National Republican., 1876-01-19
General Bslknap's Candidacy.

Ctrom the Des MolneS (iOWaD REGISTER
OF the candidacy of Secretary Belknap for
United States Senator, and of the result of
that candidacy, this may be said: That the
General entered the field at a late day, and ab.
solutely without any organization that no eff
fort was made at organizing his forces till
within a week or two before the commence
ment of the contest here on the final ground.
The support which he received was sponta-
neous support, and simply the expression in
his favor in field which had already been
filled and canvassed by active candidates.
Four powerful men were his competitors, all
of whom had participated in the last canvass,
and had thus profted by an opportunity for
making friends which he, confined to his post
of duty at Washington city, did not have. The
field had been worked, aud carefully ,skillfully
worked, before he entered upon it, and enough
members were then already pledged to the
other candidates to make it almost sure that
the Secretary's only chance lay in the possibil-
ity of dead set between the others. The
warm feeling entertained by the whole State
for Governor Kirkwood made it certain from
the first that he would lead all other men, and
stand by far the best chance on the first bal
lots. General Belknap's friends never enter
tained hope, after he had entered the can
vass go tardily, that he would or could be nom-
mated before the fourth or fifth ballot, for
kirkwood's strength was so well known, and
had been so early secured, that it was gene
rally admitted he would, at least, hold the
ground that long. His strength he held to the
last, while the multiplicity of candidates ne
cessarily made the remaining votes very much
divided.
General Belknap, in coming upon the
ground, was most fatteringly received, and
rallied about him his great throng of personal
friends, besides hosts of others who knew him
only by the lustre of his military fame and
the renown of his record as Cabinet Minis
ter. The popularity of his reception, the gen.
eral expression in his favor, and the many
friends he made in personal contact, showed
very plainly what he could have done had he
been all the while in the field and directly
among the people.
His friends know that twenty-five votes were
pledged to him. This was as many, and even
more than they expected he would have in his
tardy candidacy in starting out. The with
draw al of Mr.. Harlan, which had the effect of
giving the impression at once to the members
of the caucus that Governor kirkwood's
success was certain, took away great deal of
this strength, and left him on the first ballot
with fifteen votes. The next ballot, having
to gain only three votes, kirkwood was
chosen.
The result Of Gen. Belknap's candidacy is
that he has been brought into closer acquaint-
ance with all of our Iowa people, that he has
greatly increased his popularity among them,
and that he stands much better and much
stronger among them than he did before.
Not a few among the supporters of Gov.
Kirkwood, early pledged to him, expressed
their regrets at not being able to support the
General-both because they liked him and
wanted a soldier candidate, and this regret
that they were not able to vote for him they
still have. When the General went to pay his
respects and tender his congratulations to his
successful competitor, after the caucus, an
act which of itself reflected much credit upon
him, the leyee, after his entrance, seemed to
be nearly as much in his honor as in Gov.
| Kirkwood's.
So that the candidacy of Gen. Belknap for
Senator has not been strictly defeat. He
| came out Of it with a larger following among
| our people than he had when he went into it.
And he is still young man, with his iatter-
ing prospects for the future not diminished by
this contest, but increased.