that the Mil
recl
delegation would go for him, and many aeotve t
h°
votes of other States, and the result has 0100 t 100
his friends had not mis-calculated. It was
la°
urged in his favour that the jealousy the v3t Do
teers entertain for the West Pointers raigh ;00,
counted on as an element in the catuP3ncl
as they preferred an officer that had !ie.
distinction, though not educated as a o'h he
General BLAIR regards negro suffrage, to which
e'
is opposed, as the chief issue. He believes the fie'
construction Acts to be unconstitutional, and
fore null and void, as well as the exaction °I tfioa
oaths from voters, and desired their denunciator"
by a resolution of the National Democratic volo,
vention. He holds it to be the duty of the /nets to
ing President to restore the State Governnae° to
• lit
the whites, belonging, as he believes, by rig oe
them as the only true citizens of the South.
_too
Citizen, although considering such a not:ail):
good, contrasts General BLAIR with General So
COCK, to the disadvantage of the former. 010
has never," adds this journal, " made himself of
champion for a prompt and thorough restoratililiet.
the civil law and civil authorities to power, Ivor
ever and whenever practicable, and for thnori
pression of all military authority outside of u3l
organisations—as General HANCOCK SO nobly tie
when commanding the Fifth Military Districrior
his letter of rebuke to the trooly loil' Gove
PEASE of Texas.

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