The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-04-11

|. POSITION OF TEE OHkodRATS--JUDaED DAVIS,
THE COMING MAN, PLAYING WAITING GAME.
A correspondence the New York Tribune
at Washington sends. to that paper the fol-
lowing speeulatienS az to tho position of the
Democrats on the presidential question: ~
The attitude of the leading Democrats
with regard to. presidential candidates is a
puzzle. They are retieent on the general
question and suncommunicatiVe 7as to the
merits OF particular men In fact, q sort OF
Free. Masonry Of silence seems to be abroad
among, them. Republicans say they are dis
couraged and ,demorsliEed, " but they are
not they are. only discreet They see
that nothing /, ID, to be. gained by conn
uniting themselves to- the candidacy. OF
this or that prominent aspirant, and
that BY. avoiding personal partlsanship
they keep an element of weakness out Of
their. party. Nc one knows better than they
that. the Democratic party needs all its
strength and resources, in the approaching
conflict to cope with It's antagonist. Some
bitter lessons have been learned by these
leaders duridg the last few months bitter,
but profitable. They have found that Grant.
ism has not taken the soul out Of the Re-
publican party, sthey believed q year ago,
but that tits still In a vigorous, healthfnl
organization that will throw the dead weight
off its neck and 60 into the race as light Of
foot and strong Of limb as ever il the
politicians do not handicap it with 8 bad
candidate at Cincinnati. They have found,
too, that all the, disclosures Of scorrup-
ton In the National Administration do
not incline Republicans to join; the
Democratic party. Thus they are faced
with the problem of how to elect 4
President with Democratic votes alone. The
prospect would be- disheartening were there
not still hopes Of a gross blunder at Cincin-
natl, and the schemes ,snd intrigues Of the
Republican politicians here in Washington
unques:fonably give color to such hopes.
Like a. kilful player at cards who holds q
weak hand, the policy Of the Democrats is to
keep quiet, look cheerful, and wait for
the mistakes Of their over-confdent
antagonists. Their Convention meets
a fortnight later than that Of, the
Republicans. There will thus be time for;
their leading men to consult aHd form pro-
gramme, and with body Of delegates IN
pledged for the most part, without decided
preferences, and entirely willing to take any
road that appears TO lead to, success, there.
Win be ne difficulty about carrying out what.
ever plan there may be made: Should there
be Q factious element like the infationists OF
Indiana and Ohio the great balanee-Hheel
of the united southern delegation viii keep
1t In order. ~. ~ 81, -
& There IS no longer any talk Of an cid
fashiohed Democratic ticket. It was plenti
fuf and noisy enough at the beginning OF the
session, but it has alt died little by little
Tie Hendricks enthusiasm has eyaporated;
Bayard Is only fascinating dream impossi.
Die of realization. OF Thurman there Isl
some solid residuun remaining butt dtmin
ishes day by day Tildens strength may be
great butifsso it issnot well known to his
party associates -ia- ashiee.cns The name
Of Judge Dayis. spoken In . whisper 9 few
gos III now on adj mems lips. Nine
Democrats puslef ten in Congress II asked
to.day, not for their preferences, but prtaei
opinions, as-to-mhoaths.sss::-fb uis nomineei
10 likely 10 sbe, E0uid sreply, g Judge apayls:
or soma rev man, ~, 8.