The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-29
For President who viii BE the Re-
publican Candidate

BLAINE was the most conspicuous. Untll
the last ballot no led all the other
aspirants. having more than twice as
many votes rs the foremost among them.
Indeed, it is not too much to say that no one
else ever came 81 near being the candidate OF
his party for this great Office, and yet failed
to receive the nomination. Mr.. BLAINE is
not only man of superior ability but
he has a great power OF drawing other
men to him and making them his ardent
friends. This power remains with him, and
doubtless he still has as many devoted ad-
herents as ever.
But will he be as strong In the Convention
OF 1880 IA he was in that Of 1875 ? In 1876,
out OF the whole list Of seven hundred
and flfty-sx votes cast in the Convention,
an addition OF only thirty-three to the num-
Der OF Mr.. BLAINE's supporters would have
secured the nomination for him. IL IL likely
that In 1880 he will have the same support
and enough more to carry him through
VIII he be selected as the candidate Of his
party2 We think not. We do not believe
that in any future national convention he
can come TO the front with such powerful
backing as he had two years ago. Then the
question was decided against him by the
conviction Of the majority among the dele
gates that If nominated he would neces-
sarily be unsuccessful But for this
conviction, it is certain that he would
have been nominated and this was
not the judgment Of heated antagonists,
but of his fellow Republicans, admirers, and
friends. Nothing has since occurred to
change their conclusion. Indeed it has only
been confirmed and extended Mr. BLAINE
W. NOT NAL 10 10 nIt. l,N, -. q
Presidency. Therefore he will not be taken
MULLIGAN, with his letters, killed him.
= At Cincinnati Mr. BRIsrow of Kentucky
made quite n respectable showing. He had
more than one-seventh Of the votes In the
Convention, and during the first six ballots
the smallest number Of his supporters was
one hundred and fourteen. At that time his
prestige was very great with certain class
OF Republicans. He had just been Secretary
OF the Treasury, had conducted a brilliant
campaign against the whskey conspirators
including one of President GRANTS military
secretaries, and but for tho assistance
which GRANT rendered directly TO the
thieves, this campaign would have been
Triumphant. Since then Mr.. BRIsrow has
been private citizen. living at his home in
kentucky, and engaged in the practice OF
his profession. His reputation is excellent.
and it is no great praise to him TO say that
he would make better President
than any man who has occupied the
Office since the days of ABRAHAM
LINCOLN. But before he can be elected.
he must be nominated by a Republican
national convention; and the chance Of his
gaining such a distinction now is very
much smaller than it was in 1916 His
friends are no longer in power any
where, and his enemies are still bitter
and numerous. In fact, he must be
considered as entirely out Of the run
ming, though in ordinary times he might be
found available in the event Of pro-
tracted contest over other candidates rem
dering it necessary To fall back upon the
contingent AMI tho unexpected. OF course
1t is within the range Of accident that Mr..
BRIsTow may be nominated two years hence
but it Is exceedingly unlikely. In consider
Ing the problem We may safely leave him
out altogether
Senator CONKLING also had great many
votes at Cincinnati. though not so many as
Mr.. BLAINE or Mr.. BmsTow. The highest
number OF his supporters was ON the first bal
lot, when there were nnety-nino Of them;
On the seventh-Mr. CoNKLING still had
elghty-one. These figures, however, cannot
be said to represent his whole strength
in that Convention and il the ballot
Ing had continued longer the phalanx
OF his supporters would doubtless
have shown n steady and respectable
Increase Nor has he fallen OF in the favor
OF his party since that time. Though he is
not statesman ofdashing and original lead
ership. and though he has lost an unequaled
opportunity In failing to oppose, denounce
and destroy the dishonest count OF
the electoral votes and the Fraudu-
dent President thereby created, he has
Still gained in the general confidence
and esteem Of the Republican masses
His reconciliation with Mr.. BLAINE has also
probably given him some strength, and IL
he should win In the contest for his reGlec-
ton TO the Senate next winter, he would
certainly go into the National Convention
with increased and formidable strength. But
will this be sufficient to nominate him Will
II be enough to overcome the rooted antagO-
nisms and animosities which are, unhappily,
moro active against him in the ranks Of
ms own party than in those OF the DemOc-
racy? Every political leader necessarily
has enemies, and perhaps Mr.. CoNKLINa
has no more than his proper share OF them;
out the hostility to him among Republicans
is as industrious as II Is intense. The
charge is that he lives too much on
stills, has not those warm popular
sympathies which endear statesman
To the crowd, and that accordingly he
would be weak and not a strong candidate.
To great extent this accusation is mis-
taken and erroneous; but it is not with
out foundation, and it Is widely believed. es-
pocally outside Of New York II must have
considerable influence in any national con-
Venton. We fear, then, that, so far as the
Presidency Is concerned the ambition ~ Mr..
CoNKLING Is not destined to be gratfed in
The contest Of 1880.
| This brings US down to sccond-rate and pos
siblc, but not obtrusyc, candidates and the
Hist Is limited. One OF these is Gov. HART
RANT OF Pennsylvania, who was voted for
In the Convention of 1876, though not 81.
Siously. aud who may be voted for
but not serlou.lV i'm 1zs0 g. lt