The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-07-22

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tbs not to be expected that any candidate
running for high Office will Intentionally
say aught that would be likely in hiss opin-
ion to iniurs his prospects OF election.
Reading, shereforc, the letter OF Mr.. WHEE-
LER, accepting the Republican nomination
for the vice-presidency, we would naturally
expect to find such professions as would be
best calculated to secure the Office which he
coyets. Nevertheless, when the candidate
Of any party writes letter defining his
position, it must either be accepted
as candid exposition OF his views, or else
those who deny this merit to it must expect
to have the letter Of their own candidate
treated with as little consideration. 1t is no
easier for us to say that Mr.. WHEELER does
not mean what he says than twill be for the
Republican papers to denouncc Mr. TILDEN
as hypocrite and declare that lie
cannot be trusted to effect the reforms
which he will no doubt profess to desire to
see accomplished. The proper course,
therefore, to pursue-and the only one, II
there is to be any fair discussion Of the
issues involyed-is to comment upon letters
OF acceptance Just as we would upon any
other document. If the candidate is honest,
candid, and truthful, he may be presumed
to speak his real opinions; and he may be
credited with sincerity. Yet this would not
and should not prevent his opponents from
showing, il they can, that his surroundings
are such that he cannot carry out his own
plans Of administering the Government.
The remark last above made indicates
just what we would say OF Mr.. WHEELER.
His intentions may be good, but his ability
to perform, even il elected, would not be
commensurate with his laudable profess
sions. With such men as MORTON, CoNK-
LING, BUTLER, CAMERON, and CHANDLER, as
his advisers, Mr.. HAYES will probably be
utterly unable to follow out the programme
which he and Mr.. WHEELER seem to have
agreed in laying down. But as to the letter
itself, let us say something.
The first sentence that strikes us as re-
markablc is this:
ITO the summary OF doctrines enume-
rated by the Convention. Il give my cordial
assent"
That is to say, inasmuch as Mr.. HAYES
has been understood by some people to ap-
prove of the resolution adopted by the Gin
cinnati Convention commencing General
GRANTS administration, Mr.. WHEELER in
express terms confines his approval to
the "doctrines enumerated by the
Convention" This is equivalent to
ignoring General GRANT. General GRANT
is reported TO have understood Mr..
HAYEs's letter as censurinS his admins.
tration by implication; and it certainly
seems to lis to do so. He is also reported
to have expressed his thoughts quite plainly
in speaking OF NIr. HAYEs's letter. He now
has still better reasons for supposing that
Mr.. WHEELER was afraid to express appro-
baton OF his manner OF administering the
laws. We trust that he will at least refuse
to use the army Us q means OF securing their
election.
What Mr.. WHEELER said to the House OF
Representatives q year or two ago concern
ing the affairs OF the South he repeats now
to the people; and it may be assumed that
he utters his real sentiments. He thinks
that the southern States are "far behind"
his "model northern communities sin
many Of the attributes Of enlightened i'm.
proyement and civilization" This last quo
tation is amusingly absurd considering the
superiority assumed for himself by
the writer OF it. 1t would puzzle
MIR. WHEELER to tell what there is
in this OF any other country that could pro-
perly be called San attribute OF enlightened
improvements" or can attribute OF civiliza-
tion.n We don't think he knows what the
word Z" attribute" means. However, what
ever they are, these Contributes Of modern
improvement and civilization are, he
thinks, possessed in a greater degree by the
northern people than by the southern; and
so he proposes to help us to increase our
stock of these attributes.S He says:
awe compelled these people to remain
in the Union, and now duty and interest
demand that we leave no just means untried
to make them good, loyal citizens. How to
diminish the friction, how to stimulate the
elevation OF this portion OF our country,
are problems addressing themselves to our
best and wisest craftsmanship. The founda-
tion for these efforts must be laid in satisfy
Ing Tie PSopiS eAieo why CIV w
have equal, exact justice accorded to them.
Give them to the fullest extent every bless
ing which the Government confers upon
the most favored-give them no just cause
for complaint, and then hold them by every
necessary means to an exact, rigid observance
of all their duties and obligations under the
Constitution and its amendments to secure
to ali within their borders manhood and
citizenship. with every right thereto be-
longing"
We doubt whether Mr. TILDEN or Mr..
HENDRIcKs will in his letter OF acceptance
make any fairer promises than these. But
by whom are these promises to be converted
into performance Look at the acts OF
that Radical Senate over which Mr.. WHEE-
LER will preside if elected, and tell lis
whether he can possibly induce his party
to act upon the theory which he sets forth
as his? Who would not laugh to scorn the
idea that that body could be relied upon to
accord to the southern people "equal, exact
JUSTICE" or to s.sgive them to the fullest eS-
tent every blessing which the Government
confers upon the most favored"?
Mr.. WHEELER says In regard to the pub
lie debt and to the desirablity OF 4 return
to specie payments nothing that Mr.. TIL
DEN would not endorse. In fact, we eX-
pect Mr.. TILDEN's letter OF acceptance to
no more 1acidad in itS aynraSSions hot n