The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-05-28
A EEEgE Ass
Wanted, A EeepubEicars ca Eats id -
sate for the Presidency
From the N. Y. Sun.

from the N Y. Sun.
As long as George Fl. Thorcfzs WIS
alive, the Republicans had a sure can
didate for the election If 1872 No
other man could have beaten bim. The
masses Of the people were for bim, the
Radicals honored and trusted him, aud
the Conservatives would have rallied
arodnd him with enthusiasm. His NOM
ination would have been equivalent to
his election.
Since the death of this great man, the
bewildered leaders of the Republican
party have been vainly scanning the roll
of their Presidential aspirants fora name
to ill the place made void by the fall of
Thomas. The LIST has become hack
neyed and stale, and bears the name of
no statesman who has any such hold up
Oh the confidence Of the people as the
crisis demands. Some shallow politi-
clans believe that Grant will be taken,
but no disistesested person with sense in
bis noddle sppposes that Grant can be
available. Gen. Grant himself, Of course,
does not think anything is the matter
with his prospects; and what dispenser
of patronage, breathing the incense of
adulation, ever could be made to see that
his role was played out, till the fall of
the remorseless curtain shut out all hope
for the future? Franklin Pierce, rather
a shrewd politician, and not over san
guine, could not be made to believe that
the Democracy were not going to renom-
mate him until the telegraph told him
that his vote in the Cincinnati Conven-
ton had dwindied down to A. The
hattery of office holders and office beg.
gars has added brains a great deal
larger and clearer than Grants.
In this condition of affairs, singular
change is coming over the minds of the
more intelligent and prudent members of
the Republican party. They are turn
ing their eyes back to their ancient
champion, Salmon p. Chase. For year
or two past, Chief Justice Chase has
been counted as "a Democrat. In the
impeachment Of Andrew johnson he
broke with the extreme Radicals, and
thereby did the Republican party SER
vice which all sensible men among them
will now acknowledge But t:is does
not constitute the reason why thoughtful
Republicans are led to inquire whether
it would not be better to make friends
with Judge Chase once again. with
view to running him tor President in
1872 The fact is, that Oh the essential
doctrine of Republicanism. as it stands
to-day, there is no man in the country
than Judge Chase. He is |
and not a Democrat. We |
meah Of course, the great principle of
suffrage az set forth in the Fif-
teenth amendment. Opposition to that
a considerable body OF clamor-
Gus, stS,id old Bourbons, who have
nicknamed themselves Democrats, pro-
pose to make the main Issue in the next
Presidential campaign; and who So fit
to lead the Republicans in such fight
as Salmon p. Chasef
But even this does not constitute the
most powerful among the motives which
are leading SO many intelligent Republi-
cans to look to the Chief Justice As a
possible candidate for 1879. The great
reason is that Judge Chase can cert anly
be elected This renders the movement
we are speaking of one of the most in
teresting ever developed in our political
history. It may not result in the actual
of the Chief Justice by the
Republican party, because there are
plenty of Bourbons in that organization
as well as among the Democracy But
It affords most impressive illustration
If the present rather chaotic state of
politics among US, and of the scarcity Of
commanding talent and popular availa-
oility, that any number of Republicans
hould perceive that they Cannot possi-
oly be so safe with any other candidate
is with the Chief Justice.