Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-03-29


The Charleston Mercury has Washington
correspondent who is evidently very well
acquainted with what goes on among
the democrats at the capital, and especial
Iy among those who are canvassing for
the Charleston nomination. He seems to be
a man of fine ability and an earnest OBJ
server of political movements. He writes in
the interest of the extreme wing of the south
ern party, and believes very strangely that
disunion demonstration on the part Of Virginia
and the cotton states would have greatly injur-
ed the republicans. He reports that the DEM
ocrats at Washington, after putting down Cal
ifornia and Oregon as sure for the democratic
nominee concede all the other free states to the
republicans, excepting Pennsylvania, New Jer-
sey, and Connecticut. This estimate is certainly
the result of very clear sighted observation.
He believes the republicans would be sure to
sweep the whole northwest, with any candidate
that is likely to be brought prominently before
the Chicago convention and we believe so too
Connecticut and New Jersey may be very
close but in each of these states, the chances
are altogether in favor of the republicans. Con.
necticut, in voting for president, does not usu.
ally show so close vote as at other times. Do
not forget that she gave Fremont a pluralits
of 1920. As to Pennsylvania, it will 80
in time to begin calculation ,sStts ~
that state, when the Chr
anronncad pnt-s.pssHarleston nomination is
~ -. sss1sss's, under no circumstances are
.55sasoerats likely to do there again. as they
80 in 1856. Speaking of the chances for the
nomination at Charleston, this correspondent
of the Mercury, writing March 2lst, says
"Who shall be the winner of the Derby :?
You may rely upon many false starts and
broken heats; and you may also rely upon many
fresh entries at each new heat Douglas will
probably start with seventy five votes-he
may run up to hundred but his nomination
is out OF the question. Hunter will be next
highest, and might get it, if he were thought
to be available. The northern delegation will,
some of them urge southern man; but they
will claim the right to select him. Hunter is
good and true man, and the constitution
would be as safe in his hands as the times and
country will allow. He is pure man and d
statesman. If the south were to demand his
nomination. he would certainly get it; but,
perhaps, i'll the divisions of rivalry, such de-
mand will not be made. The truth is, the
south is dreadfuly divided. Fitzpatrick and
Stephens, Slidell, Davis, Hunter. Guthrie,
Orr, Cobb, and johnson of Tennessee, are all
mentioned in the SOUTH and their divisions will
not be healed so as to secure union upon any
one of them. All of them may as well be
counted out The nominee will, however, be
a man of strength in the middle states, for
there the battle will be fought. Breckenridge
or Joe Lane are each strong. The defeat of
Douglas will show up the freesoil rottenness of
the northwest. The republicans will sweep it,
and Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut
are the only states the democracy can hope
for. The convention will look to these states,
and may take some southern trimmer who is
strong in them. This is the drift of things at
Washington now, and you will see it,"
He suggests that, in certain contingency,
South Carolina, Mississippi and Alabama,
may withdraw from the convention, run sep
arate candidates, and prepare for the chances
of an election OF president by the House They
will not support Douglas under any circum-
stances. We think Mr.. Douglas will have
more votes in the convention than this letter
writer allows, but not fewer difficulties in the
way to prevent his nomination. There is
more truth in the following representations of
a Washington correspondent of the Philadel
pha North American than most of the Doug
las men are ready to admit =
Much of the countenance given to Judge
Douglas by some OF the southern leaders may
be attributed to desire TO conciliate the re-
version Of his strength at Charleston, after he
has been put aside for want of availability.
He mistakes that liberation for devotion, and
is thus deluded with the idea that his nomina-
ton is nearly certain, when the prospect is re-
ally more remote than it was either eight or
four years ago."