New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-07
THE SOUTH AND THE PRESIDENCY.

The impression is general thst the Democratic
cauddste for the Presidency will be selected from
the South. A large array Of statesmen from that
section of the Union are competing for the Charles
ton nomination. With two or three exceptions,
they are all Of about the same grade in respect to
talent and position. Perhaps Wise has the most
genius: he is doubtless the most erratlc aud on
gnal Slidell is the most unscrupulous intriguer'
and the most malignant politician Guthrie Ike
his old colleague Marcy, has vast fund OF SOUND
sense, but is rather arbitrary and dogmaticaL
Cobb shone as parlismeutarsn, but has
measuIably failed in an administrative posi-
ton. Stephens was ovcrrated as loglclan
while member of the House, though bis self
assurance, irdomtable will, and intuitive tact,
fitted him for leadership in that turbulent body.
Orr plain, practical, and taking ooy level views OF
things has rare executive talent and, like Ham
mopd of the Senate is marvel Of moderation for
a South Carolnisn. Davis is metaphysical and
analytical wears the prim air of a martinez OF tue
Military Academy, and is one Of tue ables. apos
ties Of the Slavery Propaganda. Brosn is bold
and buster ng, commonplace and companionab'e.
Breckenridge is plausible and popular, smooth and
supeIfci,l: but ss he insists that be is not can
didste We exclude him from the list. We need
not waste ink in exposing the ab,urdiy of the feeble
atteu pts to make Houston the Charleston nominee.
We have thus far omitted, bu. not forgotten the
name of Il NJ T Hunter-a name which, in our
iud gme nt combines, more than any other we hsve
mentioned. those positive and negative qualities
which the Southern Democracy need 10 secure al
they want duritg the next four years, without
driving over to the Opposition the great body Of
the Northern section of the party
The Charleston Convention can only sgree upon
a candidate who has not been prominent either in
supporting or opposing the novel theories on the
subject of Slavery which have sprung into exist
ence within the last dozen years. This rule, while
il excludes men Ike Douglas on the one side and
like Davis on the other, precisely is the case Of
Hunter So, toe, while the nominee must be 5
man whom the South viii implicitly trust, be must
be enc whom the North csn dscently support. Is
not the sure but concihatory, the unanching
but urbsne Hunter exactly that man! Reared and
educated in the ultra Southern school, and always
voting and acting with the St,!es-Rights Democrs-
cy, be yet either keeps silence on al conroverted
questions respecting Slavery, or utters bis views
briefly ard in ambiguous or inoffensiye language.
More than tweOty years seo M. Hunter entered
the House Of Representatives moderate Calhoun.
i,e Then, as also in his early Senatorial career,
be WAS ambitious to utter occasional speeches,
carefully written aud committed to memory, mys.
teal and psrado1ical with Carolina metaphysics
and virgini. sbstraction', differing with sharp
points cleaning with ornate periods, and de yered
with the measured gesture and mellow cadence of
the Academy. lie has since learned that the high
read to the Presidency is paved neither with fine
spun theories ror tr lDscendentL rhetoric Chary
and practical be now Affects finance deals largely
in political economy, !auds retrenchment, speaks
briefly and pOlntedly rarely ut:er' word on ques-
tons about which tie Democracy are divided, and