National Republican., 1875-07-15
THE SOUTH AND THE NATIONAL CON.
VRNTIONS

Neither the Republicans nor the Demo-
Gratis of the South will claim place on the
national tickets of their respective parties
to be put in nomination in 1876. This is
conceded by the best authority, although
there is some inclination on the part of
certain clique Of Southern Republicans to
insist that the second place on the ticket
shall be given to some such person as Gov
ernor Chamberlain, of South Carolina
be abandoned In due time for satisfactory
reasons, which will include the necessity of
preserving harmony in the party delibera-
tions The voting strength of the Southern
element in both conventions will neverthe-
less be efficient in framing the platforms
and in virtually debating the nominations.
1t is true that the operation of the two
thirds rule will place the Southerners in a
helpless minority, if they stand by and of
themselves, but such contingency is hardly
probable. OF the seven hundred and thirty
odd delegates they will have two hundred
and seventy, in round numbers, or little
more than one third-a sufficient number,
well and discreetly handled, to hold the
balance of power. These figures will at
once suggest arguments in support of the
truth of our repeated assertions that, ano-
malous as it may seem, the lately rebellious
section of the country will really have it in
its power to shape the tone of our admin
istrative policy for the ensuing four years.
Exactly how this will be done, with what
temper, and with what regard for the past
as well as the future, is yet matter of con-
lecture. There are so many disturbing
elements which serve to produce divisions
and subdivisions of sentiment, so to speak,
within the ranks of the two parties that it
is impossible to make any defnitive predic-
ton of the result. There is, IN fact, only
one question regarding which the people
of the country are arrsyed in direct and
uncompromislng antagonism. That ques-
ton is the supremacy of the General Gov
eminent over the State governments. As
collateral issues to this there arise other
questions relating to cheap transportation,
interstate communication and internal i'm
provements; but they may be regarded as
matters of temporary policy in support of
which the Republican party has made q
fair record of promises, and opposed to
which the Democratic party has made
lasting record OF deeds.
While such Republican leaders as General
Butler and possibly Senator Morton may
be induced by their belief in "cheap
money" to take sides against the over:
whelming drift of Republican sentiment in
favor of harder currency, it must be re-
membered that the Democrats, are afflicted
in similar way. At present it is apparent
that the latter have succumbed to the con-
troll of Pendleton and his followers. So
long as this influence has its sway it will
not be unfair to assume that the masses of
the two parties will be divided, the Demo
Gratis in favor of soft and the Republicans
of hard money. 1t is true there is an in.
clination in the South, stronger than
in the North, owing to the PERM.
cious influence of the credit system, in both
parties to follow Pendleton, but SO far as
the Republicans are concerned all ideas
regarding this question will be overshad-
owed by the paramount importance of the