The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON THURSDAY EVENIND, JUNE 11, 1868.

THE REPUBLICAN TICEE7.

(From the Anglo-American Times.)

The Pall Mall Gazette, which undertakes to set
us all right regarding affairs East and West, Ame-
rican and Turkish, says that " the nomination of
General Grant as the Republican candidate for the
Presidentship indicates the weakness which under-
lies the apparent strength of the dominent party in
the United States." Now the nomination of Gene-
ral Grant simply indicates the moderation and good
sense of the American people, most of whom care
not a straw either for Democrat or Republican, and
bitterly dislike both Copperhead and Radical. They
believe that the country wants above all things an
honest man at the helm--a sensible man, one not
wedded to a "policy," not committed to a party, whose
nomination will he received in the South in a way
no other Northern leader can hope for, and whose
known desire and intention it is to root out corrup-
tion, and to establish that much-needed thing—a
Civil Service Reform. For the first time almost
since the days of Washington the nation has been
able to indicate its candidate, setting the political
wire-pullers at defiance. The party that did not
take Grant courted defeat, and the party that did
take Grant were compelled to accept a man free
from party ties. Objectionable as it may be
to extreme partisans to be compelled to put
forward as their candidate a man uncommitted
to their party, and free when he thinks fit
to throw them overboard, they . were compelled
to do so. The very fact that lessened his value in
their eyes greatly enhanced it in the eyes of the na-
tion. If Grant had thrown himself into the politi-
cal arena he would simply have become a party
leader with the weight of a great name ; but men
would have divided either for or against his elec-
tion, as they agreed with. or opposed his politics.
Although the enumeration of such opinions is, as a
rule, indispensable to candidates who offer them-
selves for the most influential posts, yet we are
convinced that the less a man is a politician who
aspires to the Presidency of the United States the bet-
ter for the country. Kings and rulers ought not to
have party politics ;—the people, the whole people,
and nothing but the people—is the motto for a Go-
vernor ; and, as a rule, any individual of ordinary
ability, tact, honesty, and education, picked out of
any village, would make a better President than
the man steeped to the eyes in the political in-
trigue which forms so large a portion of the train-
ing of an American politician. Our readers know
that Grant was born at Mount Pleasant, Ohio,
April 1822 ; that he was nominated to the West
Point Military Academy, where he graduated in
1843 ; that he served during the Mexican war, and
left the army, in which he held the rank of captain,
iu 1855, finally joining his father in business at
Galena, Illinois. He obtained the command
of the 21st ttegiment Illinois Volunteers on the
breaking out of the war, commencing a ca-
reer of military success seldom equalled, but
through which it is needless here for us to follow
him. There was little real interest, although great
dramatic effect, in Grant's nomination at Chicago,
for all knew that he would be named, but none
could predict who would be the Vice-President,—
four candidates being held by their backers to have
good prospects of success. The first ballot gave
Wade 149, Fenton 132, Wilson 119, and Colfax
118 ; this was the start, the seven other candidates
being far behind, down to Pomeroy with his one
vote. The cry at first in Chicago was, " Wade and
Vengeance," and at one time the backers of the
President of the Senate telegraphed to him that
they felt pretty certain of success. The second
ballot added 21 to Wade's former vote and 31 to
that of Colfax, the list then standing—NV ade 170,
Colfax 149, Fenton 140, and Wilson 113. The
third ballot gave Wade an increase of 8 and Colfax
15. Curtin was then withdrawn, which left 40
votes in the fourth ballot for the other candidates.
Of these, with the constant defections from the
weaker runners, Wade got 26 and Colfax 22. The
vote now stood—Wade 2)4, Colfax 186, Fenton
144, Wilson 87, and Hamlin 25. This proved that
the contest was between Wade and Colfax, and, the
object being to defeat Wade, the strongest competi-
tor was selected. In the fifth ballot the delegates
spoke out, giving Colfax 522, Fenton 75, Wade
42, and Wilson 11 ; and therefore Schuyler Colfax
was declared the nominee for Vice-President. This
gentleman was born in the city of New Yolk, in
March 1823, and has therefore not long completed
his 45th year. His family ha I sacrificed much for
Republican principles, and as a boy he had not the
advantages that wealth confers. At fourteen he
was removed to Indiana, a State then of the wild
West, and one to whose fortunes he has ever since
been attached. When 17 years of age he was se-
lected to an office at South Bend, Indiana, where
he began work as a printer, establishing and editing
the South Bend Register, with which till very re-
cently he has kept up his connection. Being in
politics a Whig he was nominated by that' party
for Congress in 1851, and though then defeated he
was successful in 1856, and so great was his popu-
larity that he has been returned at every successive
In 1863 he was chosen Speaker of the
House, in which post he has remained till the pre-
sent time. Mr. Colfax has marked natural ability,
aided by a merry, genial temper, which makes him
a favourite wherever he goes, and this is very
strikingly shown by the number of friends he re-
tains
among even extreme Democrats, although
himself so broadly marked with the Republican
stripe. Ile has been an earnest and consistent
politician, and possessing great oratorical powers,
he has freely used his talents in aid of his party.
He is one of the most effective lecturers ; in proof
of which, we may remark that by one alone, certainly
of great merit, "'Across the Continent," he cleared
nearly £2,000. He is small and slender in make, with
a handsome, well-shaped head. A New York Demo-
cratic paper says, that " scarcely a Democrat lives
ho either could say, or would wish to say, one unkind
word of the Radical nominee for Vice-President.
Colfax is never great, never striking, never shiny,
never startling, but he Chas always been sound
and moderate in a certain pleasant way that de-
lighted one party, while never giving any offence
to the other. If any Radicals have to win, Grant
and Colfax are the least obnoxious that could be
named." When Grant was informed that Colfax
had been nominated as his colleague be was much
pleased. We can well imagine that he felt a relief
to have escaped the man who declared that "when he
talked politics Grant talked horse," and he was pro-
bably sensible that the ticket happily combined two
natures which would act in unison. Grant's popu-
larity is not of a kind liable to change. Momen-
tarily he may excite annoyance, as the Iron Duke
had done when the windows of Apsley House were
smashed by the mob ; but then the actors soon re-
pented and were ashamed. His popularity is not
political, nor founded on oratorical success, nor
merely personal, influencing those with whom he
comes in contact, but, like that of the English Duke,
it is a national pride in a great name, and a national
belief in the sound sense, honesty, capacity, and
patriotism of the individual. With Colfax the case
is different. He is a genuine and enthusiastic party
man, thoroughly relied on by the Republicans.
Unlike Grant, who is not a " magnetic " man, who
is cold, reserved, impassive, and whose presence
does not arouse enthusiasm, Colfax is eminently
calculated to attract and excite affection in all
around him. Without genius he is one who warms
up easily, and is then seen to greatest advantage.
Grant's name is a tower of strength to the extremities
of the Union. Colfax is a tower of strength at the
seat of Government, and, working in good faith
with his chief, he will bring an accession of power
addressed
greater than his ability warrants. When his elec-
tion was known in Washington he was fairly
mobbed
delightedpotiting f
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.
cial chief magistrate, he said, " Yonder White House,
he regretted to say, was dishonoured by an un-
worthy occupant." Grant, as usual, was brief, yet
short as was his speech it is the longest
he has been
known to make :

