Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-12-29
HON. WIN. .. DAYTON

The following truthful and well written
in regard to the selection Of a
Presidential candidate by the Republican par
ty. we find in the New York Tribune Of
Saturday last. We commend it to the atten
ton of verybody, as worthy Of perusal and
-
In selecting their candidate for the next
Presidency, the Republican party, if they act
wisely, will give especial heed to two consd
erations-frst, the fitness of their candidate
and secondly, the chances Of electing him.
I. Of these considerations we place first il
order that which is FIRST in importance. N,
man should be nominated..for the exalted anc
responsible Office by any party-and least c
all by the Republican party--who is not emf
nently worthy of it, and who has not ast
proceed himself to be so by distinguished seryi
ces 1t is time for all to turn with DISCUS
from the low artifce of nominating inferior o
undistinguished and untried men, because O
their supposed availability. We have alread,
lowered too much the standard of public worth
and the consequence is, our Governments, betl
State and National, are administered in al
their departments, too often, by men unquali
fed, and who do not possess the confidence o
respect Of the people. Public authority i
thereby degraded and weakened to lament
able extent. The people feel that it is SC, ant
demand reformation. 1t has ceased to b.
expedient even to nominate q merely availabl
candidate. if we may use the paradox
Z. Nor is it enough that the candidates shoul
be fit for the Presidency-they should hay
proceed their fitness by services so eminent ant
so well known that the people may of thei
own knowledge know them to be eminentl,
qualified. A candidate for our Chief Mags
tracy ought always to be man who has hat
a public career-in which his principles, ant
bis fidelity to them. his intelligence and hi
wisdom as an American statesman, have beef
subjected to the crucible OF severe trial, Man
men are virtuous enough in untred situations
but who can tell how they will stand the tri
ais aud temptations of high, responsible diff
cult positions?
The Hon. WILLIAM L. DAYTON of New Jer
sey, the Republican candidate for Vice Presi
dent in 1885, comes up fully to the STANDARD
we have endeavored to describe During hi
long term in the United States Senate, tn,
principles and the 6rmness of our public men
in and out Of that body, were severely tried
We do'not say how many of them failed il
that ordeal; but the country knows that Judge
Dayton did not. Then it was that our Gov
ernment began to diverge from the old con
seryative Washington and Jeffersonian doc
trines of Freedom. Then it was that MIR
Calhouns pernicious sectionalism began to Sc
duce our public men out of the good old paths
Judge DAYTON was one Of the few who gave
way not for moment to these insdious ano
poisonous false doctrines-who would neither
tolerate nor compromise with them in the
least, but condemned them as fraught with al
those dangerous consequences which the coun
try has since so bitterly experienced There
was no Senator more active. more conspicuous
more effective than Judge Dayton among the
defenders of the old policy and the opponents
of the new How abundantly has time JUST
fed the wisdom of his counse's! We have
lately looked over the record of his course
in the Senate, and have been struck again ant
again by the prophetic accuracy with which
he warned the Senate against those evils which
their new schemes were destined to bring, and
have since brought upon the country. He
was Republican by anticipation, simply be
cause hewas thoroughly imbued with the prin
ciples of the Constitution. and fixed in his de
termination to adhere to the policy Of the faith
ers of the Republic
III. Judge Dayton, besides his fitness for
the Presidency, is a candidate whom the Re
publican party may confidently hope to elect
1t will not be sufficient for that party to con
fine their views simply to the avowed Repub
lican States. These States do not cast enough
votes to elect President For this reason
they failed in 1856; and they will be defeated
again in 1860, unless they receive aid from
some Of these States which then voted fol-
Buchanan. If the Republican candidate shall
receive the votes Of Pennsylvania and New
Jersey he will be elected. Can the RepubIi
cans carry these two States They have new
er doGe it yet by their own unassisted strength
but they have done it again and again by the
aid Of many who voted for Fillmore in 1856
Whenever the Opposition to the Democratic
party is thoroughly united in these two States
it triumphs. 1t would have triumphed il
1856 if it had been united, and Mr.. Buchanan
would have been defeated.
Can this Opposition party be united in 1866
upon single candidate for the Presidency
1t is the belief of leading men of both sections
of the Opposition that they can unite on Judge
Dayton. In New Jersey, both sections are
already uniting on him. Separated in 1856
not SO much by differences about principles a,
by suspicious Of ana antipathies to each others
candidates for the Presidency, their real con
gruity of principle has since drawn them to
gether, and they will keep together if can
didate be nominated for the Presidency in
whom they have confidence. They do have
confidence in Judge Dayton, and already they
are cooperating in favor of his nomination.
In Pennsylvania, there is similar state oil
things. The Opposition party there is com
posed of similar materials, and can combine
upon the same candidate There is every to
believe that Judge Dayton could carry both
these States. His principles, antecedents,
character, and relations are such as fit him
eminently to combine in his support the ele.
mehts Of opposition to the Democratic party
in BOTH Let the Republican Convention
nominate him for President and the united
Opposition of Pennsylvania and New Jersey
will support him. With the aid of these two
States the Republican phalanx of 1856 can
elect him. On this Republican phalanx we
must, Of course, chiefly depend. We point
ont 70 thop, how thov p,.v oohiova erooaec