Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-11-29
THE PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION.

Whatever else may be said Of the New
York Herald it has usually displayed re-
markable tact for keeping on the side Of
the majority. Whatever mey be said of
its character for veracity, its predictions as
TO the future success of political parties are
always read, and as the weather-cock al
ways shows which way the wind blows,
this political weather-cock is always look
ed TO as pretty good evidence of the cur
rent of popular opinion. In a recent issue
it discusses in a lengthy editorial, the pros
poets of the campaign in 1872. Assuming
that the Democratic party is disorganized
and utterly defeated, which no we'll in
formed man disputes, the Herald disposes
of the much talked of coalition between
Democrats and Observation-Disclosures Re
publicans. The plan, it says, "is one of
the desperate remedies which are required
in desperate cases but it comes too late"
the result only being to disclose some
curious political disclosures, alliances and
combinations. 1t asks:
Who are these anti-Grant Republican man.
agers2 Is not every man of them dsappoint-
ed ofiice-seeker2 Every man of them would
have been this day, most likely, crying up Gen
eral Grant to the seventh heaven, had he only
given them and each of them the Office or Of
hces asked for or expected. But they asked or
expected too much for it is with ofice-seekers
and expectants as with militia company-they
cannot all be captains. Many are called, but
few are chosen How far then, is the wrath
solid masses of the Republican party7 How
far did the wrath of Calhoun and the numerous
Democratic soreheads of General Jacksons first
term affect, in 1892 his second eleetion2 How
far did the active electioneering of Mr. Chase,in
1864, for the Presidential succession, as Father
Greenbacks" with all his hackers, including
Mr.. Greeley, affect the denomination and re-
election of Abraham Lincoln The opposition
of Calhoun and all the dismissed Cabinet and
other officers of Jackson so far strengthened
him in 1882 that he walked over the course
The efforts of Mr.. Chase and his hackers to
Lincoln increased the strength of
Honest Old Abe' in the Republican Nominal
ing Convention and his majorities in the cleo
ton In both these cases the honest masses of
the country, proud of their President and be-
lieving that he was unjustly assailed, rallied to
his support; and SO they will do in the case of
General Grant
Discussing the feasibility of fusion tick
cts it says:
But these fusion tickets are never adopted ex-
cept IN cases of confessed weakness, and they
have never amounted to anything in our Presi-
Dental contests. For example,: with all the
fusions and junketings between the national re-
puUllCallsi 50 calleu Win henry clay as their
and the anti-Masons, with William
Writ as their candidate, in 1882 against Jack |
son, they gained nothing and accomplished no. |
hing: And SO it was with the fusions and COM
binations tried against Van Buren, in 1886; and |
so 1t was with the fusion tickets tried against !
Lincoln in 1860. In word, no man has ever |
been elected President of the United States |
since Washington except as the candidate of a |
we'll defined and homogeneous party or organiza- |
ion, and the attempt to elect no-party man in |
1872 will signally fail. TfFM
1t discusses the suspension of the Demo- |
cratic party as a National Organization in
this style: a ~
At all events, at this crisis the suspension of |
ion means its dissolution and dispersion, and |
hat there will be little or no organized oppos-i |
ion against General Grant reelection. We |
have contended over and over again that the |
Democratic party has ran its career with its |
lead issues and dead men, and that new party |
must follow. But this new |
can do nothing in 1872. !
We expect, then, that General Grant next |
tall, like Monroe in 1920 with the dissolution |
Of the old anti-war party of his day, will be |
reelected, and that in 1876, as !
IN 1924, we shall have a beautiful scrub race for |
he succession, and that out of it. will follow |
new organization of parties. Meantime, there |
never was a clearer case in advance than the |
reelection of General Grant.
We confess there is nothing in these |
views TO cheer the hopes of the defeated |
Democracy, but who will question the rea-
son of the argument