The New York herald., 1868-03-14
The Next Presidency and tho Democracy
Admiral Farrarut Their OnIv f,v,ouco

Admiral Farragut Their Only Chance.
| We think 1t was in November last, and after
New York, the Empire State, in winding up a
| splendid train Of democratic victories, had
gone laundering by with her imperial majority
of fifty thousand, that, at q social meeting in
this city of representatives of the rank and
file of the democracy, Admiral Farragut was
the lion of the occasion. His invitation was
compliment to the great naval hero of the war
for the Union, and his presence was an honor
to the meeting. Nothing was said of party
politics in the gallant old Admirals presence,
and but little was, perhaps thought at the time
of the chances of his ever becoming can
didate for the Presidency on either side. In
fact, at that epoch of democratic sunshine
General Grant had not defined his position,
and there was lively hope entertained
among the democrats that with proper
encouragement on their part he would,
like captivated but coy and blush
ing damsel, yield to their soft persuasions
to become theirs " for better or for worse" at
the high marriage festival of the Democratic
bright hopes began to wane; in January it
began to be apparent that Grant was coquetting
with the radicals, and in February the grand
fare-up between Grant and Johnson settled
the question. General Grant had cut out even
the favorite Chase with the radicals, and all
the democratic Grant fat was upset in the fire.
The joyful news to the republicans was sent
flying on the wings of the lightning to every
hole and corner from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific, and so, between the going down and the
rising Of the sun, General Grant became the
accepted Presidential candidate Of the re-
publican party from the Penobscot to the Sac
ramento. The State Convention of this party
in New Hampshire put him boldly at the head
Of their columns for their preliminary battle Of
Tuesday last, and under his banner they have
given the astonished democracy another touch
Of Fort Donelson. In passing this test, with
all its discouragng radical impediments, sue
cessfully, General Grant has shown that
| against his broad, deeply set and substantial
popularity as the victorious leader of the
| Union armies against the rebellion he will, in
the four mile heat over the Presidential course,
distance any one of all the quarter horses that
| have been named in behalf of the democratic
party In opposition to Grant 1t has been
demonstrated by the New Hampshire election
that any such antediluvian democratic lawyer
as Seymour, Pendleton or Hendricks, on old
democratic principles, viii come off much
worse from the trial than did Mcclellan from
| his race with the sure-footed, long-legged and
long -winded Lincoln.
What then, are the democracy to do? The
State gathering at Albany the other day was 0
conclave Of drivellers, Seymour at the head
of them. They talked and resolved them
selves into muddle and then adjourned. The
Tammany leaders of this city, the Sweenys
of them, are drivelers Of the same school
Mayor Hoffman, for instance upon his popular
majority In this city on our unpopular whiskeJ
and lager beer laws, has been seized with th'
pleasing fancy that he is the coming man fol
the White House-a fancy which once seizet
upon Mayor Wood, and of which b.
was not wholly relieved till he tool
that voyage to Jerusalem and had
cooling bath in the river Jordan. But still
the Tammany sachems excepting Hoffman
perhaps) have had the conceit taken out o
them by New Hampshire, and they see tina
they are all adrift; that against Grant an.
candidate without a first rate war record !
useless, and that the so-caled 'time-honore,
principles Of the democratic party are only s.
much old lumber and rubbish of the age befor
the food. What, then, are the democracy :
do2 Where are they to find their requires
hero of the war? Mcclellan was used up /
1864; Hancock they find, is not exactly th
thing; Sherman is with Grant; Sheridan is
regular radical; Meade ditto, and the ightin
Thomas has pronounced against Johnson IN a
: appeal to "Old Ben Wade
What, then, can the democracy do IL ther
; Is nothing left for them in the army2 W
4 answer, try the navy-try that invincible ol