The New York herald., 1868-03-29

ment securities were also strong. Gold closed a
| 13sE.
The Democratic Presidential Ticket-Th,
Proposed Compromise Of Mcclellan ani
| Pendleton.
1t is a lamentable fact that at crisis in oul
| political affairs which calls for the highest
| order of statesmen and craftsmanship we have
only here and there man above the calibre
| of the second or third rate politician. The
rule will apply to the party in power and the
party out of power. The democratic party,
however, is most lamentably deficient in Presi-
Dental timber, whether we cast about for
| acceptable statesmen, popular heroes, or avail
able politicians. In the age before the late anti
slavery deluge, while Andrew jackson held the
reins, his word and his fayorite Except in
| 1S40) were sufficient, because he was sup
ported by body of party leaders who,
though not equal in calibre as statesmen to
Clay, Webster and Calhoun, were superior to
them as electioneering managers. But with
the disintegration of this powerful party COM
menced, which eliminated in the great rebel
lion. The Presidential election of 1852 with
the dissolution of the whig party, afforded
splendid opportunity to the triumphant demo-
cracy for new departure and another reign of
a quarter Of a century; but under poor Pierce
in 1854 they took the back track, and in a single
! false step-the. repeal of the Missouri compro-
| mise-they were broken down in the North
From this terrible blow they barely saved their
distance under Buchanan in 1856, although,
in addition to the solid vote of all the Southern
States Except Maryland), they were assisted
by division of the opposition forces in every
State of the North between Fremont and Fill
more.
But if the administration of poor Pierce was
disastrous in breaking down the democracy in
the North in 1854, that of Buchanan was ut
terly ruinous in the disruption of the party
North and South in 1860. If in the one case
the Northern cream of the party was SKINNED
of, in the other the pail was upset and all the
milk was lost. The blunders of the Northern de-
mocracy during the war after 1862 contributed
still to weaken them until 1867, when, from
of this radical Congress, there was palpable
and general popular Northern reaction. The
people were ready for change Of rulers with
a change of base, even under party which
they had seven times rejected; but this party,
| shorn by Pierce and Buchanan, and next by
copperheadism, of acceptable leaders, and
without recognized champion for the sue
cession, is beaten in the first Presidential
skirmish of 1868.
Here we have the chapter of accidents which
has left the democracy so deficient in Presiden-
tial materials, and which has resulted in giving
the republicans the start on the inside track
for the succession. During the present gene
ration, at least, no Northern man with peace
record during the late stupendous war for the
very life of the nation will do for a Presiden-
tial candidate 1t will certainly be the sheer
est folly to put up man of the Chicago plat
form type Of 1864 against Grant, the successful
leader of the Union armies. Horatio Sey-
mour for President will not answer; nor will
| jeremiah Black, nor Hendricks, nor even Pen
dleton, whose capital stock in trade is the
payment Of the government bondholders
in greenbacks-the prevailing popular
idea in the West. There was o time when,
if the democratic managers had acted
upon the suggestion Of John Van Buren in
taking up Andrew Johnson and taking him
carefully in hand, they might under his banner
have turned the tables against the radicals
and that opportunity was just after the Phila-
delphia Johnson Convention of 1865 and just
before that unfortunate pilgrimage to Chicago.
But johnson was not acceptable, and his gen.
erous efforts TO bring out General Hancock for
the democracy have not been appreciated,
Sherman has declined the overtures from the
White House in this direction, and Thomas
likewise Sheridan Is tearing radical and
Meade, they say in Georgia, is no better than
Pope.
Thus cut of from the army we have been en-
deavoring to draw the attention Of the demo-
cratic party to Admiral Farragut, of the navy,
as the man whose victories and aurels of the
war, In bis sphere Of action, are as glorious as
those Of Grant. But we have no encouraging
responses from democratic captains or trum-
peters They evidently have their msyivincs
! about Farraguts pltform, as if the platform
Of bis flagship Hartford were not enough
! However, If they do not want him We presum,
. he will not feel much aggricTed. But ther