The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-08-30
COLUMBIA.
Sunday Morning. August so, 1868.
Tho presidentiaI Prospect.

The New York Round Table is one
of the most scholarly and high-toned
of the literary weeklies of the coun-
try. Its influence, the Augusta Con-
stituiiohalist thinks, is very considera-
BILE With the more intelligent of the
Northern people, and, to this extent,
it is representative journal. For o
long time, the Round Table fought
shy of the Democratic nominees, and,
up to a recent date, prophecied evil
to them. But the tide of public
opinion has been too strong for this
able paper, as it was likewise too
mighty for the Herald. It does not
relish the idea of giving way all at
once, but the signs of ultimate aban-
donment of its original position are
plain and unmistakable. 1t "ays:
Sour conviction was freely ex-
pressed, at the time of the New York
nomination, that, in selecting Cover
nor Seymour for their. standard
bearer, the Democrats had set the
seal to their own defeat. Did we
Judge merely from indications en- the
surface, this conviction might remain
unchanged. We have, however, be-
come persuaded that there is pow
erful under current of popular dissat-
isfaction with radical rule and radical
measures; which is gaining rather
than losing strength with the passage
of time, and that, consequently, the
chances (which at present we estimate
as nearly even) may incline in No
vember, in victorious degree, to the
Democratic side"
Treating of the wonderful result in
Kentucky, and the all-pervading zeal
of the Democracy, it ruefully con-
fesses the opposite symptoms in the
radical canvass. The man who was
to sweep the country with q whirl-
wind of popular enthusiasm is worse
than wet blanket. The Round
Table is sorely puzzled at this, but
frankly acknowledges it, thus:
.''The remarkable unpopularity of
General Grant, meanwhile, appears
to increase from day to day. Whe-
ther it is that the people instinctively
realize the impropriety, in republic,
of placing q military man as chief
ruler over territory alphabetically
free, but which his sword has Just
subdued. or that the Commander-in-
Chiefs personal characteristics beget
a constantly augmenting dislike, it is
certainly true that for no military
man ever presented as candidate
for the Presidency in this country
has there ever been so little genuine
enthusiasm. The weakness of some
parts of the Democratic platform and
the ridiculous indiscretions of some
Democratic speech are, per-
haps, more than counterbalanced, in
nox'ons efficacy, by General Grants
utter. want of magnetism, and the
mistrust or dislike with which he is
regarded by the people.
The Round Table evidently deems
this awful "want of magnetism"
sure prognostic of the radical defeat.
It virtually comedies the impossibili-
ty of making man President by the
popular voice who is mistrusted and
disliked by the masses. It concludes
as follows:
'From present indications, we are
led to believe that the three great
States of New York, Pennsylvania
and Ohio will throw themselves into
the scale for Seymour and Blair; and,
should they do so, not all the hosts
of New England, backed as they may
be by the West and South. by voters
black or white, constitutional or un-
constitutional, will avail to prevent
the Republican forces from kicking
the BEAM"
From the reluctance with which
the concession is made; from the
high repute of the paper, and its
independent character, we arc justi-
fed in regarding the present attitude
of the Round Table as q most notable
conversion and most anspicious
omen. General Grant may, possibly,
win through bayonet revolution,
though that chance is desperate
one. He can never win through tho
people. .-