The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1864-02-06
From the Ae,c York World.
The Black Republican Gem
didates for the Presidency.

y
down in the order Of their availability
and probable chances
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, SALMON p.
CHASE, john q. FREMONT, NATHAN
TEL =. BANKS, BENJAMIN +. BUTLER.
There are three major generals in
this list, but it contains no name that
has acquired distinction by signal mill
tary achievements. Ofthese three ma
jor generals two have never fought a
: battle. and the military record of the
other is not brilliant 1t is clear, there
fore, that, if military popularity is to
enter, as a potential element, into the
presidential canvass, the advantage OF
that element will not be on the side Of
the Republicans. We proceed to in.
quirc into the availability Of their sever
al candidates.
/. LINCOLN. The extraordinary and
successful efforts now making to bring
Mr.. LINCOLN Immediately into the field
az the candidate of the state legislatures
and loyal leagues, woul6 react powerfully
against him il his Republican competi
tors had any approach to equality Of
strength as compared with each other.
In that case, their common interest in
his deieat would lead to a combination
to put common stumbling block out OF
the way, and give an open field to the
other candidates. But as the case
stands, to defeat LINCOLN would be
simply to nominate CHASE; it is only
the adherents of CHASE, therefore, that
have any interest in nthwsrtng him. The
impossibility of forming combination
against him makes Mr.. LINCoLNa very
strong candidate but the present de-
monstrations in his favor should not be
counted for more than they are worth
This concerted movement of the legisla-
lures and loyal leagues does not render
him Independent of the nomination of
the national convention; they only in
crease his chances of gertinG it. If the
convention were to be called in March
or April, Mr. LINCOLN would be irresis-
tible if it is deferred till June. it may
turn out that he has deploycd his forces
too soon. and put them upon 50 long a
march that they will have spent their
strength before they reach the field of
battle. This is mere figure of speech,
but solid reason is, that the Outs, being
always more numerous than the ms,
even in the party Of power, and twenty
Outs, on an average, coveting the
place of every In, it is for the general in
terest Of all the active, working polti-
clans not in office that there should be
change of administration and a new deal
With Mr.. LINCOLN as candidate. the
office-holders would play the presidential |
name with loaded dice, as against the
more numerous class of Office seekers. !
Here, then, is powerful force which
can be organized against Mr.. LINCOLN,
and which will become stronger by the
lapse of time for these two reasons !:
First. Mr.. LINcOLN's influence will di.
minish as the value of his patronage
ebhs away toward the close Of his term
and, second, the Outs will come to bet
ter understanding with each other in
as casual vacancies, which
some of them might wish to fill. become
less important. Strong as Mr. LINCOLN
is, he cannot run independently of
for should he attempt it he
would give the Outs and the radicals a
capital reason for supporting another !
candidate. The sooner the convention
is called the better are Mr.. LINCOLN's |
chances.
2. CHASE. The most formidable
of the actual President has
no chance whatever, except as a con- !
vention candidate. Being a member of /,
the cabinet. he could not, in honor, run
against his official chief; certainly not ie ,
the regular convention Of the party had
put that chief in nomination. The ut J
most that the proprietors Of his position
allow him to do, il tn try to carry the (,
Failing in that, he will !
be compelled to support his successful
Mr.. CHASE will 90 into the |
convention with many drawbacks. The
Republicans count a great deal on the |
army vote but CHASE is VIGOROUSLY |
with the soldiers on account
of his vexatious tardiness in supplying |
money to pay them. He has powerful
and indefatigable personal enemies in
his own party The most vigorous of !
these is General CAMERON, whose mo.
tives in joining the present LINCOLN
are wei. understood. Gener.
al CAMERON has no real friendship for
a President who wavered all through
the winter of l860-6l as to whether
he would keep the promise he had made |
to give CAMERON a place in the cabinet !
who was forced against his will to az,
point him; who compelled him to expur'
gate his second report ofits abolitionjsm
on pain of dismissal who finally did re-
move him into dstasteiul but honorable
banishment to Russia. But CAMERON
harbors more Unsuitable grudge against
CHASE than against LINCOLN. II was
n R..