Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-05-14
THE BIG SCARE.

There is regular scare in the Grant
camp over the political situation, and there
is strong evidence that the question OF
throwing Grant overheard has been seri-
ously considered. Gen. Boynton, the
Washington correspondent of the Cincin-
natl Gazette, writes
"This idea has been graVely considered
within twenty-four hours among politician
| who, month AGO, would simply have
| secuted at it. The Chairmen of the State
| Republican Committees of three North
western States have given decided opinions
/ in favor Of this course, and the matter has
already assumed such shape as to make it
an element of the true situation which
can't be ignored
The States alluded to by Gen. Boynton
are Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Suisse
quently the Gazette published the following
in its special dispatches from Washington
sit is stated that Gen. Burbank, brother
in-law of Senator Morton, has been writing
letters to delegates elect to Philadelphia,
setting forth that since the Liberal nOmin a.
tiOns, a necessity of abandoning Grant is
apparent, and he expresses the opinion that
the only man who can unite the party and
insure victory is Gov. Morton"
The Washington correspondent Of the
Chicago Tribune writes about the efforts to
supplant Grant as follows:
"The most astonishing, and yet not
wholly unexpected news in connection with
the scheming now going on here with rela-
ton to the Philadelphia Convention, con-
Germs Morton, of Indiana. 1t seems that
Ex-Governor Burbank, Of Idaho, Morton's
brother-in law, and now resident at Omaha
has been forwarding letters to delegates al
ready elected to attend the convention, with
regard to the nominations to be there made.
| These letters, which are Worded strictly
confidential set forth that grave crisis
has arrived in the history of the Republican
! party, which can only be settled by bring
! ing out some new man at this convention.
| After stating the grievances which are al
| legged against President Grant by many
prominent Administration men, he goes on
| to state that the man whose services in the
| Republican party most eminently fit him
for the nomination in the present crisis
| is Oliver p. Morton. A certain Western
| delegate to whom one of these letters was
sent, forwarded it to his Senator here, who
now has copy. He viii lay it before the
| President tomorrow, in order that the lat
ter may see how really sincere some of his
most ostensibly ardent friends are. hide
pendent of Morton's open professions OF
! friendship to Grant, and his untiring adYo-
cacy of his denomination on the floor of the
Senate, and on the stump within the last
| few days, he has affected a desire to see
| Colfax substituted at Philadelphia. 1t is
now well understood that Forney's visit
here, which terminated this morning, was
undertaken with view to work up Colfax,
and that among others Morton sanctioned
this change. His duplicity and treachery
which has thus been exposed has created,
where it has become known, the profo nd
| est sensation"
As was to be expected, Morton denies
that he has directly or indirectly sanctioned
this movement on the part of his brother
in-law, and processes to be for Grant under
all circumstances. His actions, however,
clearly indicate that be does not believe bis
own declarations. 1t was probably very
convenient dodge of his brother-in-law not
to consult him about the efforts that were
being made to substitute him for Grant
The facts developed show conclusively that
Grants friends are badly frightened, and
that they have already lost all hope of elect
| ing him.