The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-04-28
Western Presidential speculations.
[ Correspondence of the Cincinnati Erq,drer.J
MISSOURI, April s, 1871.

Correspondence of the Cincinnati Erquircr.J
Missouri, April s, ISL.
The late imbroglio of the Republican
party has inspired the Democratic party
with unusual hopes of success.
The candidates of the Democratic
party for the next Presidency are very
fully and freely discussed by everybody.
The election Is certain, If the candidate
is unexceptional. The Western people
naturally desire Western candidate,
or rather candidate from the Mississ-
ippi Valley, no longer the Western, but
the central portion of the Confederacy.
Among the men spoken of are the fol-
lowing, in almost the language of this
communication The friends of Mr..
Hendricks urge in his favor the sup
port Of Indiana, now clearly Democrat
ic. The general popularity of the man
and his unexceptional private charac-
ter, together with his highly respecta-
BILE ability as statesman.
Those who dc not favor his nomina-
tion urge against him his coalition with
the Tammany Ring and his quasi aflii-
alton with the bondholders and that
he does not represent the distinctive
doctrines Of the Democratic party which
must make up the necessary issues of
the contest in 1872,
Allen G. Thurman, whose ability as
jurist and experience as statesman
commend him TO general confidence, is
,f i,N. Of n
Democrats of the Mississippi Valley.
Those whose first choice Is in another
direction look upon Judge Thurman's
presence in the Senate as a public ne
cesslty that could be dispensed with
only in the contingency of his transfer
| to the Supreme Bench of the United
Statcs, place for which nature, exper-
ience and cultivation has made him one
of the very first men of the country.
General Francis =. Blair is freely
spoken Of by his friends. General Blair
has great executive ability, boldness,
and by nature and instinct is Demo-
crat, with correct views upon the great
questions of political economy now at
issue before the people.
General Blair's letter to Colonel
Broadhead was certainly the clearest
and most direct exposition of the con-
| stitutioual doctrine of restoration pre-
sented to the New Y York Convention,
and commanded the approval of every
fearless Democrat in the country. Those
who do not favor the nomination of
General Blair, urge his great capacity
for his present position which could
scarcely he so we'll filed. Others have
scarcely forgotten his erratic career,
anterior to and during the war. Yet no
man would more generally command
the strength of the Democratic party in
the immediate Mississippi Valley than
General Blair.
Augustus Caesar Dodge is freely spok.
en- of among his friends. He still main.
tains his popularity for integrity and
purity of character.
The choice of the Democratic party ol
the trans Mississippi Valley is George
II. Pendleton, of Ohio. Those whose
first choice he is not, concede that he is
a man whose character, department ant
bearing, is the very highest type of the
American Christian gentleman.
That he is scholar, whose cultivated
tastes command universal admiration
jurist of profound legal erudition and
statesman whose opinions are rcspec
ted by his opponents; that he is popu
lar among his neighbors, and respected
everywhere.
The friends of Mr.. Pendleton claim
for him popular strength enjoyed by
no other statesman in the Mississippi
Valley but they urge that his unchang
ed opinions represent the wants of the
country and the wishes of the people
that the views held by him are the
issues now before the country, which
necessity and coed government have
forced upon the people.
While the Democratic party viii
yield to tho selection of the Nationa
Convention, Mr.. Pendleton will b,
urged for the nomination by the mil
lions who believe return to the Gov
ernment of our Fathers alone can saw
us from the dangers Of anarchy on tn,
) one hand or monarchy upon the other
3 Never has there been so much smother
ed feeling of restlessness and wratl
, among the people as now noiselessl,
burns in the bosoms of the masse
t against the ruling powers.
| What / have written of the cand
= dates is almost the literal record of
conversation Of promiscuous compan
Y of intelligent gentlemen, who spoke ou
freely, and represented very fully tn
f views Of the Democratic party of tn
o west. AS voice from the people, III
S influenced by the love of Office, or tn
G hopes of place, it very fairly indicate
c the popular feeling of the Great West
L III. G. ID.