New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-06-23
THE RIVAL CAMPS AT ST" LOUIS.
GOV. TGLDEN CLEARLY THE LEADING CANDIDATE
HENDRICKS STANDS sECoND-THE DILEMMA AS
10 TIE NATIONAL PLATFORM

HENDRICKS STANDS sECoND-THE DILEMMA AS
10 TIE NATIONAL PLATFORM
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
ST. LOUIS, June 22.-This has been day of busy
preparation. Tomorrow the head of the column OF
the great Democratic army will enter st. Louis, and
thousands of the rank and file will pour IN on the
two succeeding days. Its advance guard has already
invaded the city, well armed with caTpet-bags and
umbrellas and covered with the dust and smoke,
not of battle but of the abominabe soft coal which
converts so many otherwise beautiful cities of the
West into vast smoke-hOuses. They come as yet
only singly and ia little squads, full onnibus-load
rarely arriving by a single train. This evening,
however they gathered in sufficient numbers about
the Hobbies of the most popular hotels to give the
latter something of Convention look, and to adj
monsh the people of st. Louis that it is time to be-
stir themselves if they would he ready to house their
guests by next Tuesday noon. At the Merchants
Exchange, where the Convention is TO be held. the
eeaseless hum of business continued all day. and
men were buying and selling wheat and corn on the
aoor where delegations may be purchased next week,
and States sold to the highest bidder. few of the
decorations have been placed the walls, but the
furniture of the Exchange has not yet been removed
Tomorrow the work Of preparing the hall Will be-
gin in earnest.
Delegates and political managers who have ar
lived have as if by instinct, separated into three
emI-hostile camps. The New-YOrk delegation VIII
cave it's headquarters at the Linden and here VIII
also be gathered Gov. Tlden's friends and workers,
IS well as the anti-Tilden clique from newborn,
which already has several representatives on the
rround. AT the Southern Hotel the Indiana delega-
aon will chiefly cOngregate. and around IL VIII
.uster those from other States who are instructed
b vote for Hendricks or will do so from choice.
Ohio will be ouartered at the old Planters, and the
prevailing sentiment there will be about equally
divided as the delegation from the Buckeye State is
between ex-Gov. Allen and Senator Thurman. The
6rs thing which the attention Of the stran-
Yer who arrives in st. Louis from the East, and es
eeciay from Washington Cincinnati, is Gov. lii
denis great popularity among the local politicians
md with the Democratic newspapers OF IT. Louis
and the delegates from other States who have
already arrived. belief has seemed to prevail es-
,ecially in Washington since the nomination OF
HAYES and Wheeler. that the Democratic
,ar,v will be forced to follow the ex-
,mple set them at Cincinnati, and noin-
nate n candidate in whose support all rlval lac
lions can be most easily united. Gov. lllden' II
GAS been asserted, is not such candidate. Inc
Western Democracy have been represented TO be SO
rtrongly ncensed against him for the position winch
he assumed on the currency question last fal, ana
for his alleged interference during the last ONO
canvass against Gov. Allen, that they will not only
refuse to support him if nominated, but may In such
All exigency bolt from the Convention and place IN
the field ticket of their own. The most elective
Argument i'm favor of Gov Tilden's nomination. it has
been said is based upon the superstition that 1T VIII
draw to the support of the Democratic tickets consd
arabic portion of the Independent and Liberal Repub-
Gean vote IN those States where the election Will be
most sharply contested; but even this argu-
ment can no longer be used, because the nomination
If HAYES has been immediately followed by a
declaration the part of many leading Liberal Re
oubicans of their inteation to support the Cncin-
natitcket nOthingremaining, therefore, forthe Dem
,cratc party to do except TO adopt such policy az
st. Louis as VIII result in the most perfect union OF
ali of its discordant elements,
Cen Hancock seemed to be almost the universal
fayorite among Democratic politicians in Washing
ton on Sunday and Monday and the gossip one
heard there prepared him to expect strong move
ment in Gen. Hancocks favor one Of the first de-
yelopments preliminary to the Convention. Not
,nly are there as yet no signs of any such move
nents to be found here, but the sentiment both Of
st. Louis and Of a majority of the other delegates
who have arrived is strongly in favor OF Gov l1den
The idea that the Ohio and Indiana intaronists will
refuse to support any ticket which may be nom-
mated by the National Democratic Convention to be
held here week is secuted at both by the friends
Of Gov. Tilden and by those of other candidates.
Terribly in earnest as Western mtiationists are
known to be. and determined as they to
slaughter Gov. Tilden, if it lies in their power,
they are not believed to be foolish to
desert their party. with only the weak follow
lug they will be able under any circumstances
TO command, and If they remain in it they win he
Obliged to give the nominee of the Convention the
most effective support his popularity III their States
will allow. The argument urged in favor of Gov.
Tidens nomination is a very strong one The nom
inati0n OF Gov. Hayes it is said transfers the
test from the West TO the East All hope of carry
ing Ohio must be abandoned by Democrats, for Gov.
Hayes Is morally certain 70 carry IT, even against
Gov. Allen or Senator Thurman. Gov. Hendrick =
might possibly carry Indiana, but even that is
doubtful now. Gov. Hlden's friends saw. "Witb
New-York, New-Jersey and Connecticut we can
elect our President witbout Ohio or Indiana. but
without New-York we are sure to be beaten Gov.
Tilden can carry New-York, and no other candidate
who has been named promise to do so. The
nomination Of Tilden, therefore, means probable or
at least possible victory. The nomination of Hen
bricks or Thurman or Allen means almost certain
defeat"
Next to Gov Tilden, Gov. Hendricks seems TO be
the strongest candidate. Besides the vote of his
own State Indiana ne will have One-haf Of that OF
Missouri besides scattering votes from many Other
States. Allen and Thurman men, though already
here in small numbers have made very little demon
stratiou. Senator Bayard Gen. Hancock, and
Judge Davis have no representatives yet in st.
Louis.
The Democratic Convention is likely to find til,
business of platform making more difficult and
perplexing than the Republicans did at Cincinnati
last week. The infationsts of some Of the Western
States who will DO strongly represented here pexI