Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-12
PENDLEfON AND CHASE.
A COHspaFative analysis Of their PO-s
sitiens ON flle Currency Question.
and their attitude before the New
FrOm the New ZOE World. juno 9


York Convention.
From the New York World. June Q.
We have not felt it TO be our duty 10 en-
gage, as yet, in the canvass, now growing
active and warm, of the merits and chances
Of the different candidates for the Demo-
cratic nomination. We have great conf
dence in the wisdom of the convention, and
have no desire TO foreslall its action. So
far as we are able TO learn, there is no can
didaie, not even the one that is expected 10
enter the convention with the largest num-
Der Of delegates pledged TO his support,
who is not ready, and whose most jealous
friends are not ready, to cheerfully yield to
the deliberate Judgment of the convention
after fair trial Of strength. So long as
this spirit prevails, wesee nothing to regret
in the Vigor with which competing names
begin to be pressed. On the contrary, it is
gratifying evidence Of political life. It
betokens belief that the nomination is
to be something more than barren COM.
pliment. Where there is 40 much earnest
competition as is now beginning to develop,
the prize is felt to be Of solid value, and
the nomination to be equivalent, or very
nearly equivalent, TO an election.
Not only is the final harmony of the
party foreshadowed in the general willing
ness 10 accept the Judgment of the con-
ventiOn, but a substantial unity is discern
able even in the diversity of the conflicting
rivalships The two candidates whose
merits are most keenly canvassed--we of
course mean Mr.. Pendleton and ChiefJus-
tice Chase-might seem, on a superficial
glance, TO be separated by the whole diam
eter of the political circle; but on q near
er view it will be seen that their support
ersafe impelled NY common feeling and
entertain a common estimate of the polit-
ical situation. Ia the first place they are
both statesmen, and their pre-eminenee in
the preliminary canYass indicates general
feeling in the party that craftsmanship, and
not military qualifications, is what is most
needed at the head Of the government du-
ring the ensuing four years. In the
next place, they are statesmen OF
views so positive and decided as to
indicate that no section of the Dem
ocratic party would be content with
a President who has +" no policy of
his own mere serVile echo of the senti-
ments OF. other men. The Democratic par
ty have no fancy for such empty imbeciles
at the head of the government. The two
men whom they are most earnestly pressing
for the. highest Office haze a policy, as all
statesmen must needs have who possess a
well-grounded confidence in their own abil-
ity. If Napoleon and Frederic had lived
in the same age, they would doubtless have
differed widely in their methods Of con-
Quoting campaigns but that each would
have had very positive ideas is implied in
the fact that they were able Generals. An
army would have been more successful I'M
der the command of either than under a
new-caught civilian, who had no policy
of his own" which he meant to enforce
against the sense Of his men. Reverse the
illustration, and the same reasoning applies
to a new-caught soldier who is raw in all
the duties of a statesman. The Demo
cratic party proposes to act on the common
sense maxim of giving the tools to some
body that can handle them. ed, zsa
In the third place, the supporters Of Mr..
Pendleton and of Mr. Chase agree in con-
sidering the financial problem as the most
important which will engage the attention
VI LlAB EONGIuulHAlbN III lAlt ItAI lOuE -yEdIS.
This is perfectly sound judgment, and does
credit to the sagaeity of the party. The
party first turned to Mr.. Pendleton be-
cause he proposed bold solution Of our
financial difficulties. Another portion of
the party turns to Mr.. Chase because they
credit him with uncommon skill and ability
in fiscal affairs. There might be a great
difference of opinion among Englishmen as
to whether Gladstone br Dsraeh is best
fitted for Chancellor Of the Exchequer
but we presume there is no Englishman
who would not prefer to see the duties oil
that office discharged by either than by
some raw novice totally ignorant of finance.
Democrats differ on the financial question
but they are perfectly agreed in consider
ing it question of the first magnitude and
in desiring a President who will contribute
to its solutions. Nor are Mr.. Pendleton
and Mr.. Chase 80 far apart on this subject
as many suppose. They both insist on
having the same currency for the laboring
masses and for the bondholders. Mr.. Pendle-
ton says, 'Give them both greenbacks y
Mr.. Chase, "Give them both gold;" but
they alike say, One currency for ALL"
Mr.. Pendleton and Mr.. Chase alike desire
to Tighten the burden of the public debt.
One wouldlighten it by paying the five
twenties in a deprecated currency; the
other by paying them in gold, and with
improved credit negotiating a four per
cent. loan. Pendleton Would save third
of the principal; Chase a third of the in
terest. BY diverse routes they would
reach the same goal-a great alienation of
the public burdens Democrats differ as to
the choice of means, but agree respecting
the supreme importance of the end. s5sE
Each ofthese candidates gives an electric
surprise, almost a shock, to the Republic
cans, who are amazed and alarmed to find
that the Democratic party is not the fossil
lied set of old fogies they had tried to
think it. After they have settled npon a
candidate who is perfectly negative and
barren, they are COMPOUNDED to see the
Democratic party go, by sort ofnatural
affinity, to bold and positive men and in
cline to nominations which place it in i'm
mediate relation with. the breathing, PAL
plating, earnest future, and acting upon
ideas which seem to have been born but
No rIsrv y