The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-07
General Grants First signal Gun
Announcing the Presidential Battle.

If, in the days preceding great battle,
when the troops of one army are Inassing from
various directions with conflicting claims to
the right OF command, tho booming Of gun
is heard in the far distance announcing the
position of the commander-in-chief and his
heavy battalions, and indicating tho ground
on which the engagement is to be fought,
the hubbub and uncertainty of tho assem-
bling troops is Immediately relieved and all
parts OF the army get more distinct idea of
the ensuing military operations. Something
similar to this has just happened in relation
to the marshalling of the republican army
for the Presidential contest. General Grant
has broken his Sphinx-like silence and re-
moved the most important element of un-
certainty in the fight to gain possession of
the Cincinnati Convention. Had he stood
aloof from the preliminary contest, OK
crting no influence in favor of any
of the rival candidates, but rcserving
his great power until the republican nomi-
nee is in the field, the struggle for the con-
troll of the Convention would be too doubt
full for the friends of any candidate to have
|
President Grant has expressed his prefer
cnce for Senator ConkliIg and avowed his
intention to support him the fog begins to
clear and we get better view of the pros
pect.
r. We refer to the interview between the
| President and the Hon. Jere HARRISON,
ported yesterday in the Washington de-
i a. r Sc bn
colored member of Congress from the First
! district of Alabama, and bids fair to be a
man of mark as representative Of his race.
Born slave and several times sold from
owner to owner, Mr.. HARRISON found himself
free at the close of the war in 1865 He was
then not twenty years of age and could
neither read nor write. He has energy like
that of the late Andrew Johnson, who
was equally illiterate on reaching man
hood and, nevertheless, rose to the
highest public stations 1t is q proof
of Mr.. Haralsons excellent natural
abilities that, in spite of disadvantages,
he came into Congress at an earlier age
than majority Of the white members, and
it is proof Of President Grants sagacity
that he gives his confidence to this rising
representative of the colored race whose
talents and energy are likely to make him
the most influential leader of five millions of
our countrymen. The negroes form the
great bulk of the'republican party in the
southern States, and President Grant is
proving that he understands the best methods
of access to the negro heart by recognizing
Mr.. HARRISON The following extract will
enable the reader to see how unequivocally
the President has committed himself to
Senator Conkling:-
Mr. HARRISON ayowed himself to tho President a
strong Grant and wont to explain that the peo
pie of his State were very much divided up between
Bristow, Morton and Conkng and since the recent
decision Of the supreme Court the Enforcement
the coored people very much staggered and did
not know what to do as the democratic Southern
country papers were full OF the cry Of mo more force
bills I" mo more Niger yong" mo more military
rucl" republican Supreme Court had decided
upon II
The President was very much interested, and was cx
ceedngly stirred up and manifested his feelings quite
mpressivcly to Mr. Haralson The President said that
Mr.. Morton was very good republican and very
strong man, but Mr. Conklng also strong
man. and had always boon upright and
sistent as well as never having had his rcpu-
taton assaulted IN any way. The President wanted to
know how the delegation from his State would go and
for what candidate To this Mr. Haralson answered
highly thought Of and SO was Mr. Conklng as we'll as
Mr.. Bristow but the coorcd people would not think
Of Mr.. Blaine
The President reiterated his conviction that Mr.
Conkling would make an excellent President, and Mr.
HARRISON said to him, "why, Mr.. President are you
going 10 electioneer for him 90
To this the President signifed in that he
decidedly IN favor of Mr.. Conking as no thought he
would make the strongest republican candidate.
President Grant sees the force of the rea-
sons which have been stated by the HERALD
for making Senator Conkling the republican
candidate. We will not recapitulate here the
personal reasons why Mr.. Conkling should
be preferred to Mr. Morton or Mr.. Blaine,
but the main political reason is SO solid,
weighty and unanswerable that no candid
mind can resist it. 1t is founded on the fact
that the electoral votes Of New York will de-
eide the Presidential contest It hence fol-
lows that it would be an act of political sui
eide for the republican party to nominate
any candidate who has no reason
able prospect of carrying this State.
New York is not, like Massachusetts,
or Vermont, republican State to be held,
but democratic State to be recovered; and
only o candidate who is exceptionally strong
with the New York republicans has the
slightest chance Of taking the State away
! from the democrats. All the reasonable
hopes of the republican party are staked on
the possibility of doing this Mr.. Conkling's
strength in this State is tested fact; it is
not matter of conjecture, but of knowledge.
1t is possible that some man who lies con-
cealed in the background may be stronger in
New York than Senator Conkling, but there
is no such man among his known competi-
tors. With Morton or Blaine as the re-
publican candidate the battle would be lost
in New York before it was begun, and it is
certain that without New York the republic
cans cannot elect the President. As among
the candidates who are at present urging
| fhr;r nrcfcnsions the uuesiinn of accnnfinr