New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-13

Counting Unmatched Chickens.
We published on Thursday the New York
Tribune's estimate of the probable strength
of the prominent Republican candidates for
the Presidency, 90 far as shown by the
election of delegates. As the Tribune is =
strong Blaine paper, it Of course figured
out it's candidate far in advance of all COM
petitors. This was done, we suppose, in
the usual way by claiming all the delegates
who are not positively known to be pledged
to somebody else. OF course no reliance
can be placed upon such an estimate, and
hence it is without value except as an indi-
cation of opinion on the part of political
paper that lost it's reputation for sagacity
when it fell into the hands Of the Wall
street speculators and stock gamblers.
Since the Tribune's estimate has been pub
lished, we have received the Indianapolis
Journal, quite ~ good authority in political
concerns as Whitelaw Reid and Jay Gould,
however deficient it may be in keeping
track of the pulsations of the New York
stock and gold market. We can make .
reasonable allowance for the partiality of
the Journal for Senator Morton, and file its
opinion in the matter as q fair Offset to the
statement of the Tribune. The Journal
says:
SENATOR MORTON.
Ia is now conceded on all hands that SEN
ator Morton will be one of the two strongest
| candidates before the Cincinnati cOnven-
| ton. This is equally manifest to those who
| favor and those Who oppose his nomination.
| The former have known from the beginning
that he possessed degree of popular
strength which would make itself felt in
| due time, while the latter, having begun
by trying to ignore him as the weakest
candidate before the people, have now
reached the stage of abvsing him as one
of the strongest if not the strongest. The
New York Tribune, which favors Mr..
Blaine and figures him out ahead so fas as
delegates have been appointed. freely con
cedes the second place to Senator Nor
ton. 1t does this by claiming for Blaine a
good many votes which he can not pos
sibly get and denying to Morton quite
a number which are pledged to him on
the first ballot. Thus it allows Morton only
eight votes from Georgia, while he has posi-
tive assurances of thirteen; it gives him
only nine from South Carolina. where he
has thirteen; it gives him but four in Vir-
ginia, where he has eleven, etc. 1t also
divides Ohio between Blaine and BrietO "
on the second ballot, without allowing Nor
ton single vote, whereas it is as certain as
ANYTHING in the future can be that he will
receive at least twenty votes from tina,
State on the second ballot. The Tribune
also claims the solid vote of Pennsylvania
for Blaine on the second ballot, which is, to
cav the least, comfortably cool 1t is enough
to saw now that from Trustworthy infOrma
tion Senator Morton is far more likely to re-
ceive the solid vote of Pennsylvania, fifty
| eight votes, on the second or thlrd DailOt
than Mr. Blaine.
| From information in its possession based
on instructions already gwen, on personal
| assurances and private advices from States
where Senator Morton's strength is active
and well organized, the Journal feels war
ranted ID saying that he will receive at least
2OO votes on the first ballot On the second
ballot he will receive a large accretion Oi
strength from Pennsylvania, Ohio and from
other quarters If Mr.. Bristow does not
develop strength very rapidly during the
next month he will be dropped in the con-
vention after the first or second ballot, and
when dropped the bulk of his strength in
the Western and Southern States will go to
Morton. With Bristow out of the way
Kentucky will be solid for Morton, and
most of his strength. except that in the
East will 60 in the same direction. U
course all speculations on the subject are
open to doubt, but this much is certain
Senator Morton will not have less than 2O(
votes on the first ballot, with large con
tingent strength to draw from on the sue
ceeding ballots.
Several things are conspiring to add te
Senator MOrton's strength, both with the
rank and file and with the leaders of the
Republican party. First-Recent events
have recalled the memory of his splendid
services during the war, and reminded mer
that he is one of the few surviving founders
and leaders of the Republican party WHIT
have borne the heat and burden of the day
His political record, both as a War GOV
ernor and as a Senator since the war; Il
such as to challenge not merely the ap
proval but the admiration of his country
men. Second-The spirit recently evineet
by the Confederate Democracy in Con
gress, and by Southern Democrats gener
ally, has satisfied the country that the pub
lie welfare demands at the helm man
strong will, unalterable purpose and flxef
determination. Place weak or temporlz
ing man in the presidential chair, and II
J less than two years from now every vestig,
of political liberation and civil rights will
, have disappeared from the South and tha
section will be ripe for another rebellion
Senator Morton better than any other maj
, living represents the opposition to thi
spirit, and knows better than any other ho1
to meet it. Third-The contemplate COZ
duct of the go called independent" press
and of certain quasi Republican papers te
ward Senator Morton and his friends
adding to his strength. He and his friend