Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-11-24
M'DON AID.
The Modest senator from Indiana, Pre-
sented to the Democratic Party as a
Suitable Candidate for the
Presidency in 1850.

Washington Capital: The late turn in
politics has brought to the front gentleman
so admirably fitted for the post he approaches
that every right thinking man must feel re-
heye6. We refer to the quiet, unassuming
friend Of Governor Hendricks and senator of
the State of Indiana, Joseph NJ Donald. He
IS Distinguished alike for his steadfast adher-
enoe 70 the old-fashioned Democratic doctrine
of a metallic currency, and his personal pop
ularlty, which is so strong IN Indiana that the
masses cling to him IN spite Of h.s political
opinions. When to this we add Il singular
modesty, that bears him out in d. his views
of the future, although bis ability is far
superior to the man he supports for the
Presidency. we have A admIra-
bic combination of qualities for a candl-
date. This appears the more striking when
We remember that, with the exception of
James Buchanan, no man ever became PresI-
dent who put himself in training for the 30.
sition.s And it makes little or no odds that
| such aspirant is a man of superior talent,
with hold on the people and claim for
| the position. This souuds strange until we
remember that the moment a man becomes
| possessed Of this ambition he loses all the
| marked attributes that made him prominent
enough to even be thought of. He is no
| longer bold decided and even aggressive in
| his support of that which he knows to be
correct, and begins to hesitate and trim, and
| this continues until he Is found lodging be-
tween or retreating from the questions that
agitate the public mind. While all Indiana
is wild in its desire for an expansion of the
government credit, in the shape of a paper
| currency, Senator M'Donald stands
| firm. Were he candidate for
| the Presidency he would either keep
quiet, like Hendricks, or trim, like Thurman;
but WITT no thought beyond furthering what
| ne considers sound doctsine, and, so far as
he is concerned, entirely Indifferent as to the
| rs M an1S Of ~
| through his sturdy seif-respect. We say that
he is IN danger # nomination, because it is
now quite evident that the solid south will
| have to make the choice. The Democratic
party can elect only by securing every south
ern State, and just enough at the north to
| insure the one vote Tilden needed. Looked
| at from the point of need, west m Demo-
| crat is a necessity, and Senator M Donald is
| the only choice. While it Is doubt as to
| Thurman carrying Ohio, M'Donald would be
certain Of both indiana and Ohio, with q bet
| ter prospect of New York thar any man east
| or west. This grows palmer when we remem-
Der that at tie south the inflationists have no
hold. The governing element of that part
of our country was moulded by Benton,
Jackson, Calhoun, and host of other states
men, into an abiding faith In coin, as not
| only the world measure of value, but the only
currency that would be safe tor the people to
have. Senator Thurman, Therefore, weak
ened himself in the stronghold of the party
when he gave way to the doctrine Of the
| Greenbackers. IN this we are merely specu-
| ating. We take no stock in this corn fed
| Webster OF the west. He is an honest, hon
| orable man. of marked ability; but we differ
| with him at almost every point politically.
We favor greenback currency, instead Of
one furnished by those chartered shylo, ks
! called national banks, and then we favor a
| sufficient expansion to take up the bonds IN
the same article with which they are pur-
| chased. We need not, however, repeat these
| opinions and go so far only to save ourselves
from being committed to a man we admire
| but cannot follow"