Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-02-04
AGAINST THE FIELD.

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AGAINST THE FIELD.
The Presidential race Of next fall is to be
somewhat different from that of four years
ago. Then it was hard to find Demo-
cratic steed; now the trainers can hardly
keep them quiet in the stable. Then that
plodding roadster, GRANT, with only a
war pedigree, was sure winner, and the
only entry; now handicapped too heavily
with whisky rings and military force bills,
and BABCocK for rider, the Republicans,
always excepting the of1ice-holders, only
recognize him as dead weight. Then the
Democratic stable was deserted and still,
and Liberal nag had to be trotted out;
now the stalls are noisy with Congress
sional stable-boys and grooms "fixing''
their favorites. The scene is indeed
changed, as is the stake to be run for.
Then the Presidential chair was the prize,
and, to us of the South, relief from an
overhanging military interference with our
affairs; now it is throe Of the nation to
burst through the crust of corruption and
fraud with which the Government has
overlaid it in eight years. There is no
trouble this time about representative men
for candidates. Any man who represents
the principle of honesty and economy in
the Government, proper regard for those
rights which have been delegated to the
States by the Constitution of the country,
and certain amount of self-respect,
enough to maintain at least decent defer
ence to public opinion, will be welcome
change to the people of the United States.
The names most frequently mentioned
among the Democrats are those of men
who have these recommendations. just
now, we of the South have only to look
over the list and talk of our preference.
By wise arrangement of circumstances,
we are not likely to be influenced by any
local prejudice, as none of them are from
our neighborhood, and should not be. The
feeling of our people, however, as far as
locality is concerned, is for the West, and
it is sort of instructive drawing into the
right direction, for, as far as we can see
the field now, the coming fight for the Pre-
sidency is to be between two Western men.
The Republicans will drift into the adop-
ton of MORTON, being drawn to him by
th lope of gaining the strength of the
West. BLAINE, who was the most pro-
minent Eastern man in their ranks. has
damaged himself by his amnesty speech,
and the party already begins to feel that
he is heavy. He did not strike the exact
sentiment of the North. It is not SO much
that any general overflow of good feeling
there received check from his words, but
because the North just now is thinking
about something else. 1t is thinking Of
the glory of the Centennial, and the chink
the resumption process, and other mate
rial matters, and don't want to be both
cred now with disinterring dead people and
resurrecting family quarrels. They are not
in the humor for quarrel, and BLAINE has
missed it. His slap at the South was too
broad, too malicious, too unprovoked. 1t
was based too exclusively on something
that was supposed to have been done half a
life time ago. MORTON suits them much
better. He is just as bitter, but his bitter
ness has better surface His acts profess
to look to what he calls safety for the flu
ture, while BLAINE only looked to punish
ing the past. He would be, in the Presi-
Dental chair, a BUTLER with a clean shirt.
and cold decency about his cruelty. His
acts would be the very kernel of hate, but
of 1c r11f3i n 1v
husk about them.
These are the two most prominent Re-
publicans named. The most prominent
Democrats are TILDEN, Of New York, and
HENDRICKS, Of Indiana. They have the
overwhelming advantage Of coming be-
fore the country with clean hands, while
it is notifying fact that the name Of
Senator MORTON is being freely mentioned
in the newspapers in connection with the
whiskey frauds, and that Of Mr.. BLAINE
was hauled through every paper in the
country as recipient OF funds in the
-Credit-Mobilier fraud. TILDEN, for the
past year, has been breaking up the canal
ring of New York, which IS his sure card
to public confidence, and against HEND-
KICKS no word has ever been uttered i'm
peaching his integrity. Whatever we mHy
read in the press between this and the
Presidential election, and we shall read ii
good deal, about great national ideas, tii5
germ Of the national life, and a good deal
more of such national talk, the idea just
now uppermost in the head of this nation is
to get an honest governmental AN economical
government and a government that will
so conduct the affairs of the United States,
as will permit the memories of the past to
die out; give the different sections coll
fidence in each other, and give the diff
ferent States control of their State affairs
Of the two, HENDRICKS Western influence
gives him the best chance. but there are too
many changes in the political situation to
take place between now and July to say that
any mans prospects are certain, though we
may put down the four gentlemen named
as those most talked about now. and be-
ing 'stalked about" in this great and free
country is the first step to any Office and,
we grieve to say, often the last.
But there are no changes likely to take
place in the situation Of the Third Termer,
now about to retire, as with sullen ,dogged
obstinacy he silently awaits events. With
the Southern vote held securely in his hand,
through the Office holders, he knows ne is
a dangerous man for a national convention
to handle. Not a Republican journal in
the South, manned by an office-holder, as
they all are, dare hoist to it's peak the col
ors of any other candidate. He spreads
over them like pail, and he knows his ad-
vantage, and they know it. All imagin-
able subjects are handled in their columns.
except the third term. That is forbidden