Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-02-07

A Foolish sroRy.-The press generally is just
now airing story originating in the Washington
correspondence of the NewYork Times. to the effect
that ii has been determin ned among the Republi-
can-party members Of Congress and other leading
Republican politicians, that Mr. Seward is virtu-
ally to decline their nom nation for the Presidency
in favor of Mr.. Bates, contenting himself until
1861 with the mission to England; and that Mr.
Cameron, of Pennsylvania, 10 to be the candidate
for Vice President on their ticket; and, further
that Nj John w Forney is the engineer through
whose management of his new political friends
the arrangement has been consummated, to the
entire satisfaction of everybody, including Mr.
Seward himself
Now, we have to say that there is not scintilla
Of truth in this wonder of the hour 1t is clear to
all in Washington who take the trouble of in
forming themselves with reference to what
passes among the politicians surrounding them,
that Senator Seward means to be the Republican
party nominee for the Presidency, If he can. And,
further that the chances twenty to one that he
can be- insomuch as Observation-Disclosures Of the
rank and file of his party for his nomination
the other twentieth, composed as it is of small
Republican, party politicians, being divided up
Tin their preferences) into half dozen little
eliques, each attached to the coattail of some
would-be rival of Senator Seward, in the hope of
eventual greater profit to themselves by the nomi-
nation Of the person for whom he acts as sort of
striker
That Mr.. Forney has scheme for setting aside
Mr. Seward is probably trne, he may never
hope to achieve much personal influence over one
Of the experience In public affairs Of Mr.. Seward.
But the idea that because the Republican party
lit to pay him for his services with the Clerk
ship, therefore he is Installed into the position of
their Warwick fright of the handle" is simply
ridiculous one. While having as little faith in
that party any other of its uncompromising
opponents, we are very sure that the success Of
Mr.. Forney's scheme Of the treachery of the anti
Lecomptonites to the Democracy has not so bereft
them of their senses as to induce them to set him
up nstanter the arbiter Of the fate of their ind
vidual leaders of longest service in their cause
The truth is, Mr.. Seward is the Republican
party's life and soul. 1t takes all its ideas and
principles as he lays them down for it. Being its
only great representative man, as well as its
creator, for it to abandon him at the dictation of
Mr.. Forney, would be for it to throw away three
fourths of IFS popular strength, to accommodate
that gentleman. His nomination Will doubtless
drive from the Republican ticket thousands of
Union-party opposition men. But to ignore his
claims to its support in the approaching contest
will rs surely drive from supporting its ticket
tens of thousands for every thousand who will
refuse to support him as its nominee. These facts
are SO well understood by all well-informed poll
ticians, as to render the nomination of Mr. Seward
by the Chicago Convention certain as that that
convention will meet.
This story about Forney's setting aside Seward
for Bates, on the whole, is about on par with the
stories periodically sent from Washington TO the
New York Times, Cincinnati Enquirer, Chicago
Times, ct al representing the lire eaters Of the
South as rapidly caving in for Douglas for the
Charleston convention nomination. This is a
world of humbug in which we live just now; and
in nothing else is it so much in vogue at the present
writing, as in fbbing in the newspapers concern
ing the prospects of this that asprant for
the Presidency.