The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-01-06
Getting Rather Dubious At the Prospect

We clip the following from the Washing.
ton correspondence of the Chicago Times:
The New York Times (republican) begins
to think Gen. Grants prospects are not quite
so bright after all. That paper says:
ain the first place, we have pretty good reas-
on for knowing that Mr.. Ray mond does not IN
derstand. BY any means, that ''the republicans
are bound to carry the 1t presidential election
1t happens to be his opinion that unless the y
show more wisdom in the next six months than
they have shown during the past two years. their
chance ct carrying the next election is not such
as TO tempt any politician, who is eager to belong
to the victorious party" into allyine him self
with their fortunes, however dismal and desperate
his own may happen to be. AS things stand to-
day, with universal negro suffrage to be forced
upon the southern states by military power as
the condition of their restoration to the Union
and in the uncertain tone and temper of the re-
publican party on the financial questions before
the country, the prospect of republican defeat
is not only reasonable" but it may be called
brilliant"
The Times further SAYS:
"There certainly several calamities to the
country more to be dreaded in 1868 than the de
lay of specie payments, and one of these mi ght
be, though we earnestly trust it will not be, the
defeat OF Gen. Grant for the next presidency by
reason of a trade and financial revplsion on the
eve OF an election, brought about, if not pur-
posely preeipitated, by administration for
which his friends and the republican majority in
congress ought TO be no longer and in no sen se
responsible"
| happen also to know that parties very
NEAR the person of Gen. Grant las they
say in monarchial countries) are little du-
blous as respects the prospect. Possibly
they will be able to decide one way or the
other with certainty, whether he will be a
candidate or not, after the New Hampshire
election. Mr.. Washburne and Gen. Rawlings
are not in perfect accord as respects what
should be done. Everything has a rose
water tone to Mr.. Wsshburne. Not 80 to
Gen. Rawlings; and suspect that the latter
IS not only far better at casting the political
horoscope than the former, but is also more
unselhshly allied to Gen. Grant, whom he
serves as a friend rather than q politician
think it almost one of the certainties that
the result of the New Hampshire election
will determine the question OF Gen. Grants
candidacy for the presidency.
Another dubious man is ex-Gov. Curtin.
OF Pennsylvania. A letter is now in this
city from him, in which he says the democ.
racy will carry Peunsylvania BY SO, 900 ma
jority, unless the financial policy of the con-
trolling minds in the radical party il
changed. He advises an imitation Of 5000.
100000, and payment of the bonds in green.
backs, as | am informed. Gen. Rawlings
also says that initiation is absolutely necessary
to republican success. Gen. Logan, Gen.
Hulbutt, and many others here, in and out
OF congress, are of the same way of thinking.
But they all agree that, the senate being
owned by Jay Cooke q Co., and Hugh
Mccullough, there is no hope of initiation; if
there IS even that contraction will be stopped.
MIR. Sherman's bill is contraction in the
worst form. It would still further drive the
greenback money into investments in "qov
ernments," thus withdrawing it from the
channels of trade.
BUTLER AND THE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST.
Gen. Butler was asked, few DAYS since,
whether he would support Grant for Presi.
dent he replied that he had no choice as
to candidates; it was principles to which he
looked. This was subtle fling at Grant,
after the Generals most approved method:
for no one looks upon Gen. Grant as the
representative of any political principles
whatever, and the aim of those putting him
forward IS to SO word the platform as that it
will read both ways. 4
WHO CONTROLS HIM?
1t has been supposed by the outsiders
that L. B. Washburne was Gen. Grants po-
iitical conscience-keeper, This may have
been true to some small extent in the abb
sence OF Gen. Rawlings from this city on a
western tour for the benefit of his health.
SINCE his return, however, the court of the
Distinguished General has been divided into
two hostile factions,-one led by Rawlings
ana the other by Washburne Rawlings lust
now has the inside track. He is true to
Grant personally, while Washburne only
party, and especially his own POLITICAL ends
Rawlings has lately been putting in his
spoke in the Generals affairs. much to the
chagrin Of Washburne, who thinks,that Raw.
lings should confne himself to mere military
duties, and leave the Generals polisical con.
science in his WIS., keeping. As Sir Luz
cius O'Trigger says: 'It's a pretty little
quarrel as it stands" and want to see il
fairly played out. &asa