New-York tribune., 1876-01-20
LITTLE STATES TO TIE Front

LIIILE OI1IEO ~ nm THN-'i'
There is no State IN the Union so small or
unimportant that it may not have candidate,
or perhaps two, for the Presidency or Vice
Presidency. There's no law, written or I'M
written, to hinder any State from chcrishinS
the hope that the highest Offices in the nation
may be filed by her favOrite sons Here for
instance, is Delaware, with candidate for
the Democratic nomination for President In
the person of Senator Bayard, and the party
might go further and fare very much worse.
And Delaware Is not large state; one OF the
smallest, in fact Her electoral votes have
never been reckOncd of any consequence by
politicians of a statistical turn, who tabulate
the probable Presidential vote and thereon
inveigle wagers from the unwary Being but
three in number they are Of no consequence
to anybody and so the politicians who back
"their opinions" spurn them, AID the poll
tcians who make Presidents never take the
little State into account when thcy are search
ing for the candidate who will strengthen
"the ticket" But this is good year for
small States to put themselves forward. Both
parties are quite at sea in the matter or can
dates and there's no telling what it will end
in. Lightning may strike Delaware or Rhode
Island, though we confess that ut this writing
we do not think of any statesman on whose
account Rhode Island need put up lightning
rod. just over the line, however, i'll
Connecticut, great hopes are harborcd.
There is serious impression i'll that
small but active little Commonwealth that
she will furnish some kind of candidate
for something or other in the Presidential
election. There is Senator James +. English,
for instance, who in the judgment of many
sanglline friends is quite liable to be nom
mated for President or Vice-Prcsldent by the
Democracy. He was voted for III the National
Convention of 1865, and there he those who
TO this day can demonstrate that III certain
contingencies he would have been nominated.
And they describe the contingencies at great
length. On the other side there are Post
master General Jewell and ex-Gov. Hawley,
who are believed by their friends to be booked
one or the other of thcm-fOr one or the
other of the two great offices. And it Is quite
certain that neither Of them would decline
either place.
Both these gentlemen are engaged at pres
ent in patriotic public labors Mr. Jewell is
occupied with practical reforms in the Depart
ment over which he presides; doing something
which strangely enough has never occurred to
any statesman" to wit trying TO apply busi-
ness principles and what Mr.. Lincoln used to
call "horse sensen to the conduct of business
matters in Government affairs. Gen. Hawlcy
is at the head of the Centennial Commission,
doing energetic and earnest work for that en-
terprise, and leaving nothing undone that he can
contribute to its success and the honor OF the
nation. Though the State is small and casts
only six electoral votes, and ia not keystone,
or a keynote, or an arbiter of the destlnles OF
the nation, or any of those other beautiful
figures of speech which New-York, Pennsyl-
vania, and Ohio have appropriated, she offers
two candidates. and is hopeful for one or the
other or both. Neither of the gentlemen
named, as we are told, feels affronted by allu-
sons to the subject, and both may be consid-
cred rs occupying before the country the atti-
tude of the photographers subject when he is
told TO % sit easy and look natural" We are
clad to learn as we do by the way Of Wash
ington, that the danger of any misunderstand-
ing or rivalry between the two has been
ayerted. The friends of Gen. Hawley, it
seems, were apprehensive that arrangements
had been made by Mr.. JEWELS friends to
pack"-that Is the word used, we believe-the
State Convention shortly to be held, so as to
secure the appointment Of Jewell delegates
to the National Convention. They solemnly
protested against it. The result is that an
understanding has been effected between tho
rival chiefs for the appointment OF mutual
friends Of the two candidates, who shall decide
after the Convention meets and before vote
ia taken which Of them has the best chance