The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-06
General Grant rs the Only Probable
Republican Candidate

| tnAo hnOtner Term III Ine peOplo hoou hAA4'
and Senator Carpenter says he will certainly
be nominated and probably defeated. MIR.
Carpenter is as good a prophet as the
Western States have lately produced. AS
1t Is now well understood that General
Grant will accept a denomination if the
republican party believes that the country
requires his services it is matter of some
interest to examine the probability of the
party having that opinion next year.
In the first place, the partys opinion will
be expressed in the National Convention. In
that body the Southern delegates will have
one hundred and thirty-eight votes, and they
will be able to nominate candidate with the
help of only one or two Northern delegations.
Now. if there were anybody in the field
conspicuously in opposition to General
Grant it might be possible, with good
management, TO make a break in this
solid Southern vote. North Carolina might
send delegates for Blaine, Georgia for
Wilson, Mississippi for Butler. But the
tendency of the Southern republican, which
means chiefly the colored voter, is to stick to
General Grant and as nobody so far has set
up any professions in opposition to him,
and as the federal ofice-holders in the
South-who number, with their deputies and
assistants, perhaps two thousand five hundred
in each State-compose, with their personal
following, almost if not quite, the whole
white republican vote in most of those States,
they are not unlikely to come to the Conven-
ton prepared to support General Grant, as
their colored constituents will want them to.
Of the Northern delegation Senator Conk-
ling would, undoubtedly, do his best to carry
New York for Grant; Senator Morton would
use his great influence to carry the Indiana
delegation; General Butler, counting, per-
haps, on second chance, would unhesitat-
ingly throw his influence in Massachusetts in
the same direction; General Logan would
! try to bring votes from Illinois Senator Sar-
gent would help with California Senator
Frelinghuysen would try to carry the New Jer-
! sey delegates; and out of all these there
would even be votes to spare
And who is there to oppose such project?
No one, so far. The republican party re-
mains to this day fully committed to General
! Grants policy. Its leaders have nowhere, in
any way, repudiated or even criticised it, but,
ON the contrary, have officially approved it.
! The Vice President has certainly spoken, but
his opposition was vehemently denounced by
the party organs and received in the most
complete silence by the party leaders. So far
as the public has any reason to know Mr..
Wilson stands absolutely alone among the
leading republicans in his opposition to Gen
eral Grants policy, and it may be
fairly said that if the chief repub-
licans were dissatisfied with the policy
of their administration they would think it
prudent and necessary to advise the Presi-
dent to change, or, if he would not, to make
known to the country at once their differ
ences with him; for either they believe his
policy sound and likely to secure republican
victory next year, or they believe it mistaken
and likely to breed defeat. But in the last case
they would hardly conceal their opinions;
for to do 80 would be to unite themselves vol
UNFAIRLY in the same condemnation with him,
and that without the least reason.
So far, therefore, as now appears, not only
could the President count upon a sufficient
number of votes in the Convention to renom-
mate him, but the party leaders are, with the
single exception of Mr.. Wilson, in harmony
with him, and would, if any one of them
were chosen in his place. continue his policy.
But if that is so, and if the republican party
really believes General Grants policy right
the best and most likely to succeed-then it is
very likely to unite upon his denomination,
and for several reasons. FIRST, no doubt he,
better than any one else, can carry out the
policy which he has begun; second, his
name is a greater power among the Southern
republicans that that of any other man ex-
cept perhaps, General Butler; third he has
the machinery of the party and the federal
patronage in his hands, and, looking to mere
party success, could probably WELD it more
expertly and powerfully than any outsider.
1t would seem, then, that all the indications
within the republican party, so far, point to
the denomination next year of General Grant.
The election, of course, is different matter;
but it is pretty certain that the more des-
perate the fortunes of the party appear the
more certain are its leaders to regard with
compacency the denomination of the Presi-
ueuI, iOi, UHSy VIII say 10 themselves, II ne
is defeated we are rid of him, and if he
wins we are saved with him. If the demo-
Gratis should blunder so greatly as to give
reasonable hope to the republicans to beat
them then Grants chances would be lessened,
for rivals would appear. But while his own
policy continues to sink his party he, who
is, perhaps, that partys shrewdest politician,
cannot fail to see that his chances tor q re-
nomination constantly improve, and that he
is really preparing the contingency under
which, as he frankly remarked in his letter,
he would not decline to serve
The Bro INDIAN OF THE WIGwAM is re-
rnlund 10 make his vicfnru nuor Tho rnhol1in11a