The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-06-01
Mr.. Greeley's Strength as Candidate.
From the N. Y World. !

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From the N. Y World !
The recent remark of that strong and
sagacious old Democrat, Judge Black, of
Pennsylvania, to an interviewer who tried
to sound him on Greeley, is only half true -
"Well, had you raked this world and the
two adjacent you could not have found fit
er man to be a candidate or more unfit one
to be a President. -
Mr.. Blacks large experience in public
affairs and keen insight into men making
him a good judge of the kind of quaifica-
lions requisite for successful President:
but, like many Others he takes too hasty
view Of Mr.. Greeley's running qualities as
a candidate. 1t is the same mistake made
by Andrew johnson when he expected,
through the agency of his noted Philadel-
phia Convention, to detach q strong section
of the Republican party, which, in combi-
him President. President johnson was
supported in that movement by Mr.. Seward,
Senator Doolittle, Mr. Weed, Mr.. Raymond,
and formidable body of eminent Republi-
cans who had previously stood high in the
confidence OF their party; but the move
ment made no lmpre ssion on the Republic
can masses. The mistake in that case, like
the mistake of the Cincinnati Convention
in nominating Mr.. Greeley, consisted in
Ignoring one of the strongest and most inn
petuous tendencies of average human ma
ture. Nothing SO deeply stirs the indigna-
ton OF men as treachery to a cause in which
they feel an Interest; ard nothing can SO
revive and intensity their decaying interest
in that cause. The treason of Arnold,
brilliant soldier who had rendered great
services to the Revolution, inflamed Amer
lean patriotism more than any other event
that occurred during the war. Andre his
British accomplish, excited commseration;
but Arnold himself was all the more hated
and detested, by reason of his former iden-
tifieation with the American cause. We
allude to this well-known case merely to il
lustrate a principle of human nature
There is nothing of which men are so little
tolerant as of what they consider treach-
cry.
1t was by overlooking this principle that
Judge Black fell into his overestimate of
Mr., Greeley's strength as candidate He
reasoned from Mr.. Greeley's power and
influence inside the Republican party to a
supposed influence after he had left it and
declared war against it; inconsiderately
assuming that all who stood by Mr.. Gree
ley as Republican would follow him into
the Democratic ranks. Mr.. Seward stood
far higher in the Republican organization
than MIR. Greeley ever did; but few Of the
rank-and-tile went over with him to An
drew johnson. Republican hold Mr.. Gree
ley in the same detestation to-day that he
taught them to feel towards Andrew John
son, William H. Seward, and Senator Doo-
little in 1866. They look on him as rem
egade, and their dislike is proportional to
his former standing in the party. When
he signed the bail bond, they merely show
ed their teeth and howled; now, they will
bite and rend. He has been too closely
identified with all the Republicans meas
ures which the Democratic party detests
for his former associates te regard him as
anything but traitor, willing to sell his
principles for Democratic votes. 1t is there
fore mistake to suppose that he can bring
any considerable Republican reinforcement
to the Democratic party.
His expected control Of the negro vote
was another fancied source of his strength.
1t is already demonstrated that he has
estranged the negroes, North and South
They regard him very much as our fore
fathers regarded Arnold. They think he
has cancelled the merit of his former SER
vices by what they consider as his recent
treachery.
The third and only remaining source of
Mr.. Greeley's expected strength was his
supposed ability to carry Pennsylvania as
the chief apostle of protection. But the
protectionists, like the negroes and other
Republicans, think he has struck his COL
ers and deserted his principles, and will no
more vote for him than they would for an
out-and-out free-trader.
The eyDpctatiOp that he oorrv papnepl
vania is preposterous. Pennsylvania DEM
ocrats give him the cold shoulder there is
no State of the Union which he can carry
without the support of the Democratic
party. In Pennsylvania our two most i'm
portant papers, the Age at PHILADELPHIA
and the Post at Pittsburg are invincibly
hostile to him; and we copied, the other
day, extracts from nearly forty rural Dem
ocratic papers of that State stifily opposing
his nomination. In Pennsylvania there are
no broken and discredited Democratic
rings which hope to recover power by
hanging on to his skirts In PENNSYLVANIA
there is no intrigue to put out Senator
like Conkling and elect ring favorite as
his successor. But if the Pennsylvania
Democrats refuse to endorse Greeley, there
is no possibility of his election. Pennsyl-
vania is the most important of the States
that hold elections in October, and the re-
suit of those October elections will Writ
ually. decide the Presidential contest.
In Indiana, another of those three States,
the Democratic party and its trusted lead
ers refuse to have anything to do with
Greeley. Mr.. Kerr, the ablest and most
respected of the Indiana delegation in Con-
sress, is very outspoken and emphatic
Ex-senator Hendrics and Mr.. Voorhees,
are of the same way of thinking. 1t is
quite impossible to unite the Democracy of
Indiana on such q candidate.
In Ohio, the other of the three States
that hold elections in October, the repug-
nance to greeley is intense. Senator Thur
man, the aDlest Democrat now in public
life, is utterly opposed to his Endorsement.
There is no State in which his nomination
at Cincinnati reused such disgust and scorn
as in Ohio. His Endorsement at Baltimore
would certainly insure Ohio for Grant.
Now these three States are the kew of
the Presidential position. If the Repub
licans carry them in October, the election
OF Grant will be Il dead certainty, as cvery
intelligent politician knows. Mr. Greeley
cannot carry one of them, because in none
OF them will majority, or even a consid-
cradle minority, of the Democratic party
ever consent to vote for candidate who
has championed every principle and mea-
sure which they oppose and detest.
AS for New \ ork, we desire, as ernestly
as anybody desires, to elect Democratic
Governor and Legislature this fall, and a
Democ! attic successor 20 Senator Conkling
next winter. But we are not in favor Of
tiinging away all our chances to reform
the Federal Government for the sake of
this result, which can just as surely be
accomplished by good Democratic ticket
on sound platform. Chief Justice Church
would just as surely carry this State as
Mr.. Greeley would with a Democratic
endorsement; and without the hazard of
defeating the party everywhere else.
We wish the Greeley zealots would tell
us what grounds they have for expecting
he can carry the three States that have
October elections, and whether they expect
any candidate can be elected who loses
those important States.
In the Methodist General Conference.
on Monday, Il motion was made that the
restriction placed upon Bishop Roberts,
who presides over the Liberia Conference,
in Africa, be removed, and that he be ele-
waited to the full dignity of Bishop and adj
mitted to the General Conference. The
motion was received with favor, but went
over unear the ru1e A ooJarod ,lolo,o.,