The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-06-21

The Nomtna,dons-What They Signify. /
The Republican party met In national !
at Cincinnati last wee k. They |
made a platform and nominated can
iidates. On certain points OF public policy
they were agreed, but upon others they
were divided. The smoke OF the contest
having cleared away, we may calmly sur
vey the situation and point eat the sig
of the final action, and discuss
the merits of the party as presented to the
and organized for the coming
contest.
There were three elements In the party
represented at Cincinnati The Blaine
element, which may be defined as the pop
ular voice of the Republicans of the coun-
try. They did not believe Mr.. Blaine
guilty OF corruption, but the fit and proper
lesder Of the party in the coming contest
against the Democracy. His indomitsble
courage, his prominence as a leader, bold
and fearless in aggression, exactly repre-
sented the masses OF the Republican party,
the outsiders, who desired to rid the party
of Grsntism. he had enough of the bloody
shirt spirit to have the following of
q certain class that naturally be-
longed to Morton. By a stroke of
policy at the proper moment, connected
with his being In the proper place to do it,
as a member of the House Of Represen-
tatives, he answered the Hill folly in a
manner to win enough votes from that ele-
ment to leave Morton without a respecta-
IL E-nr l.
nonopolists of the country, the railroad
and had awakened no antips-
thy from the money power. These all COM
biDiDg for time, came very near making
him the nominee of the party. and they
would have succeeded but for the enmity
that was created In Cincinnati by the ag-
gressive policy of his friends who believed
they had the victory in their hands. The
Morton element, already charac, eriZsd
above, was a negative quantity and does
not merit a separate division, being in
quality a mixture of Grantsm and the
doctrine of hate-in fact the worst form of
that could have possibly
afflicted the country. 1t finally coslesced
with Grsntism in order to be within
speaking distance" with the successful
candidate if he should be elected to the
The second element, the Bristow men,
The very best portion of the
Republican party, who were pos
sessed with the idea, true or false,
that the Republican party could be re-
formed under his administration, had a
positive character, and his nomination
would have been hailed all over the land
as condemnation of Grant, as burial OF
Morton, as a conviction OF Blaine, and a
promise of pure goverLm He had the
solid support of his own state, the indorse-
ment of the Independent reformers, and
the best elements OF the party in certain
portions of New England. But there
lacked enough general soundness In the
party to indorse the ideas he represented,
and the increase of his votes in the various
ballots lacked steadiness. Only the
struggling vote, ready to take him If he |
were the rising man, went to him. The |
Bristow element OF the party at large was
FULLY represented, but that element is |
small, and his followers, believing Blaine |
to be guilty of corruption, followed |
Indiana into the camp improvised by Mr.. |
Grant when be found that Conkling was
tsilure.
The third element, which, for conven- |
ence, may be called the Conklipg wing, |
was simply Grantism. The orator who
plead !or his nomination in the
climax OF his perorstIon pronounced him
The supporter and defender OF Mr.. Grant,
Is if nothing more could be said In favor
Of any man. Grant had done his best to
the party for him, but Blaine had
had the ear OF the masses of the party.
Morton, the chronic candidate, had Indiana
secure and some following among the
negroes of the South, and the ugly de-
of Bslknap. Babcock and the
hosts of Grants other officials plunderiDg |
,he public treasury brought Bristow to
he front, and Grant was powerless to
secure the nomination of the man he had |
,hosen. Don Cameron could not deliver
at the critical moment.
Blaine snatched away third OF It, and the
balance could only be disposed OF for Mr.. |
Grants second choice. which was Hayes.
Grant is native of Ohio, and more than
her share of presidential patronage has a.
ways been bestowed there. Hayes would |
be the most fit tool that could be selected. |
The people of Ohio did not ap |
prove his candidsture, but he
was endorsed by Grant Office
holders in the convention, and kept in re-
serve for emergencies. This state never |
wavered in the bsllotings, though a large |
number of the delegates were openly Tor
Brislow. But party machinery prevailed,
and when it was certain that CoDkling |
could not succeed, the Grant influence was