The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-03-17

PORTLAND.
Tuesday Morning, March II, 1893.
The Vice Presiaeucy.

There is no doubt as to who shall be Presi-
dent. Since Wasbington's time no man has
stood so far above rivalry and SO TAI beyond
the fear Of competition as General Craft.
Whoever is second, he is sure to be first. He
is in a better posi- ion than even Themistocles
after the battle of Salamis. After the great
sea flight, all the Greek commanders were re-
quested to name those persons who, in their
opinion, had deserved best of their county
during the Observation-Disclosures the dit-
ferent persons in the order of their merit
When their awards came to be examined, It
was found that each one had named himself
first, but Themistocles was uniformly second
on the list. But now, while many different
persons may regard themselves as having
rendered services to the country during the
late war that are second in value to those OF
only one man, that first piece is as universal
ly recognized as the controlling power OF the
sun in the solar system.
1t may be regarded as quite certain, then,
that If Gen. Grant is alive on the 20th of Nav,
he will be nominated tor the Presidency at
Chicago. For the second pace on the ticket
there is likely to be contest. For thai plice
there Is great variety OF candidates. There
are good bakers dozen Of them whose tiiends
have no serious idea that they will succeed.
1t is current me hod of complimenting
prominent fellow citizen for the Convention
in bis own State to propose his anne tor the
Vice Presidency. Among such may be men
toned Creswell of Maryland. Curtin OF Penn.
sllvania, buckingham Of Connecticut and
Pomeroy Of Kansas, all good men and true
but not part cularly likely to attain to the
Vice Presidency. Others like Fenton of Neg
York, Wilson of Massachusetts and Coltay Of
Indiana will have their claims urged seriously
| and actively, but neither of them appears to
| have any reliable strength outside his own
State. Wade OF Ohio, on the other hand, is
said to have received the voluntary pledges OF
one hundred and twenty delegates to support
him in the convention. The call for the Chi
caSo convention entities each State OF the
United States to be represented by dele
gates equal in number to twice the num-
ber of Senators and Representatives to
which it is entitled in the National Cen.
sress. II the cali be construed to embrace
the Southern States, the convention will be
composed OF 63S DELEGATES, and il Colorado is
admitted, GA. IT the Southern States are ex-
cluded, the number of delegates will be exact
ly 500. 1t will be seen that Mr.. Wades one
hundred and twenty delegates must be lArge-
ly reinforced to give him the nomination.
All the candidates we have mentioned are
Ia greater or less degree local candidates.
1t there Is any man who is indispurably the
first choice of States which have no candi-
date of their own, and the second choice OF
nearly all the rest, that is the national can
didate, and will be almost sure to receive the
nomination. Such man is Hannibal Ham
lin of Maine. His abandonment at Baltimore
in 1864 was the one great blunder of the Re-
publican party since it had an existence
That blunder has been atoned tor as brn-
ders have rarely been. 1t is acknowledged
and deplored, and there is a very general dis
position to make due reparation. We have
published extracts fiom paneis all over the
country. demanding that thc error OF 1864 lie
corrected. This morning we publish still
another article of the same kind published at
| the far West. s (
The spontaneous and hearty expressions
in Mr. Hamlin's favor, coming irom all parts
of the country, are most gratifying TO his
tellow-citizeus of Maine. There has been, it
seems, a serious mlsapprehension in regard
to the attitude OF our people toward MIR.
Hamlin. The fact that tie four delegates to
Chicago already selected were not Instructed
to vote for him has been regarded as an in
dication of feeling Of GOODNESS or indiler-
ence toward him. Nothing could be more
incorract Such action YVES regarde as en-
tirely superfuou3. Mr.. Hamlin's name was
already prominently before the country, and
there could be 10 shadow of reason for ex-
pressing what was uppermost in the minds Of
ALL Hannibal Hamlin's honesty, patriotism
and craftsmanship are known and appre-
ciated in Name as they hardly can be else
| where, and If the settlement OF the question
of the Vice Preside ncy were lett to the cit
liens of this State he would resume his seat
as presiding officer of the United States
Senate by their unanimous sufii ages.