The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-13

| consequence OF MS return from Europe, noi
because his neghbors in Wilmington, with
sout distinction of party have united in Civ
| ing him a cordial and admiring welcome,
| but because he is the only democratic
statesman OF distinction and expe-
rience who has escaped unframed
from recent conflicts. The history OF
the present year is strewed with
political wrecks, and it so happens
that Mr.. Bayard is the only democrat In
public life who has lost nothing in reputa-
ton or political standing. While so many
of his compeers have been driven ashore
and stranded in the stress Of political
weather, Mr.. Bayard is still afloat in the
rough waters. with his sails spread and
filled with favoring gales. In plain Ian
guage he has gone through the trying
events of the last year without any loss OF
reputation.
1t is therefore natural that the attention
both of his political party and his political
opponents should just now be strongly di-
rected toward Senator Bayard as prob
able candidate for the Presidency. His re-
turn from Europe and the welcome given
him by his neighbors merely furnish an
occasion for expressing what was already
moving in the general public mind. He
would have been equally honored by his
neighbors if the political situation had not
so materially changed during his brief alb
sence, his welcome being only a personal
tribute to his virtues by those who
have known him best and longest. He
was born in Wilmington and has passed all
his life there, with the exception of year
or two in early manhood when he prac-
tised his profession in Philadelphia. His
father was also born in Wilmington, and
both his father and his grandfather. as
we'll as one of his uncles, were Senators in
Congress from Delaware. A gentleman
with so honored a lineage, and who pos
sesses every quality fitted to inspire
esteem and regard in private life, does
not need the glamour of rising
warm welcome from his fellow
townsmen, and the fact that it was
given without distinction of party attests
its genuineness. 1t is not the good will of
his neighbors that causes him to be talked
of for the Presidency; but the fact that
he is likely to be candidate has caused
the particulars Of the welcome to be
widely published by the press. That q
citizen stands SO high in the esteem Of
those among whom he has always lived is
fnct which deserves to be considered in
Judging of his fitness for great public
trust.
But, after all, the claims of Senator
Bayard to the democratic nomination must
rest upon his record as q statesman. 1t is
the general verdict Of the country that he
has exhibited greater steadiness Of princi-
pie, more positive convictions and o more
courageous avowal OF them. heartier scorn
of trimming expediencies and stricter po-
litical chastity than any other eminent man
Of his party. He has refused to follow the
ignis fatums which has sunk all the Western
democratic statesmen in the soft money
bog, and he is tree from any
such entanglements with cipher des-
patches. income returns. railroad transact
tions and political quarrels and defeat in
his own State as have collapsed the hopes of
Mr.. Tilden. Senator Bayard seems the
sole political survivor of the democrats
who have heretofore been talked of in con-
nection with the Presidency, il we except
one or two popular generals who are desti-
tute, of experience in important civil
trusts. The President should be o man
whom long service at the national
capital has rendered familiar with the
! "a, Il ;au NJ tha NJ
Bayard is the only democrat thus qualified
who has not become o "lame duck" either
by yielding to the imitation heresy or by
disastrous and humiliating defeat in his
| own State.
We suppose almost any democratic can
didate could rely upon the united vote OF
the Southern States. In this respect Mr..
Bayard is neither weaker nor stronger
candidate than several others that might
| be named. He would no doubt be assailed
! by the republicans as a Southern man,
but they wodld assail any Northern
candidate as n servile doughfaoe and dew
otee of Southern principles. One of these
forms of assault would be just as damaging
rs the other in the North, and neither
would hurt democratic candidate in the
South. If Senator Bayard il selected il
will not be because he is Southern man,
nor with any special reference to the vote OF
the South (Which is sure enough for any
democrat). but because his rivals have for
feited public confidence and been con-
demned and defeated in their own States.
He will be taken up. not because he
is Southerner, but because he has
never defaced his excellent record by a
departure from sound principles, nor done
any public or private net by which he could
be put on the defensive.
1t will be the aim Of the Democratic Ma
tional Convention to select the candidate
who has the best chances of carrying New