The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-03

MARCH 3, l86O.-TRIPL
The Demscratie Csndidstes for the Proc
sfdcney-Thefr Msunoars and Antccs-
dents.
We publish today list o; the democratic
candidates for the Presidency. together with a
brief sketch of each, which we intend to
to follow up with similar account of the re.
publican candidates and Of those of the Union
opposition. The List of democratic candidsees
amounts to the formidable number of txeuty-
fVs-a quarter of hundred. In 1862 there
were half the number, and one Captain Rich
ard Scott of Richmond, Virginia, resorted to
an ingenious method of getting rid of them all
with one mastery stroke. He addressed let
ters to each of chem, and from each he re-
ceived answers. He published the correspon.
dence in batch, and thus brought them all
down with one shot. Either Franklin Pierce
was then unknown to him as a candidate, or did
not reply to his letter, or 1t was arranged with
Scott that his letter should not be published.
Certain it is that General Pierce benefited
by the operation, and Captain Scott went as
Consul to Rio. Now this Scott must have
been some relation Of Captain Martin Scott,
U. S. A., who had the reputation of being 90
good shot, that one day coon in tree, seeing
him raise his rife, cried out "Don'tfre, Captain
Scott; to save you the trouble, will just come
down" Perhaps there is some other captain
of the name, or some marksman, equally good,
of some other name, who will undertake to
bring down the whole bevy of democratic
Presidential candidates of 1860 by single shot.
The aspirants being twice the number that they
were in 1852, the feat will be more difficult, and
we think it ought to entitle the man who
achieves it to at least the Consulship to Liver
pool. Is there no political Nimrod who will 60
in for the honor of bagging twelve brace and
half Of such fine game, at the same time that he
earns the gratitude of some "great unknown"
who remains unfinished in cover till the danger
is past and the proper moment arrives for
showing himself on the wing. By such an ope-
ration great deal of trouble might be saved to
the Charleston Convention.
There will be no difficulty there abo,ita plat
form. That is already settled substantially. The
question of Lecompton and anti Lecompton
and squatter sovereignty, and all minor ques-
tons, are swallowed up in the great issue which
has been made by the republican party. Nor
will there be any trouble about double dele
cations, for we think the Convention will SEND
them away to settle their quarrels among them
selves, 30 that they may come back harmoni-
GUS and single. They all profess to agree
about principles, and only differ about mere
technicalities. Is it not, then, like children's
play that these mea should be splitting hairs
about matters of minor consideration, in the
presence Of the mighty question which the
republican party has forced upon the country
in all its naked simplicity, ana which must be
met by direct negative or affirmative By the
people?
There cannot, therefore, be much difficulty
on this score at Charleston. The only trouble
than can be anticipated is about the candidates,
who, if not thinned off by some keen political
sportsman before the Esd of April, may dis
tract and divide the Convention. The Southern
candidates are so numerous that none Of them
have any strength, and they threaten to use
each other up like the Kilkenny cats But
public opinion will probably have disposed
of most of the candidates, North and South,
before the time comes; already it is beginning
to operate upon their chances, like warm spring
weather upon the remnants of snow banks The
public mind appears to be gradually settling
down to this point-that 10 extreme Northern
or Southern man will answer, bu. that some
conservative from the Central States, some.
where between New York and the Pacific, must
be adopted to champion the democratic side of
the great pending issue. Ana to that opinion
the Convention will probably pay due defe-
renee.
But while the democrats are gradually get.
ting out Of their troubles about candidates, the
republicans are only il the commencement of
their turmoil. At first the fight was between
Seward. and Bates, Of Missouri, the fossil candi-
date Of Blair and Greeley. But Bates has been
effectually disposed OF, Notwithstanding the
nomination he has received Of some half
dozen republicans and nondescripts in Mis-
souri, nomination which, for all practical
purposes, might as well have been made in
North Carolina. But now il is Cameron and
Pennsylvania against Seward and New York,
and grand row may be expected for the
mastery, extending ever al the Northern
States, and eliminating at Chicago on the 10th
Of Msy. The republican platform is fixed and
settled, and the whole contest will be about
the man to represent its principles.
In view Of these preparations, the Union op-
position party ought to hurry up its Convention,
is platform and its man, lest it be too late in
the field. We want to see its candidate dressed,
shaved aad brushed, and ready for action. Let
himbe trotted outin good time, that all betting
men MAY have an Onnortunitv of iudoin0 Of hia