The mountain Democrat., 1864-03-05
A storm Brewing.


An insidious bat very brisk canvass,
which promises 70 end 10 9 row. b going
on smong the AbOlitionists with tsE@ence
to a candidate foF the Presidency. Lin
coin ssems to have the advantage thus
far, backed, as be is, by an army Of Office
holders and shoddy contractors; but it is
said that the more astute politicians, the
wire-w0TkeEs and ConyentiOn.packers.
have not yet shown their hands. Chase.
Fremont, Banks and Butler are in the
ring, each supported by retainers,-the
expectants urging the claIms Of Chase,
the Germans those Of Fremont, the un-
scrupulous those of Butler, and tMe non.
committal those Of Banks. Lincoln's
friends are sanguine, Chasc's active, the
friends of the others patiently waiting for
something to turn up, and encouraging
both Lincoln and Chase with insincere
promises.
COnness has declared for Lincoln, and
by doing 90 has mOnopolized the Federal
patronage on this coast, to the disgust and
indignation Of the old line Republicans,
who think they have been shamefully
treated by an Administration they assist.
ed to place in power, in spite of the oppo-
sition Of Conness. They are not ambi.
tious to be ranked as Conness' "hewers
Of wood and drawers of waters" and
since Lincoln has left them "out in the
cold" they seem not unwilling to return
the compliment From him they have
nothing to expect-from Chase, every
thing, place, power, and patronage
Some Of the ablest, most influential and
artful leaders of the old Republican party,
probably from selfish considerations and
in order to snub Conness and rebuke his
presumption and diminish his influence.
are industriously working to control the
next Abolition State Convention. II they
succeed, they will send Chase delegates
to the Baltimore Convention. They want
to convince Lincoln that it is dangerous
to throw off old friends to please new
ones, and that ConneSs has not a bill of.
sale Of the Republican party. Conness is
providing for bis friends, with the assist
ance Of Lincoln, at their expense, and
they are not SO meek AID spiritless as to
tamely submit to their own degradation
and kiss the hand that smites them.
1t is amusing as we'll as instructive ia
watch their sly proceedings; each faction
endeavoring to deceive the other; each
questioning the others loyalty; each ca
ger 20 defeat the other. Both want the
spoilS, both can't have them, and neither
is willing to share them with the other
They agreein principle, but differ widely
in regard to the distribution of the spoils,
and to obtain them they are iercely fight
ing. Bell, Hunter and Harvey are mar
shaling the Conness forces, who are well
drilled, obedient and "know the ropes; =
Ellis, Arnold and Wicks, the anti Con.
ness, who are timid. credulous and indif
ferently organized and managed. The
former are new converts, the latter old
line Republicans. The former are old
political managers, understand how to
pack conventions and secure the election
and attendance of delegates; the latter
are unscrupulous, but inefficient workers
The old liners have the strength, their
opponents the patronage, and patronage
in such party, is all-powerful. Prom
ises are freely made on both sides; bu
the one which possesses the Y&tE6NagC
has the ability-we say nothing about the
inclination-to redeem its promises, the
other may have the inclination but ha,
not the ability. Men are not often inhu
enced by promises which depend upon q
contingency a certainty attracts and
wins them and the ConnesS faction, hav.
ing the control OF the Federal, State and
County patronage, has a decided advan
tage over Ellis, Wicks & Co., and will
most effectually "clean them out"