The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-10
The Union Opposition for the Presi
densy-The Candidates in the Field.

The Union Opposition for the Presi.
denty-The Candidates in the Field.
We have already published list of the
democratic and republican candidates for the
Presidency, with biographical sketches of each
and We now publish similar list and sketche.
of the candidates Of the Union opposition
party, which will hold its Convention at Balti.
more after the Charleston Convention, but be
fore the Republican Convention at Chicago.
The names of the candidates are Sam Hous
ton, Texas; John Minor Bolts, Virginia; John
Bell, Tennessee; Crittenden, Kentucky; Eve
rett, Massachusetts,; Graham, North Carolina;
Hunt, New York; Mclean, Ohio; Rives, yir
ginia, and General Scott, New York. These
are Appointment and popular men. Bell, per.
hq1 could make the best race next to Sam
80, who would undoubtedly be the
most winning man of the whole Though
we have mentioned him among the demo
cratic candidates, he may be taken up
by the opposition. That three parties will
go into the field there cannot be q doubt. II
the Union opposition party should nominate
Bates he would not be nominated by the re.
publican party, who are confident and insolent,
and determined to run distinct sectional
ticket Of their own. The entrance, therefore,
of a third party into the field becomes mat
ter Of great interest, not for its chance of sue.
GEES against either of the two other great par
ties but for the influence 1t may have in turning
the scale 10 either side.
In connection with the memoirs of the Union
opposition candidates, we publish a tabular
view Of the votes cast at the State elections of
the last two years, from which may be seen the
aggregate relative strength Of republicanism,
and of the combined opposition to it Of demo.
Gratis and others, whether as regards the popu.
lar vote, the electoral vote, or the vote by
States, and what is the amount of the reserve
vote which lies dormant and did not come out
in these elections. We cannot of course pub
lish the result of the State elections of this
year; but in giving the returns Of 1868 and
1859, we present the reader with the nearest
approximation to the present state Of parties,
the best data which can be had, and quite suf
Gcient for all practical purposes.
Auc hkutSo ShVU VCA SuAiVuS Sttstc
of facts indeed, an anomaly never con-
templated by the fathers of the federal re-.
public. They show that, supposing the
relative strength Of republication to be the
same in the Presidential election next fall that
it has been in the State elections for the last
two years, the republican candidate would be
elected by majority of twenty-three electoral
votes, though having neither O majority of the
popular vote nor majority of States, but, on
the contrary, having against him majority Of
three States and popular majority of Ill.,
sos votes. And yet such result would be de-
clared to be Gan election by the majority
of the people," though only about one-third
Of the people voted for him, and two thirds
against him. Thus -
Popular vote in favor Of black repubeanir, 147 ec4
Popular vote against black republIcanism III
WHO'S veto. .........................3 ,si5 6ie
Eec.or vote in favor OF black repcblcarsu. 1853
Electoral vote against black repub!icansru 140
States In favor Of black republication ........... Is
States against black sepub'icansm IS
This never could have occurred but upon a
sectional Issue, in which the Southern States
all vote one way, and the msjorities or plurali-
ties in Northern States the other way. The
grand principle, the foundation and corner
stone Of this government, as laid down in the
constitution, is that the majority Of the people
should rule-a principle only modified by al
loving, under certain circumstances, a
majority Of States to operate as q
check upon it in the Senate, and to
elect President in the House Of Repre-
senaiires when there Is no majority for auy
cal oidsie by The electoral vote. But in the
present sectional state Of party Ices, repnb
hean President may be elected, and yet have
neither the majority of the whole people nor
majority of the States. Yet If Wiluam n
Seward were elected next November BIS that
vote, bis partisans would tell us that the voice
Of the country had declared in his {, yor. and
on the strength Of that vote they would FRO
coed 10 coerce the South into heir views. and
like Hickman, call themselves eighteen mil.
iiors.
Judging from the foregoing figures, II would