The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-12-20
The Presidency.

As the time approaches for holding
the nominating Conventions, the ques'
ton of the Presidential succession t.
which all other questions of party pol
itics are but secondary, is giving new
activity to the discussions of party jour
nails, and the intrigucs of party polti
ticians. AS usual, the present session
of Congress, being that just before the
election, will be devoted rather to Pres
ident-making than to the work OF leg
islation, and in the caucuses Of the Ma
tional capitol will be first matured and
developed the programme of future op'
erations. I
The: series of Democratic revcrscs
commencing with the Connecticut clcc-
ticn in the Spring, and ending with the
November defeat in NeS York, has
convinced many of the party.of the ne
ccssit y of a, grand rally outside of the
Democratic fold, or else the election OF
Grantis a fQregone conclusion. 70 this
thay have been encouraged by the no.
torious disahactiem ilp the RepuaGlieen
party-thea scisinj! between Grant, and
SumnerAthei divisions ii New York
the free-trate movements in the West
oil looking toa party rupture. ,o... r
The policy WHICH has found, most IA
vor with tho. Democratic Journals, Is
what has been called "the passive pol
ICY" or the policy of uniting the DEM
ocratic rank and file into q Republican
Grant movement, upon an anti
Grant Republican tickct:. T.. ~. 49,.
This is the Missouri plan which finds
Its strongest advocates in the Senators
Blair and Carl Schurz OF that State, and
whichproposes that the anti-Grant Re
pub,icans lead off on the platform OF
economy, retrenehment, and service
reform, revenue reform and general
! amnesty, and then fusion of the De.
mocracy with this party. On the CON.
trary Mr.. voorhees, Of Indiana proposes
an early cail of the National Demo
cratic Convention to adopt q platform
and reorganize the party, leaving tht
nominations for a later day. And tt
this coulsc -siN prominent leaders of tht
Democracy seem to, be tending. They
have two much of party pride to hazan
the disintegration to which the passive
policy naturally leads. ......,o
ave think it probable, says the Her,
all, that, with the return of Congress
to business, if not before, there will be
democratic Congressional caucus,
and that the tupshot will be an address
to the country and call, through Mr..
Belmont and his National Committee,
of q national democratic convention. fOr
the purpose of cutting out new party
programme, according to the recon-
mendation of Mr.. Voorhees,, of Indiana.
In this event, unless something should
"turn up" Oh the impeachment scheme
the anti-Grant republicans may get W
little party of there own, and by q flu
sion with the labor reformers, the tenn.
perance party and the woman's rights
party, and with Mr.. Greeley for Pfcsi.
dent and Wendell Phillips or General
Butler for Vice President, they may
give us a very exciting; and amusing
Presidential contest. Such, we think
with the different parties and factions
Is the diff Of the wind among Eo!iti
clans at Washington-General Grant for
the administration party, q democratic
ticket on u new programme for the dem;
ocratic party, and a fusion ticket iol
anti-Grant republicans and I'll the out
ide factionsand letormers Of the days.