White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-03-08
Greeley's Views on the Presidential
Nominations.

Horace Greeley In letter to the n. Y.
Tribune gives his views as to who will
be the candidates for the next Presiden-
g: s ei
/ have been looking through and taking
notes in each of the States northwest Of
the Ohio, Minnesota excepted, during the
past fortnight; and, though / seldom
place predictions on record, now make
one which l would not have credited when
l left New York. predict that Stephen
A. Douglas will be nominated for Presi-
dent at Charleston next April, and that
most Of the slave States will give him
their electoral votes. Let these foreshad-
owings be noted and compared with the
events. ga. r..
I see, also, that the Anti Douglas side
will have the advantage in the Conven-
ton, first in settling the contested seats,
then in framing the platform. But after
making allowance for these makeweights,
still hold the Little Giants nomination
to be all but inevitable, because
]. National Convention always NOM
mates to win. 1t is largely made up of
men who would like to be Cabinet Minis
tiers, Embassadors, Collectors. Marshals,
or at least Postmasters. These quite
well understand that if they are to obtain
what they aspire to, it is essential that
they should nominate ticket that can be
elected. National Conventions are often
blind to transcendent merit, rarely or new
er to superior strength.
ii. Mr.. Douglas is still, in the eyes Of
the Democratic masses in the Free States,
the champion and embodiment of the
principles of Popular Sovereignty by
which they were reconciled to the repudi-
alton Of the Missouri Compact. That re-
pudiation was never relished by them
per Sc +; nor did its manifest object COM
mend it to their appreciation. But the
suggestion that each separate communi-
ty, whether termed State or Territory,
should be at liberty to manage and dispose
of its negroes-to have slavery or not
have it, as it should see ft-was and is
popular with the Western Democracy.
And having long recognized Mr.. Douglas
the author, expounder and champion of
that doctrine, they will be disposed to
scrutinize very closely the platform if he
is placed conspicuously thereon. With
Mr.. Douglas as their candidate, the De-
mocracy will contest every North-wes-
tern State with energy and most of them
with confidence. They will not consider
one of them absolutely lost until its pop
ular votes for President shall have been
cast and counted.
III. The minute division Of his adyer-
saries gives Douglas a great advantage
in the struggle. Out of some six hun
bred votes in the convention. over two
hundred will at all events be thrown for
him on the first ballot, while the oppo-
sing vote will be divided between Hun
ter, Wise, Guthrie, A. johnson, Brock
enridge, jeff Davis. Stephens. Cobb. &c;
Mr.. Douglas plurality at the start must
be very large. and this cannot fail to tell
on the succeeding ballot.
That the events and developments of
the next ten weeks may change all this,
/ fully understand but il matters move
along as they are now going. Mr.. Doug
las nomination at Charleston seems hard
ly avoidabls.
As to the Republicans of the North
west, the great mass of their delegates
will go to Chicago determined to make
the strongest possible ticket, without re-
gard to personal claims or aspirations.
I think the largest number Of them would
prefer Governor Seward. should it appear
that he can carry the States which are to
decide the contest but there are many
who desire to see Abraham Lincoln's
name on their national ticket, and none
who do not place the triumph Of their
principles far above any personal consid-
Grafton. The merits of Bates, Dayton,
Mclean, Cameron, Chase, Banks, Read
and others are freely canvassed /; and i
have heard good men suggest that after
the ground has all been fairly gone over,
It will be found that Fremont and Dayton
are stronger with the masses than any
new combination that can be presented.
All are anxions that the ticket should be
strong in personal character and in deyo-
ton to our cherished principles; and any
Republican ticket that IS so will be en-
Enthusiastically supported by strosg ma
iority of the voters of the North west
against Douglas; and by an overwhelming
preponderance against any other possible
nominee at Charleston. Should that
nominee stand unequivocally upon Dir.
Buehanan's platform, his vote in the
Northwest will hardly be worth count.
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