The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1859-08-12
The Republican Party and Its Pres
idential Candidates.


idential Candidates.
IFrOm the New York Hersid.)
The republican politicians are sanguine
of the success of their Presidential tick
ct in 1860, and when, at this preliminary
stage of the campaign, we find Southern
democratic conventions passing resolu-
tions in anticipation of "a black repub-
lican triumph" there must be some good
reasons for this confidence on the one
side and this dependency on the other.
But ifthe democracy, between Wise and
Douglas, are threatened with sectional
dissolution Of the party at Charleston,
the diverse materials of the republican
camp hang SO loosely together, that II
will require the greatest skill, and some
of the hardest concessions among the va
rious cliques and leaders, to insure their
success.
The Charleston platform will be the
point of danger to the democracy; but
the candidate will be the great trouble
with the republicans. The most conspic-
uous aspirants for this distinction are ex-
Governor Seward, of New York; Govern
or Banks, of Massachusetts,; and Govern
or Chase, of Ohio. Seward expects the
nomination-his friends demand it in his
behalf as his, from every consideration
of right, justice and expediency. They
are also working Systematically to gain
the Convention which is to decide the
question; and they may be able thus to
extort his nomination Let them do it,
and the republican party will soon be re-
duced to miserable minority in every
State west of Vermont; for the name of
Seward as the republican candidate will
carry over to the democracy the bulk of
the free trade Van Buren democrats who
supported Fremont, the bulk of the Fill
more Americans, and all the old line
wings, from Massachusetts, to Minneso-
ia.
But, if governed by the wise considera-
tions of expediency, the Seward party in
the republican Convention consent to
drop him, upon whom will their choice
fall, Banks or Chase? Banks is an able
man, popular man, and a statesman
possessed of avery high order of admin
istrative talents and qualities. lie would,
perhaps, as the republican candidate, at
tract to his support a larger proportion of
the floating democratic, American and
old line whig elements, from Boston to
Pittsburg, thar any other man within
reach of the republican party.
But if the American antccedents OF
Banks would be most apt to conciliate
the American balance of power in New
England, New York, New Jersey and
Pennsylvania, the record of Chase, as an
opponent of Native American restrictions,
would take the precedence, in view OF
that heavy German republican element
upon which the vote of Ohio, Michigan,
&C., depends. The late two years Massa-
chusetts naturalization act, in this con-
nection, will perhaps, be remembered
against Banks by the Western delegates
in the republican Convention; and so, in
the way of a compromise between Sew
ard, Banks and Chase, the Convention
| may be driven to that democratic expe-
dent of a candidate whose very obscure
ty will be his highest recommendation.
Upon one point we are entirely convin
ced. Let Seward be put forth as a repub
lican candidate for 1860, and that party
will come out of the battle FILTERED away
to a mere abolition faction. His SIRE
pressible conflict with slavery in the
slave States will reduce him at once tC
the narrow margin of an abolition can
didate. Seward was the heavy burden
upon the back of General Scott tha
broke him down, and Seward was the
shadow behind the chair that frightened
the opposition Fillmore conservative
from the support of Fremont. But still
from the active engineering of the nu
merous causes and convention manager
of the republican party in the interest o
Seward, they may contrive to pack th'
Convention so as to secure their man.
They appear to be so confident Of success
from the weakness and Generalization
of the democracy, as to think that tn
republican nomination will be equivalen
to an election, and that the floating vot
of the North can seek no other refug
than the republican party.
We apprehend, however, that, in tn
course of the important interval to tn
republican nominating Convention Q
1860, the managing politicians of tina
party will discover that they will not b
allowed to walk over the course; tina
Seward is not their man, but that tn
floating opposition vote of the North OF
posed to Seward holds the balance {
power. in the meantime, the very nam
of Seward is as much of an obstructio
TO the consolidation of the Northern ol
position forces as are the conflicting nil
ger doctrines of Wise and Douglas TO tn
harmony of the democratic party. Maj
more. While the name of Seward is tn
great drawback which prevents fusio
of the opposition forces, it is the grea
! hobgoblin which keeps the Northern an
: Southern democracy within hailing di
tance of each other.
KEEP Away FROM MusLIN-Boys,