The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-06-26
GRANT, OR SHERMAN.
A House Divided Against Itself.

Signs of bitter antagonism between the
two wings of the Republican party, re-
spectively headed by Grant and John
Sherman, are now visible on the surface,
and will soon take serious form and sub
stance. This feeling has grown rapidly
since the publication of Sherman's letter
to Mr.. Haskins, announcing himself as a
candidate for President. 1t is intensified
by the manner in which the public pa
tronage has been openly used at the South
to organize Sherman movement, and to
prepare the way for the election of Sher-
man delegates to the National Conven-
tion next year.
The first public blow struck at Grant
was in the nomination of Foster for gov
ernor of Ohio. 1t was intended to be a
fatal blow. The friends of Taft were al
lowed to 20 on with their plans, and to
feel assured of an easy triumph until the
day came to undeceive them by sudden
and notifying defeat. While they were
counting with certainty on success, and
foolishly proclaiming its significance in
advance, Sherman was quietly drilling
his forces for surprise, and seducing
support from Taft by promises Of reward
at the expense of the treasury.
That victory turned even his cool and
calculating head. Since the Ohio con-
vention he has boldly taken the lead, an.
nouncing that he speaks in the name of
the fraudulent administration, which has
right to shape the policy of the party
and to make up the issues according to
its own views. AS may be supposed, this
sort of declaration, which ignored Conk-
ling and the Old Guard. did not sit lightly
on the stomachs of Senators who had been
accustomed to have their own way and to
command instead of obeying.
Therefore, when Mr.. Conkling had a
caucus called for the express purpose of
opposing the course pursued by Sher-
mans friends in the House on the army
bill, and denouncing its virtual surrender
of the issue raised in the first instance by
the veto of that bill, he intended to notify
the fraudulent Secretary of the Treasury
that if there were blows to give there
should also be blows to take. 1t was
formal declaration of war between the
rival factions of Grant and Sherman.
No condition of things is likely to arise
by which the influence that Mr.. Conkling
represents will in any event be reconciled
to the nomination of Mr.. Sherman. He
may possibly be supported by pet banks,
by syndicates, and by other money pow
ers, but, after all, these have little to do
with the organization of parties or with
controlling the election of the delegates
through the party machinery, directed by
few hands. The banks and syndicates
can furnish the sinews of war to carry
elections, and are in that respect tre-
mendous power. But as an element in
making the nomination they may be
omitted from the estimate.
Grant and Sherman will be strong
enough to kill each other off if their
names should be presented as candidates,
which is by no means sure to happen.
The idea of the Grant movement was to
to secure the Republican organization by
storm, crush out all opposition by a pa
rade of strength, and then nominate by
acclamation. The managers overdid the
work, and now, before the candidate has
returned to American soil to play the
part prepared for him at home, the party
is split by q well-organized opposition
which excludes the possibility of Grant
being nominated by acclaim. and may
drive him from the field entirely long
before the meeting of the national con-
vention.
The probability of that event has already
suggested Zach Chandler and others, who
were never thought of before, as candi-
dates. With Grant out of the way, Sher-
man would be able, through the machin-
cry which he controls by office and by
patronage, almost to unity the Southern
vote in his favor, not as matter of polit-
ical sentiment but of personal interest.
And if the Republicans should carry Ohio
this fall he would certainly tower above
most other aspirants.
In that contingency a combination to
defeat Sherman, led by Conkling, would
doubtless be formed, and new name
would be sprung as compromise: The
friends of Washburne are holding him in
reserve, hoping that by some chapter of
accidents he may finally come to the
front.