The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-05-24
The Democratic Nomination.


The drift of sentiment in the Democratic
party in the East and South is Enthusiastically
toward Senator Bayard of Delaware. This
is plainly indicated by the change cf tone in
the New York party journals, and by the
outspoken declarations for Mr.. Bayard in the
Southern papers. In the West on the con-
trary the drift is toward Governor Hendricks
The Ohio Democracy are scarcely in earnest
in their advocacy Of Governor Allen, no one
believes that he has the shadow of a chance
for the nomination, and they are well con-
tent with the position Hendricks holds on
the currency question. He is good enough
soft-money man for them, and he is so eau
tious in his utterances that the hard-money
Democrats of the West can vote for him with
out an absolute surrender of their self-respect.
1t is to be remarked in passing that the self
respect of hard-money Democrat is very
easily satisfied. In Illinois there is move
ment for Judge Davis, and certain Washing.
ton politicians favor him. His chief recon-
mendation seems to be that he has ingratia-
ted himself with the leaders of all the cheap
AAAONOASheGe SlOOhD0Sh, ldDOI IClOIIQ, 6lC,,
which have sprung up in the West. Still,
take the Democratic party as whole, Sena.
tor Bayard is the favorite Yet he will not
be nominated. There are several reasons
why he is not available.
To start with he is too honest a man for
the Democratic politicians to easily use.
Again, he il a representative of the old
school, strict construction, State rights
slavery defending Democracy, and could
hope to secure none of the independent vote.
Then his locality is against him. Delaware
has always been classed as Southern state,
and the people are not yet prepared to elect
Southern Democrat to the Presidency. Last
ly, he has no control Of party machinery out
side OF his own state, and will have little
prospect in a contest with the adroit manipu-
lators who control conventions and who are
determined upon selecting a more available
man. Those who have personal prefer
ence for him will for these reasons forego
that preference and favor, the majority of
them, the nomination of Governor Tilden.
Governor Tilden is believed by many Dem.
ocrats, even those who dislike and distrust
him, to be the most available candidate in the
party. His attack on the canal ring has CIV
en- him certain standing which will attract
some of the independent votes. His adrot.
ness and political shrewdness have apparent
ly gained him control of New York, and the
electoral vote of that State is believed to be
necessary to Democratic success. His record
and views will command for him the undi-
vided support of the extremists of The South.
His tactical abilities will be useful in organ
izing victory, and his enormous wealth can
be freely drawn upon to swell the corruption
fund during the campaign. His hard-money
views commend him to the East, and his
friends hope that the Western Democrats can
be reconciled by the insertion OF an ambiguous
plank in the platform or by a resort to the
cowardly expedent Of 1872, the remanding
of the question to the Congressional dis
tricts.
The contest at present appearances will be
between Hendricks and Tilden. The Demo-
Gratis will either nominate the Indiana man,
throw away New York, and attempt to car
ry the West with the cry of more money, or
they will nominate the New York man, make
a minor issue of the currency question, and
go in to the campaign with their favorite
watchwords economy" and "reform." The
contest in the national convention is likely to
be bitter one. The ''hards" will argue
against the committal of the party to a
declaration in favor of national dishonesty,
an argument which will have wonderful lit
tie effect upon the men of the West. The
''softs'' will point out the absurdity of the
Democratic cry of reform in face of the
Democratic selection of Barnum to sit in
Judgment on the corruption of Belknap, and
will with great plausibility insist that the
people are not to be deceived by so absurd
pretence. The fight will be 'mighty inter-
estin' for time, but will result in some
sort of compromise and grand rush for
the control of the federal offices. A fur
ther result, let us hope, will be the election
of the Republican candidate by a great ma
jority.