The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-05-18

SHEET.
times the population on wheat alone, without
counting barley or oats What productive
country 1t must be that can make such an ex-
hibit as this, and what thriving, Industrious
people that can make 30 splendid return
from the soil! With the increasing facilities
for obtaining labor from Asia and the rich soil
from which labor can draw such resources,
California is bound to maintain her ascendancy
gold in the mineral and golden grain, such as
Egypt, the granary of ancient days, and Sicily,
the granary Of Europe never rivalled.
The Democratic National Cenventien-Can-
didates and Prospects Of the Party.
The democrats have selected day for
holding their national convention long enough
after the Chicago radical convention for de-
liberate and comprehensive survey of their
enemy's ground and plan Of battle. They will
have six weeks after the radicals throw their
banner to the breeze to study the position and
character of the candidates opposed to them
and to decide who their own candidates shall
be. Will they profit by the delay and come to
New York on the Fourth of July prepared to
like the Bourbons of France, shut their eyes
against the teachings of the past and the great
changes that have taken place and still adhere
to obnoxious dogmas and weak leaders? They
are greatly bewildered and divided at present,
undoubtedly, from the want of candidates COM
bining the necessary elements for success. The
future only will show whether they comprehend
public sentiment and their opportunity or not
and how they will come out of the contest.
General Grant will probably be the radical
nominee for President, and perhaps Ben Wade
for Vice President, though the nomination Of
Wade is more doubtful. There may be, how
ever, terrible fare up at Chicago in conse-
quence of the result of impeachment so far,
with a split in the party and complete
change of programme. Still, the chances are
that General Grant will be the chosen candi-
date of the ultra faction, should even the
conservative anti-impeachers, Fessenden,
Trumbull, Grimes and the rest, be read out of
the party or be led to form separate organiza-
ton, with Chief Justice Chase as their leader.
Under such circumstances who can the
democrats run with fair chance of winning
against General Grant? Although Grant has
lost some of his vast popularity, and the halo
of the war which surrounded his name may be
| 90 ho 10 still yifI fho ND
with those who were earnest for the war.
The war sentiment is by no means dead yet,
and the mass of people are not statesmen who
might be governed by great principles rather
than by enthusiasm or impulse. Who, then, can
the democrats nominate against this popular
general? There is large party, particularly
in the West, in favor of Pendleton, and per-
haps he will be stronger than any other
candidate in the New York convention.
But his war record would operate
against him with the mass of the
people, and his financial views would
frighten even many of the leading democrats
of the Northern and Middle States. Many o.
those who furnish the sinews Of war for the
campaign, such as the magnates of the Man
haitian Club, would be alarmed and become
lukewarm in the cause. With all his acknOw.
lodged ability Pendleton would not be safe
candidate. The Manhattan Club will probably
want General Mcclellan. They have in
vested largely in him already, and will wan
to get their money back again. But Mcclellan
as military hero is entirely eclipsed by Grant
and he has no other great elements Of popu.
larity. Besides, he has been tried and defeated
once, and that defeat would be heavy dead
weight for the party to carry. Ex-Governor
Seymour, of this State, is the anointed Of the
Tammany ring, and he will be urged, doubt
less, with all the clamor and power which the
old campaigners of that society know how tc
use But he has no vitality, and is as dry a.
the dead leaves of autumn. He is fossil poll
tician of bygone. age, and would not inspire
the least enthusiasm or interest in the people
Then, he also has not such a clean war record
as would make 1t prudent to run him agains
the great hero of the war. General HancOcl
is spoken of, and has the powerful State o
Pennsylvania to back him. He is, perhaps
the most available military man the
democrats could get. True, there woult
be this drawback-that the democrats
would be taking the lieutenant u
run against the captain, giving the radicals
the advantage of the greater hero in point o
military prestige. Still, as we said, Hancock
would be, probably, the best military candi-
date the democrats could get. There are a
number Of other aspirants for Presidential
honors we might name, but not so prominent
as those mentioned, and none who could arouse
the enthusiasm of the people. The democrats,