"Gentlemen," ha said, " being entirely unaccustomed
to public speaking, and without the desire to cultivate
that power---(laughter)— it is impossible for me to find
appropriate language to thank you for this demonstra-
tion. All that I can say is, that t•.o whatever position I
may bo called by your will, I shall endeavour to dis-
charge its duties with fidelity and hotwsty of purpose. Of
my rectitude in the performance of public duties you

will havo to judge for yourselves by my record before
you."

Another proof is afforded of Western influence at
the Chicago Convention by the fact that an old and
well-established rule was infringed, that of selecting
the ❑ominees of the party from widely separated
parts of the Union, both the candidates being Wes-
tern men, the one from Illinois, the other from Indi-
ana. Grant and Colfax accepted the ticket, as we
learn by telegram from Washington, dated May 30,
a matter about which there was no doubt, although
many of the Democratic papers had asserted that
Grant would refuse to run. He expressed his opi-
nion that the platform was a strong one.

document, with the instance of Alabama still fresh
in people's memories, argues, to the writer's mind,
unusual assurance. The unusual assurance was in
the writer, who used this journal as a tool to dis-
seminate false ihtelligence. It is evident he knew
no more of the subject than of the present proceed-
ings of Dr. Livingstone, or of any other unknown
actions, and he woul I hav3 been fully as justified
in inventing, for the benefit of the public, a detailed
narrative, as in criticizing a declaration, of the
merits of which he had not taken the trouble to
inform h imsel f. —.4 nylo-.4merican Times.