Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-03-30
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
Political Affairs.

Political Affairs.
Editor Rutland Herald Not little
speculation is engaged in already about
the next Republican candidate for the
Presidency. 1t will be some time before
the nomination is made, but no little
anxiety is already expressed as to the
coming man.
Your sensible editorial OF the 21st inst,
would serve to indicate that it was more
important that the party should be put in
fighting condition than that it should be
looking about for standard bearer, and
1 agree with you. If the Republican par
ty is not utterly brainless I take it that
these differences will be satisfactorily ar
ranged.
Looking at the matter from this dis
lance it seems very certain that John L.
Hoffman of New York, will be the Dem
ocratic candidate for President Although
be is by no means the largest man of his
party, be has the prestige Of success and
is the idol of the New York Democracy.
Who is going to beat him2 Let us con.
slider moment.
Most of your readers without having
given much reflection to the subject will
answer Grant, of course. To me, who
I admit am not much of a politician, this
does not look probable. Gen. Grant, wise
ly or unwisely, as the case may be, has
taken sides in the New York contest be.
tween Conkling and Fenton, which you
refer to, and do not see how he can Sc
cure the vote of that State in the nomi-
mating convention, nor its electoral vote
il he is nominated. This is also true Of
Missouri He is regarded as taking de-
cided stand in her political affairs, and
has most certainly alienated Carl Schurz
and the whole German element of the
State. It is not to be concealed that Gen.
Grant and Mr.. Sumner are in most an
lonely attitude, and that this has culmi-
mated in the removal of the latter from
the Craftsmanship of his committee. Mas
sachusetts is not whipped Spaniel to be
people expect to have something to say
about his denomination. With New
York, Missouri and Massachusetts against
him, is it likely that Gen. Grant will be
renominated have only to answer that
it is improbable, to say the least, and
most certainly against all presidents that
have heretofore governed nominating con-
ventions.
Anticipating this result, Gen. Logan is
being quietly and surely brought out to
take the place Of Gen. Grant. He has an
unapproachable military record, any
amount of ready speech, and a good politi-
cal record since the war. He has also,
what is very important, the prestige of
success. With essential Western char
acteristics he is expected to make clean
sweep of that whole section. Besides he
is the great national head of the "Grand
Army of the Republic" and through this
he is expected to make easy
4 nomination, which might otherwise be
more doubtful and difficult. Once in
he would make good "run,"
and if the people were not cheated by the
cry of more military rule" would sue
coed. But while this is all going on quiet
ly, and with as little show as possible,
and yet bring it to the surface, the men
who read the papers and quietly think of
the political future in their chimney cor
ners, have got hold of another thought,
and this is cropping out here and there
over the country.
1t is not movement on political wires
by professional wire-workers, but emf
nently deep and pervading conviction
# the people, that if Gen. Grant is not
Schuyler Colfax of Indiana
ought to be. Whatever politicians may
think, the people believe in him as an
able, patriotic, pure, and eminent states
man. They believe that socially, moral.
", and politically, he is above suspicion
Of wrong, and that he has the force of
character to take with him in the posi-
ion of Chief Magistrate of the nation
hose qualities of head and heart that go
.dorn his public and private life. Yer
mont has ever honored Schuyler Colfax,
md the star that never sets would most
surely shine with redoubled splendor in
honor of his nomination and election.
Yours, ETC.,
Rutland, March 81, 1871.