The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-24
HERALD SUNDAY MARCH a. 1872-oUADRUPLE SHEET

Chase, to meet at Parkersburg on the 18th Of
April. Mr.. Chase, through the lamented Val
landigham, inaugurated the 'new departure"
for the democracy last spring, and if they
ignored his claims then he may be counted
out now, and he is too late for n ew party.
The Chief Justice-one of the best qualified
men of his day for the Presidency-has been
one of the most unfortunate That was a
bold experiment Of Lincoln, the appointment
to his first Cabinet of his rivals at the Chi
cago onvention-Se ward, Chase, Cameron
and Bates. But he paciied them all, except
Mr.. Chase, who became the Presidents only
active rival for the succession, only to fail
most signally at Baltimore. Next, on the new
departure of the issues settled by the war, the
Chief Justice appeared before the democracy,
and was the very man they wanted in 1868;
but they, in their supreme folly, whistled him
down the wind. But he is not alone in his
Presidential misfOrtunes, and will not be the
only disappointed one whose last hope will
flicker out in 1872. Sumner and Trumbull
and Fenton and Greeley and Cox, of Ohio,
Logan and Brown, and all the democratic
schedule of 6S, will be apt to keep him COM
pany; for in these days events move on so
rapidly that the men of yesterday are left be-
hind.
The road to the White House, like the origi-
nal overland route to the California gold
mines, is marked by the wrecks of unfortunate
caravans. 1t is an old story, old as the world.
Even under the administration of Washington,
with us, the wranglng and squabbling among
the politicians for the succession began, and,
more or less, it has been going on ever since.
Aaron Burr, in 1900, was the first prominent
Presidential malcontent and sorehead, and to
the political reader his subsequent disgraceful
career will be all revealed with the simple
mention of Bennerhassett's Island. From
1900 to 1924 twas plain sailing to the old
republican party. But then we had COM
plete dissolution of the old parties, and in
1928, under Jackson, reconstruction of par
ties, which from that day to this has been
fruitful in Presidential intrigues, factions,
tend against q, formidable band Of Southern
malcontents, headed by Calhoun, and they
worried him exceedingly, but he was too
much for them. They, in their turn, were too
much for his chosen successor, Van Buren,, as
candidate in 1874 for second term, after
his terrible defeat of 1910, for they cut him
out. Yet he had his revenge in 1913, as o
bolter, heading the free soil party, whereby
he defeated General Cass, the regular demo-
cratic nominee. Under Pierce, in 1854, on
the slavery question, the boilers from the
administration came out in great numbers and
continued to increase down to the general
bolt and grand collapse of the party at the
Charleston Convention.
The old whig party was also worried to
death by its Presidential aspirants, rivals and
boilers II would have elected Clay in 1914
but for its anti-slavery boilers of Western
New York. 1t might have elected Clay in
1S4S when it nominated and elected Taylor
only to lose him and to be weakened by Fill
more. 1t was completely demolished in 1852,
in undertaking to run on the same slavery
compromise platform with the democrats. But
the particular blow from which the whig party
never recovered was from the bolt of Presi-
dent Tyler, in lS4l, and his formal excommu-
nication in Congressional manifesto. On the
other hand the bolt of Andy Johnson, in 1866,
was the best thing that could have happened
for the unity and harmony Of the republican
party. 1t opened the field and cleared the
way for General Grant And what can these
disaffected leaders and boilers looking to Gin
cinnati hope to accomplish now against Grant,
when, as candidate for second term, he
has all the advantages Of Jackson and Lincoln?
The opposition forces may be fused upon one
ticket, or divided upon three or four tickets,
but the substantial result of the Presidential
election will be the same, because the masses
of the people are satisfied with Grants
administration, and they are wiser than the
politicians.