The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-21
The Political Field.

In the approaching campaign, as in all
others which have preceded it, the unproht-
ableness OF premature Presidential nomina-
tions. is to be signslly exemplifed. From
Boston to. Mobile, from Virginia to Califor-
mia, the nominators have been peculiarly
busy, as il nominating indicated sagacity, or
was Invariably followed by reward. Han
cock, Hoffman, frumbull, Gratz Brown,
Greeley and Grant. have all been putinto the
field by admirers, whose ardor is proportion
ed more to their hopes than to their wisdom.
Events least expected and facts not fore
seen have.within q. few weeks narrowed the
area of candidates, and cooled the high
flown expectations Of nominaters. An ILL
timed necessity has forced Governor Hof-
man to step which can scarcely fail to les
sen his chances for the nomiaation. His
friends felt it st the time, and he felt it no
less keenly than his friends; but there was
no escape from o course OF conduct which
reflects unbounded honor upon him, but for
all that tells unfavorably for him as the
nominee Of the Democratic party. True,
that party may find in the country enough
of good sense to Offset the prejudiccs born
yof riot, and enough of good heart to ad-
mire courage and devotion to duty
which, forgetful Of self, seeks only the right
fulflment of civil obligations. But this is
not probable. The masses too often are not
only fcEie but revengeful.
With regard to- General Hancock, it turns
out that he was remotely connected with the
Infamous Surratt affair, and sthis Of itself
must have. q damaging effect upon his
chances of's nomination. Perhaps in strict
Justice it ought not to be so, but no5one can
doubt thatif: General Hancock had resigned
at the timsof Mrs. Surratt's execution, his
position would have been this day supreme
before the American people. ANY soldier
who, In that evil and excited hour, would
have had the courage to throw up his COM
mission rather than 80 much as.countenance
a military crime, would have won laurels
before which the brightest gained on any
battlefield wonld have paled. But General
Hancock did not do this. Moreover, the
people, already sick of military President,
are to be made still more sick by the rigid
enforcement OF the Ku-Klux bill, according
to the instructions recently issued by Aker-
man. It is more than probable that before
the year is ended the very name of soldier,
in connection with a civil office, will have
been made permanently hateful to all par
ties, save only the faction of extreme SRadi-
Gals who are leading Grant to his destruc-.
tion.
Irumbulrs completely with the Civil Rights
bill can have but one effect, even supposing
the Northern Democracy to be willing in any
event to head their ticket with a Radical
This is not at all likely. Gratz Brown is far
in the back ground-too far to@be.brought
to the starting point.in time for the race.
The Heralds nomination Of Chase has 30
far met with no response, hardly with COM
ment This disposes Of the list OF Demo-
cratic nominees.
Mr.. Greeley's friends will press his claims
actively enough until it is perceived, as
sooner or later it must be, that Grant does
not intend eithsr to withdraw or to allow
serious opposition in the ranks Of his own
party. 70 avoid such fatal split, the Con-.
seryatiye Republicans will again give their
adherence to Grant, with as little grimace
end ss much grace as they maybe able to
assume Their support cannot be hearty,
but at all events it will be something better
than open hostility.
1t is evident, we thir :. that Grant will be
the Republican nominee 1t is further evil
dent that the candidate OF the Democratic
party will be some man whose name has not
yet been prominently brought forward. In
deed, it seems almost certain that we are to
witness recurrence Of an epoch such as
that which brought Polk from comparative
.obscurity, or that which, Ito the amazemeut
of mankind, elected q rail-splitter to the
CHEF Magistracy Of q great Republic.