Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-05-19
The Conservative Candidate for the
Presidency,

candidate for the Presidency, is beginning to oc
cupy large share of public attention. lnview
Of recent events, it has become question OF
great political Importance, and one, on the wise
determination of which the welfare of the coun-
try mainly depends 1t is now obvious, that if
the Conservative party act wisely and patrloti-
caly, dscarding all mere personal preferences
in the selection of candidate, and looking only
to the choice Of the man who combines the lar
gest elements of popularity, success must crown
their efforts. But if, on the other hand, they
fall into contentious and strifes and chickering's,
as to who shall be their standard bearer, defeat,
and four years more of disastrous misrule, must
be the consequence of their folly.
The great battle for the Constitution and free
institutions is to be fought in the North, and by
the people of the North. The South is power
less, and must continue to be so until she is re-
stored to her rights in the Union. 1t is there
fore proper, that the North should have the
right to determine who shall be our candidate.
They can judge better than the people of the
South, who is best calculated to ensure success
in the North The Southern delegates to the
Convention, should, therefore, say to their
Northern associates, deliberate calmly, eau
tiously and dispassionately-ma your selection
of a candidate, and we will cheerfully sustain
him."
So far as the South is concerned, we wish it
to be distinctly understood, that we have no
preferences and no prejudices, in regard to men
we will sustain any sound Conservative man,
whether he comes from the North, the East or
the West All we ask is, give us the man who
is strong enough to win We go for success. s.
What we desire above all things, is a release
from radical domination. The man who can
most certainly accomplish that end, is the man
of our choice We go for results-we care not
for the means. or the men who are to achieve
them. We will go for Pendleton, Hancock,
Doolttle, Seymour, Hendricks, or any other
good man. We indulge in no narrow sectional
or personal jealousies. We seek to crafty no
personal partialties. Victory in the coming
contest is our first object.
The signs of the times are all auspicious.-
They show that we can be successful five act
wisely. And what burning shame it would be,
if we were to hazard the result by petty SQUAD
bles about men! The issues are too important
for us to stop and quarrel about the merits OF
this or that candidate We should cultivate
the broadcast and most catholic spirit. Every
thing for the cause-nothing for men-should
be our motto The split in the Democratic par
ty between the friends of Breckenridge and
Douglas, brought all the troubles on the coun
try. Let US not repeat that folly Lincoln was
Douglas, Breckenridge and Bell, exceeded those
cast for Lincoln by nearly million. The con-
sentative vote now, if united, will outnumber
the radical, by probably more than million. =
| Shall we now by discords in our own ranks al
low Grant-a minority candidate, to be elected?
We trust not When We hear conservative
say, will not support Pendleton, or Hancock,
or Seymour, or any other good man, we are dis
posed to set him down as radical ally. 1t mat
tiers not what his motives may be- or how much
he may profess to hate radicalism-he is prac-
tically giving aid and comfort to the Radicals.
and seeking to hold the South in subsection.
When New York men say they will not support
Pendleton, or Western men say that they will
not sustain Hancock or Seymour, what is it in
effect, but saying they go for men and not for
principles-for their fayorite and not for the
cause.
Let us then have no more of these idle decla-
rations Let us remember that the constitution
the cause of civil liberty-the great interests
of the country are in peril. Let us remember
that our first duty is to our country, and our
first obligation is to redeem it from tyranny and
misrule Every feeling of personal partiality
must be subordinated to this great end Re-
deem the country first, and then consult private
inclinations afterwards.
We hope the Conservative Convention will
come together in spirit Of mutual concession
and Cancellation comparing opinions honestly
and fairly, with all eye single to success When
victory is accomplished the conservative
party is established on a firm basis, it will be
time enough to consult personal preferences for
men, and contend for particular lines of admin
istrative policy. Now, the question is, not how
the government is to be administered, but
whether we are to have a government which is
worth preserving. We must rescue that from
ruin and settle other matters afterwards. We
care not what our candidate may think on this
Or that questionable great enquiry Is, can he
win the battle? Has he the capacity to beat the
radicals? In other words does he profess what
John Randolph called, ''the turning out facul-
typ"