The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-06-03
Tennessee.

q, feeling in the West that does not promise
Tho suceess Of the Democratic party IN the
o,suinc presidential election. The univer-
sal feeling in the New England States, IN
New York. in Maryland, in California and
OREGON, and perhaps in some other States,
is truly indicated by the platform adopted
IN Vermont the same day the Tennessee
Convention set forth its doctrines on
frf, currency question. The Tennessee
Convention declared itself first i'll favor OF
the unconditional repeal OF the resumption
act 1t did no harm by this declaration. mat
act has been productive OF no good results.
But the Tennessee Convention went 1nrther
and declared itself in favor Of the with
drawal oi ALI the bank-notcs now IN clrcu-
lafion, and the issue in their place OF green
backs, Now. it is too plain to be disputed
that New York, New Jersey, ConnectI-
cut. Maryland, California, and Oregon
would refuse to vote for 4 candidate nomi-
mated unon platform containing such a
declaration as this last. It is also too plain
to be disputed that no Democratic President
can be elected without the votes OF at least
half OF these States. The Democrats OF
Tennessee must have known this last fact
before they made their declaration Of prin-
ciples, and they must have known also not
only that the st. Louis Convention would
not dare to So forth any such doctrine as
theirs. but that that body might as well ad-
iourn without making nomination At all as
to come out in favor Of destroying all the
national banks OF issue
The Tennessee Convention appointed
delegation. nearly all OF whom are SAID TO
be in favor OF the nomination OF Mt. HEN
DRfCEs. ii also instructed the delegates 10
vote rs aunt In other words. itappointed
n delegation that will cast unanimous vote
for UrxprICKs. That looks as II the Con-
ycntion meant to show itself to be friendly
to ITrxnglCKs. But il such was its inten-
ton it failed TO accomplish its purpose, we
think. The Recommendation OF Mr.. hen
DElCKs bv what the New York papers oil all
parties call the "rae-moncy" element OF
the Democratic party will make it lmposSl-
bic for him TO rally the strength OF the
Democratic party in what the |}0rIa nc
nominatCS the metropolitan States-that Is,
New York. New jersey, and Connecticut
unless the st. Louis Convention should make
him q candidate and put him upon hard
money platform. In othcrWordS, tennessee
las elevated NIr. HENDRICKS upon platform
from which he will have to descend and
then he will be compelled 10 ascend hard-
money platform before he can be considered
rs candidate having any strength. The
METROPOLITAN States will not vote Tor him I'M
less he rcpudiatcs Enthusiastically the very
doctrines which these. his Tennessee friends,
have set forth rs il they were his. We can
not understand such Il movementto beas
cere effort to advance the fortunes OF Mr..
HENDRICKS, who is said to be himself 4 hard
money man.
What, then, do the Tennessee Democrats
mean: We know not. Perhaps their plat
form was intended for home use. Per
haps Tennessee is so much devoted to
crccnbacks and imitation That it was
thought better TO try to save the
State than to save the nation. Per-
haps the candidates for Congress deem it
unsafe to run counter to the popular cur
rent and think it more important to retain
the control OF the national House of Repre-
sentatircS than to stake all upon the result
of the presidential election. There can
be no doubt that this last feeling
is very strong in Washington, where the
influence Of congressman is most felt. Ii
is used there and all over the country as an
argument against decided expression OF
opinion in the st. Louis platform in favor
OF hard-monev doctrines, and, by consc-
quencc, rs an argument against the noml-
nation OF TIIDEN, BAYARD, ENGLISH, FAR
KER, or any aSpirant who Is known 10 De
acceptable to New England and the metro
politan States because OF wcll-known opin-
ions in favor of return TO spccic-payments.
This argument is employed by the friends
Of other candidates than Dir. HENDRICKS.
It is used by Judge DAvIs's friends, 10 our
own knowledge. But this argument secihS
to us to be equivalent to surrender Oh lhe
presidency altogether Its whole 1orce lies
in the idea that it is rs important 10 nave
+ba TIouse Of Representatives as the preSl-
de,t and in the inference that the Demo-
crafts cannot reasonably expect to have both
Js not that argument the admission that
the presidency is not worth lighting
fors We do not by any means admit
that the Democrats must yield the one OF
the other. We hold that President may
be elected by the Democrats, and that they
will be almost certain to retain the control
of the House OF Representatives; for al
though We cannot elect any man to the pre-
sdency who is not acceptable to the metro
poltan States. we can elect one who IS so
acceptable, and still carry congressional dis
tricts enough even in the States Of the
North which will cast their votes for the
Republican candidate for President to
enable Us 10 keep the control OF
the House. with the aid Of those
Democrats chosen IRON Democratic States.
A State votes Solidly for President, but
each congressional district is controlled by
the majority within itself
The Tennessee movement, then, cannot
i be considered rs really one friendly to Mr..
HENDRICKS. II aSsuncs either that it is
more important to elect Democrats to Con-
grcss than to elect him President, or that he
will not hesitate to repsGiate their platform
in order 10 his own election. III The one