The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-05-24
The Next Democratic Candidate.


to say with reference to the next
Presidential campaign, and repose
in perfect confidence of complete
triumph at the next election, the
Radical press and the Radical pol
iticians show no little concern in
regard to the question who shall
be selected as til e Democratic
standard bearer in 1872. Let the
name of any one individual be
brought forward and he is immedi-
ately assaulted with as much abuse
and vituperation as if he had al
ready been regularly nominated by
a Democratic National Convention.
They hope in this manner to kill
off every Democratic aspirant, so
that the Summer Of 1872 shall find
the Democracy without a live can
didate in the field. And it makes
no difference with these Radicals
whether the name suggested be
leading Democrat, converted Re
publican, or even an honored mem
Der of the Republican organization.
After the opposition to Grants
San Domingo robbery on the part
of Mr.. Sumner some over-zealOus
individual suggested that he might
do for Conservative candidate.
The suggestion was sufficient to set
a whole pack of Radical ours Oh
his heels, whose peculiar province
has been to depreciate the Sena-
tors lifelong services to the Re
publican party, and to sheer at his
craftsmanship and learning, which
we're formerly the pride and boast
Of the Radical party. MIR. Charles
Francis Adams having been named,
his dignified bearing and his staid
New England Puritanism have been
outraged in being made the sport
of pot-house politicians of his party,
who can see no beauty in Radical
ism apart from it's ability to mete
out the loaves and fishes to the
hungry and the needy. A fool hav-
ing suggested the name of General
Sherman as a possible candidate,
the absurdity of the proposition
could not save his epaulettes from
being spattered and soiled by the
ultra loyal Radicals who stayed at
home while he was fighting the
battles of b e Union. Horace
Greeley fires off solid column of
the Tribune at his devoted head,
ridicuies his craftsmanship, init
mates that he was under the thumb
Of General Breckenridge W h en-
agreeing to the Sberman-Johnston
settlement, and makes an invidi-
Gus comparison between his loqu-
acity and the owlish wisdom of his
sphynx-like superior officer at
Washington. And so on to the
end of the list.
It is impossible to mistake the
meaning of all this Radical ner-
vousness when discussing the Dem
ocratic candidacy for the next Pres
idency. 1t betrays a firm convic-
ton in Radical circles that the next
Democratic candidate is bound to
be successful unless some unforeseen
blunder shall be committed in put
ting him on the track. The Rad
calls know that if ordinary Demo
cratic wisdom be exercised in nam
ing the candidate, and in laying
down a platform on which he is to
stand, the Radical candidate, be he
Grant or any one else, will moi
stand the ghost of chance of sue
cess. Hence they wish to run
down in advance every prominent
Democratic candidate. and to die
tate such platform as will Ger
tainly cause the defeat of any mar
who is put upon it. If the candi
date be an old-line Democrat
whether from the North or thu
South, then the sensitive minds o
the Northern canaiHe are to b.
wrought on by the old story o
"Copperheads," "Second rebel
lion," Southern Supremacy" ant
such like. The Congressional
Committee, it is hoped, will furn
ish enough sensation stories of Ku
Klux outrages to fire the Northern
heart and secure the election O
the Radical candidate. If, on til,
other hand, the Democrats SHOULD
nominate Conservative Republi
can, or a convert from Republican
ism, then the South is to be taunt
= ed with the idea that such q tri