New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-20
GOSSIP ABOUT THE PRESIDENCY

The Reporters After Senator Morton.
The Washington correspondents of the
Chicago Tribune and the Cincinnati Com
mercial devoted part Of the day last Tues
day in collecting gossip about the next
Republican candidate for the Presidency.
BY singular coincidence they both agreed
on Senator Morton as the probable coming
man. and fortify their position with the
information that President Grant has as
good as promised his influence in favor Of
the great Indiana Senator for the succession.
As the two dispatches are in all respects
identical, we copy one:
WASHINGTON, D. c.. juno 1.-THE visit
Of Senator Morton to the East has greater
political significance than has been made to
appear. There can be little doubt that the
visit practically places Morton immediatly
in the field as candidate for the Repub-
lcan presidential nomination in 1876. Those
who have had good opportunities to know
MOrton's intentions are the authority for
the following statement as to the origin of
his visit to the East, and its result. The
statement is made exactly as it is circulated
by personal friends of Morton himself. 1t
has no less authority. These persons say
that Senator Morton went to Long Branch
at the special invitation of the President,
who desired to have private interview
with him. AS a re suit of this interview the
statement is privately made that the Pres.
dent told Morton that whatever influence
the administration might properly exert
with respect to nomination would be ex-
erted in the interests OF the nomination of
Mr.. Morton. The explanation of the special
friendship of the President for Morton is
that the latter has had the same Southern
policy as the President and that Norton if
successful, will carry out the Presidents
views as to the South. Morton calculates
that he himself can secure large vote in
the convention from the West, and that
with the help of the administration intiu.
ence he can obtain the greater portion of the
Republican delegates from the Southern
States. including both carpet-baggers and
negroes.
The greatest difficulty apprehended by Mr..
Morton will be encountered in the Eastern
States. He does not appear to be certain ais
to his strength there, and is waiting for
something to turn up for him in that quar-.
ter. He feels encouraged at the present
political situation. and confident as to his
own prospects. These facts are derived
from persons who have had the most init
mate private relations with Morton. They
doubtless are exaggerated by hopeful
friends, particularly as regards the connec-
dature, but aside from the sensational feat
ures of this statement, and from the alleged
encouragement which the President has
given to Morton, there is no doubt that
MortOn's visit East has resulted in placing
him openly in the field as Presidential
candidate. Mr.. Morton's friends in this
connection say that his health has never
been so good for many years as now.
Next to President Grant himself, Morton
has done more to endear himself to the
South than any man in the country. His
services have ever been promptly rem
dered, and of the most practical descrip-
ton. We may even question whether
Grant would have succeeded in his South
ern policy without the aid Of Senator Nor.
ton, and it is quite certain that he would
have been greatly embarrassed. if not quite
defeated, If the Indiana statesman had
ranged himself with Carpenter. Trumbull.
Edmunds and other Senators who have
vacillated from one side to the other, with
but feeble leaning to the right side. The
election of Morton would be to all prac.
tical intents and purposes a third term"
without the technical objection which has
been raised bv the DemOcrats