Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-01-30
Januarya4, 1852.
THE PRESIDENCY.

well as in other quarters of the Union, Just now.
is the Pre- sdency of the United States. The
Democratic National Convention assemblies in
Baltimore, in the month of June, for the purpose
of selecting candidate and we presume the
Wings will hold a consultation, for like purpose,
in either Baltimore or Philadelphia, at an early
day, though no period has yet been fixed upon for
the meeting of the Wing National Convention.
The Democratic party is blessed with multitude
of candidates from different sections of the coun-
try. Great difficulty will therefore be experts
enced in selecting q candidate who shall prove
acceptable to the whole Democratic family"
Each aspirant may be presumed to have his own
peculiar friends and to be welded to certain
distinctive line ofpolicy. Personal predictions
and antagonstical interests will thus inevitably
clash in the selection of a nominee. How these
conflicting clements are to be reconcied-how
harmony is to be continued in the Democratic
fold-remains to be developed. Mr.. Calhoun
once declared that that party was held together
"by the cohesive power of public plumber D."
Since the distinguished South Caronian made
this declaration, the Democratic party has lost its
cohesive principle by the transf ersnce of the
reins of power to the hands of the Wings how,
then, can it be expected to stand together Will
the Democratic Convention be able te construct
platform so unobiectionable as to admit of the
Free Soil Democrats of the North taking post
alongside the Southern Rights " Fire. Eaters"2
We shall see.
The prominent candidates for the Presidency
in the ranks of the Democrats, are Messrs Dou-
glas, Cass, Marcy, Buchanan, Butler and Hous
ton. Messrs. Douglas and Cass are from the
North West, and will go into the Convention with
the support of that powerful section of the Union.
OF the two, Judge Douglas is believed to be the
strongest. Gov. Marcy will probably receive the
vote of New York, and Mr.. Buchanan that of
Pennsylvania, in the Convention. Gen. Butler
cannot count certainly upon the support of more
than one State, and that one, the thorough Wing
State of Kentucky. Gen. Houston will receive
the vote of Texas; out OF his own State he pos
sesses no arength, and will be nochers the con.
vention. Nearly all the asprants, however, hope
for strong support from the South, and with the
exception of Gov Marcy, have entered into very
spirited competition for the purpose of securing
it. Judge Douglas heartily "acquissces" in the
SOLnpiOuiisc iACoouios, Uiu WVuio itoSO fOlcu iSl
the Fugitive slave bill, had he been in his seat
when the question on its passage was taken.-
Gen Cass periodically supportedsthe Compromise
measures, but has been convicted Of spraying for
the abolition of slavery everywhere" and is there
fore distasteful to the South Moreover, he gave
TO his famous nicholson Letters" after the last
Presidential election construction somewhat Diff
faranf from that plaaad i. nv his Eoufhnrr
supporters. His chances, then, for Southernsup-
port are rather slim. Mr.. Buchanan has gone
farther than either Messrs. Douglas or Cass to
win Southern favour; but, since the days of Mr..
Van Buren,, the people of the South have become
chary of "Northsrn men with Southern princi..
ples"-hence he obtains little credit for sincerity.
Gov. Marcy is an able and moderate man--not
specially obnoxious to either section-but he is
sadly deficient in popularity, and could not pro-
bably secure the vote of his own State. More
over, he is obnoxious to the Radicals of his own
party, who have not yet forgotten his share in
President Folks administration. Gen. Butler
possesses little reputation, his opinions even on the
leading questions of the day being unknown
His chance of obtaining the nomination, if the
party determine to consult availability is therefore
dsemsd good. He possesses military title, has
seen some service, and is not obnoxious to the |
peculiar views of eithsr section of the Union
Upon the whole then, after carstully weighing |
the chances OF all the Democratic aspirsHts, we |
incline to the opinion, that Judge STEPHEN A. |
DOUGLAS, of Illinois, is THAR strongest man. and
that he will probably be the choice of the Dsm |
ocratic National Convention.
On the Wing side, there are only three prom.
inent candidates for the Presidency, viz Presi.
dent Fillmore, Gen. Scott and Mr.. Webster. The |
Wing Convention will find little difficulty, we
imagine, in making a selection. In WILLARD /
FILLMORE. they will present candidate, tried,
faithful and wholly unobjectonable to either sec.