The New York herald., 1876-02-26
The Campaign for the Presidency.

Ihe Presidency Is Jne growing question:
We are on the verge of March. In three
months the candidates will be in nomina-
tion the platforms will be constructed and
summer will find us in the blazing heat of
the canvass. The Centennial, which will
open in May, will have spent its force. There
may be little cessation of political hostii-
ties to hear the joy-bells ring on the Fourth
of July, but from now until November the
Presidency will be the absorbing issue.
Thus far we have the preliminary signs OF
the campaign, the picket-fring that opens
the battle. Indiana has spoken for Morton.
The once promising Colfax has passed into
an eclipse as total as that which fell upon
Aaron Burr, and no one mentions his name
in State of which four years ago he was the
favorite SON. There has been q general sift-
ing of candidates. In the past they kept
floating into prominence every four years
until they died of old age. Clay and Web
ster were whig candidates, always running
and never reaching the goal Cass, Marcy,
Dickinson, Douglas were ever disturbing
democratic conventions with claims which
were never to be realized. Seward,
Mclean, Fremont, Chase and Sumner
were for years persistent and unavail-
ing claimants for the suffrages of
the republican party. 1t is a singular fea-
ture that, laying aside General Grant, none of
the old-fashioned candidates are now in the
field. The claims of Governor Seymour
have been merged in those of Governor Til
den. OF the candidates who were prominent
in the Chicago Convention which nominated
Lincoln only Cameron now lives and he is
not an aspirant for the Presidency.
Who, then, are to lead this campaign?
The new men who have come to the
front are numerous and gifted. There never
were so many candidates. Every section and
nearly every State has its choice. New York
has Dix, Evarts, Morgan, Fish, Wheeler and
Conkling with Conkling ahead as the
natural choice of the State and the leader of
the administration forces. New England
presents Boutwell,, Hawley, Charles Francis
Adams, Edmunds, Jewell, Anthony and
Blaine, with Blaine leading. The West has
Bristow, Morton, Hayes, Sherman, Logan
and Washburne, with Morton in advance.
From the South no one comes, while Penn
sylvania nominates Hartranft, in the hope
of gaining for him national recognition. On
the democratic side we have from New York
Tilden, Church, and Seymour. New Eng
land has John Quincy Adams, CASTOR
and Ingersoll. Pennsylvania will be salts
fed with either Black, Randall, Parker or
Hancock. The West has Kerr, Thurman,
Hendricks, Pendleton and Allen. From
Delaware we have the accomplished and
high-toned Bayard. The South presents no
name whatever Virginia, the mother of
statesmen, has no son in training for the
supreme honor. In this myriad of
names-all of them good men and true
any one is competent to hold the
Presidency. There are few who have espe-
cial prominence. The leading republican
candidates are Conkling, Blaine and Morton,
with the chances in favor of Mr. Conkling
as the man whom the President, once that
he sinks his own ambition, will most delight
to honor. Conkling represents the dis
cipline, Blaine the radicalism of the
party, Morton the ever present and ar
rogant pretensions Of the Mississippi Valley
to rule the nation. Mr. Washburne has
negative strength, but so have Fish and
Evarts and Bristow and many others. So
far as New York is concerned the choice of
the party is Conkling and any other name
just now is not worth considering Mr..
Conkling can most probably nominate him
self, or whoever he pleases. We might have
Conkling and Blaine from the East, as we
once had Grant and Colfax from the West, or
the names might be reversed. In the event of
the contest between Conkling, Blaine and
Morton waxing wroth, and no reconciliation
possible, then the republicans have in their
reserve some spendid names-Adams, Fish,
Boutwell,, Bristow, Washburne, Evarts-any
one of whom could be selected as Pierce and
Polk were selected, a compromise between
conflicting interests, and one sure to please
the country.
On the democratic side the leading candi-
dates are Tilden, Hendricks and Bayard
Tilden represents the reform movement in
New York, the vast prestige of the Empire
State. Hendricks is the choice of the West,
while Bayard would be a compromise be-
| tween the North and the South. The demo-
cratic party is now harmonious, not as when
Breckinridge and Douglas struggled. There
| are no sectional quarrels, no personal rival
ries. The only question disturbing is
finance, and that disturbs republicans and
democrats alike. The democrats mean to
win. There is a jealousy of New York which
may defeat Tilden, and the still further fact,
that may not be without its effect upon
superstitious politicians, that as New York
named the three last andidates-Seymour,
Mcclellan and Greeley-it may be well to
change the State, if only for luck's sake.
The fear of rag money may defeat any West
ern democrat and the two influences COM