The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-31
From the New York Tribune, January II, 1859
THE PRESIDEACY


The question, "Who shall be next Presi-
dent p" is one which we long ago decided not
to discuss, nor even definitely consider, until
the opening of 1860, to which year it properly
belongs. We make no professions to prophecy,
and none but prophet can be qualified to de-
termine which among our statesmen the Repub-
hcans ought to present as their candidate for
the next great national struggle. For we are
among those who hold success, when attainable,
to be often a political duty, as we hold it emf.
nently to be duty incumbent OH the Republi-
cans in 1860. They are strong enough TO elect
the right man, whoever he may be; they are
not strong enough to elect any other. Who
that man is, will be made manifest to those
who, without partiality, prejudice, or alloy of
personal aspiration, observantly await the proper
time of choosing speech, vote, PROPOSE
ton of the right stamp, and made at the right
moment, may indicate him, so that the clear
eyed can no longer doubt. And that man,
whoever he may be-whether Seward, or Chase,
or Mclean, or Banks, or Fremont, or Bissell,
or Collamer, or Bates, or Fessenden--nay,
should he have not been hitherto regarded as
technically Republcan-such as General
Scott, or John Bell, or Horace r. Clark, or
John NJ. Bolts, or Henry Winter Davis, pro-
vided he be openly and unequivocally Anti-Sla-
very Extending, Anti Cuba Stealing, Anti Fill
buster-we shall heartily support both his nom
nation aud his election. We give fair notice
that practical triumph In 1860 over the Sham
Democracy aud its masters the Slavery Propa-
ganda, ist the end for which we.labor, and to
which we hold not only personal aspirations,
but party names, wholly subordinate. And
whoever bears or reads that the Tribune, or its
editor, is engaged in any intrigue or manmuvre
to put up or put down either Seward or Ere
mont Chase, Douglas, or any one else, will
oblige us by remembering our explicit contra
diction Of the report-a contradiction which
will be none the less emphatic that we shall
not take the trouble of repesting it.
One of the latest of those political candrds
which Washington correspondents and third
rate journalists seem to take pleasuse in.invent-
ing and circulating, imports that there is some
difference in the councils of the Tribune with
respect to Governor Seward, and that its re-
sponsible editor isopposed, ON personal grounds,
to his elevation to the Presidency. Whether
that editors course on grave public question
is likely to be influenced by any such paltry
considerations as are set forth, the public must
Judge; be- certainly, will interpose no denial to
such an imputation, but he cannot believe that
any one who knows him will give IT any sort of
credit. He has never yet advocated Governor
Stewards nomination for President, because he
has never had evidence that such nomination
would be successful; but should evidence be
afforded him prior to the next Republican mona
ination that Governor Seward can carry States
enough TO elect him-or even, to reduce the
question to its simplest elements, that he can
pretty surely carry Pennsylvania, or New Jer.
sey and Indiana--he will heartily advocate Mr.
Stewards nomination; as he WILL should such
nomination be made, whether with or without
such aid as this journal might give it, labor for
his election with devotion aud industry which
he has never yet manifested for any candidate
except Henry Clay. smm. .41 is.
1t is very true that we do not on all public
questions agree with Governor Seward-as we
do not, very probably, with any other states
man. We hold him too favorably inclined to
what is called the liberal school in public ex-
penditure, with which school we have chronic
difference. We do not desire a niggardly, par
simonious, penny-wise Government; bnt we do
want one which will expend at least one-third
of its annual income for purposes of national
and enduring benefcence- works which en-
ure to the direct and palpable advantage of the
people rather than of the Office holders and tax
consumers. In our view, it is not enough that
a statesman should advocate and vote for snch
measures as the Pacific railroad--we would
have him 80 vote on other questions that there
will be money in the Treasury to devote to such
objects, without prejudice to the public inter
ests, and without mourning national debt.
We hold that our army ought to be reduced to
q skeleton, and our navy to few steamships and