The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-04-06
The Herald ON the Presidency.

The Herald is just now giving its readers
a series of slashing articles on the Presi-
dency, half prophetic and half admonitory.
No matter who may be nominated at
Charleston, or what political complications
may arise in the Convention, the Herald will
only have to refer to it's back numbers, to
find that it predicted the man and the policy,
with biblical foresight and fidelity. The
Herald by this means adds to its reputation,
as political prophet; and very cheaply,
too for if an exactly opposite course had
been pursued, like reliable predictions could
have been reproduced. The Herald takes
all sides of all questions, and necessarily hits
the truth occasionally. Here are its views
of Senator DOUGLAS chances, as put forth
in an article of March %:
Under all these circumstances, the position
of Senator Douglas becomes an object of
serious consideration. He will go into the
Convention with from seventy to one hum
dred votes, leading the poll, probably, on
the first ballot. The anti douglas men 20
with their strength divided between several
candidates. and they will scatter upon
Guthrie, Dickinson, Hunter, Breckenridge,
Orr, Joe Lane, and perhaps several others.
The two thirds rule will not be abrogated,
and after balloting day or two the major
ity of the Convention will settle down upon
two or three men, and the Douglas delegates,
having kept together, will select one of
these candidates, giving him the nomination
instanter.
This is common sense view of the mat.
ter, and is founded, first upon the hypothesis
that Mr.. Douglas cannot be nominated;
second, upon the invariable practice of con.
ventions under similar circumstances.
Now, as to Mr.. Douglas. His friends
have been very noisy, and perhaps a little
bit over-zealous in pushing him forward.
Wise, of Virginia, was pressed in the same
way, but now he has weakened materially,
as he cannot command the support of his
own State. Douglas goes into the conven-
ton with an apparent strength beyond that
of any other candidate. His eighty, or even
one hundred votes, come, however, from
Northern and Western States, which will
not, under any circumstances, cast an elec>
COral VOCc lOE Iuc OtmOcrdtlC c80QlQate.
Still, their moral influence may be import
ant when the struggle comes, and may
sway one or two of the doubtful States.
So these men cannot be entirely ignored.
Opposed to Douglas stands nearly the whole
South-the section from which the electoral
votes for the Democratic candidates must
come chiefly. Mr.. Douglas is brilliant
man, an experienced statesman, strong
campaigner, and one ofthereal representative
minds which give the republic its force and
individuality of character. He would have
made capital President, and we would
have supported him with pleasure, had he
not made one fatal blunder, which he cannot
retrieve-so far as the South is concerned
at least it cannot be repaired at present.
Had Mr.. Douglas supported the admins.
tration of Mr.. Buchanan from the start, the
Illinois Senator might have walked into the
White House without half so much wear
and tear, mentally and bodily, as he suffer-
ed during his Senatorial campaign; but he
saw fit to rebel, and now the South will not
have him at any price. he may be War
wick-he cannot be King.