Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-11-24
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 q 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 well in
formed man disputes, the Herald dispOses
of the much talked of coalition between
Democrats and Observation-Disclosures Re
publicans. The plan, it says, sis 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
ayers? Is not every man of them disappoint-
ed ofice-seeker? Every man of them would
| have been this day, most likely, crying up Cen
eral Grant to the seventh heaven, had he only
| given them and each of them the Office or Of
| fees asked for or expected. But they asked or
expected too much; for it is with office-seekers
and expcctants as with militia company-they
cannot all be captains. Many are called, but
| few are chosen" How far, then, is the wrath
of these disappointed men likely to affect the
| solid masses of the Republican party? How
far did the wrath of Calhoun and the numerous
| Democratic soreheads of General Jackson's first
| term affect in 1892 his second election How
far did the active electioneering of Mr.. Chase in
1864, for the Presidential succession, 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
supersede Lincoln increased tho 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 uniustly 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-
L
fusions and junletings between the national re-
publicans, SO called, with Henry Clay as their
candidate, and the anti-NaSons, with William
Writ as their candidate, in 1882, against Jack
son, they gained nothing and accomplished no.
thing. And so it was with the fusiOns and COM
binationS tried against Van Buren, III 1886; and
so it was with the fusion tickets tried against
Lincoln in 1860. In q word, no man has ever
been elected President of the United States
since Washington except as the candidate of q
well defined and homogeneous party or Organiza-
ton, and the attempt to elect a nO-party man in
1872 will signally fail.
1t discusses the suspension of the Demo
cratic party as National organization i'll
this style:
AT all events, at this crisis the suspension Of
the Democratic party as National Organiza-
ton means its dissolution and dispersion, and
that there will be little no organized oppOs-i
ton against General Grants reelection. We
have contended over and over again that the
Democratic party has run its career, with its
organization must follow. But this new
organization can do nothing in 1872.
We expect, then, that. General Grant next
fall like Monroe in 1870, with the dissolution
of the old anti-war party of his day, will be
overwhelmingly reelected, and that in 1876 as
in 1924, we shall have beautiful scrub race for
the succession and that out of it will follow a
new organization of parties. Meantime, there
never was clearer case in advance than the |
recollection of General Grant.
We confess there is nothing i'll these
views to cheer the hopes of the defeated
Democracy, but who will question the rea-
son Of the argument?