New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-13

o,d bloodv war of modern times, set on foot
and carried on by the conspiracy OF WHICH
he was the head within fifteen years from
the date of his defeat and capture, ana
the suppression of his rebellion, he shouiu
be seriously spoken of az candidate
for Senator in the Government he failed
IN DESTROY and toward which. upon his
own statement, his feelings have undergone no
change. 1t does seem hardly possible. And 1t
is not strange that when men who had be-
come somewhat acquainted with the leehngS
and purposes of Southern politicians told the
Northern people that the South had not changed
one whit since 1861, but believed the same
doctrines trusted the same leaders, resorted
TO the same methods, and would presently be
represented in Congress- so far as possible, by
fine same men-many Northern voters felt that
tbeir intelligence was being imposed upon by
extrayagant statements and glazing improba-
blities. But Wild as the prediction was that MIR.
jefferson Davis would be some time returned
TO the United States Senate, We are not at all
unlikely to see it fulfilled
For Mr.. Davis himself obviously believes in
his own candidacy. And he has been too
long in politics, has been too successful IN
gaining public honors, and is too familiar
with the currents Of popular feeling, their
drift and meaning, to make any mistake in
sucb q matter He is not a candidate without
a backing. He is too old politician not to
know his own strength with his people; too
slrewd and experienced to make the mis-
take of OverestimatIng it. When we say
he evidently believes in his own candi-
dacv we do not mean, by any means, that
he announces or even in terms admits 1t.
That is not the way of the experienced poll
tician He is 700 wise for that. Men IN his
situation are to be judged more by the read
ing between the lines of what they say than
by tho utterances themselves moro by what
they avoid saying than what they actually
saw. In a recent interview With a representa-
tive of The Neic- Orleans PicGyune, the latter
asked the point blank question whether he was
a candidate for the Senatorship soon to be
vacant Observe now the politicians manner
of answering. The reporter remarks That he
seemed annoyed, but asked very couIteousIy,
"By what right do you undertake to catechize
"me2u That is not the way of a man who
is not a candidate. He was answered that
the public felt the deepest interest in
the question and in knowing his position. To
this he replied that he did not see what in
terest the public could have in him or his
actions. The reporter then told him his chef
reason for asking him about it was that it
had been stated that he had authorized the
announcement that he was not a candidate.
" That is news to me-" said Mr.. DAVIS, with
n suddenly awakened interest. " Where did
"you see itRn Being told that it had been
published in several Mississippi papers, he ex-
claimed: Indeed; why, have never author
lied any one to speak for me-" ''Thcn," said
the reporter, ga false impression has gone
abroad. and | should ike to correct it. Are
"vou a candidate for the SenatorshipW 1t
was not possible to dodge this. Mr. DAVIS
answered, 81 am not" Had he stopped there
# would have been taken as an explicit de-
NAL but me continued: :" have been elected
:" to the United States Senate three times and
"appointeu once, and have never yet been
a candidate for the position"
Elected three times and appointed once
vet never candidate. SO. so-that's the way
he is not a candidate. Did Mr.. Davis ever
hear the conundrum about the boy
who said, "That girls father is my father
"and her mother is my mother, yet she
"is not my sister ~ great many
people have puzzled over that conundrum
The answer to it, as everybody now knows
Is. "The boy lied" Mr.. Davis has been Sem
ator three times by election and once by ap
pointment, but was never IA candidate. No
more is he a candidate now. All the same he
may be elected, and he is very careful to say
that he has not authorized anyone to
sneak for him. After this publication it
is idle for anybody to deny that Mr..
Jefferson Davis is not a candidate for
the United States Senate in the same
sense III which nme-tenths OF those who
are elected to public office are candidates.
And no one who is at all familiar
with the course of political events at the
South will dispute the fact that he truly
represents the dominant public sentiment at
the South, and that his views and the views
of the Democrats who sustain him have I'M
dergone no change since 1861. We make no
appeal to passion or prejudice or sectional
animosity in pointing out these facts. They
are of public interest, and, as throwing light
upon the plans of the party which aspires 10
rule the country it vainly stroye to destroy,
we deem il important that public attention
should be directed to them. There is no
need to dwell upon tho logic of them;
that can be seen by the most casual OBJ
server. For our own part we have no quarrel
with Mr. Davis; we shall have none with the
Democrats of Mississippi if they should return
him to the Senate. No doubt he is their best
representative, and it is their right to put him
forward. All that we ask is that there be no
Misrepresentation or evasion In the matter !;
no tricks, nor decelts, nor snap Judgments.
We know what Mr. Jefferson Davis stands