St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-04-18
LGeO. W. Curtis, in Harper's Weekly.
1880.

A Republican asks whether we think
General Grant likely to be nominated
by the Republicans next year, and
whether we think it would be a wise
nomination for the party. 1t is not
worth while TO guess about next year
but we think that if the Convention
were to be held next week, General
Grant would probably be nominated
This is a general opinion, and it is due
chiefly not to Il deliberate preference
but to the fact that those who desire
the nomination necessarily assert it tC
be inevitable, while those who doubt its
wisdom are silent. The party current
now seems, therefore, to set toward il
unchecked. But whether it would bt
il wise nomination is another question
| which 1t Is not too soon to consider
| There is very general and very JUS
apprehension of complete Democratic
control of the government, because
there is nothing whatever in the history
of the Democratic party for more than
Il generation which inspires hope oil
confidence. 1t is identified with slavery
with rebellion, with ignorance and vic.
lence, with the most dangerous trifling
| W ttu ltllll, VIII lIduuS dllO
| terror, and with revolutionary designs
| The prospect of its complete ascendency
involves risks that are to be avoided
has become constantly stronger as the
party power has increased, and its spirit
has become more plainly visible. With
out denying individual patriotism and
character in the Democratic party, and
with no disposition to exaSperate the
feelings ol prolong the differences grow
ing out of the war, the genuine con-
servatlSm which is the strength and
hope of the country, is ineXorably OPP
posed to Il Democratic restoration. The
hearty union of that sentiment is in
dispensable TO the defeat of the Demo-
Gratis, and the wisdom of the nominal
ton of General Grant, therefore, will
depend upon the question whether it
would tend, more than any other, to
unite the opposition to Democratic con-
troll.
This question can be answered more
intelligently by asking another, namely,
whether the Grant Administration con
sOlidated that opposition. Facts are
not favorable to this view. There was
n remarkable decline in the Republican
majOrities in Congress and in the rep
resentatiOn OF the Northern states be-
tween 1868 and 1876. According to IL
recent table in the Tribune, from the
eight great Northern states, when Gen
eral Grant became President, there
were ninety-three Republicans and
twenty-Seven Democrats when he re-
tired from the Presidency there were
fifty-eight Republicans and eighty-one
Democrats. Moreover, the Republicans
barely elected his successor. Mr.. Hayes
failed to receive the independent vote,
which is naturally Republican, because
it was supposed that the influences
which had controlled the Administra-
tiOn of General Grant would continue
to control that of his successor. The
reasons that produced such astonishing
changes are still operative. The tone,
the spirit, the methods, the associations
in II word, the general character of
the Grant Administration was unques-
gent, patriotic, and conscientious Class
of citizens whose political sympathies
are Republican. This is very irritat-
ing class to the regular politician.
Those who compose it are reviled as
snivelling pretenders, as impracticable
and visionary fools of the most con
demned kind. But unhappily they have
great many votes, and they will not
cast them for regular candidates merely
because they are regular candidates
Now the denomination of General Grant
would signify to this class, and to al
Republicans who acquiesced in his Ad
ministration without heartily support
ing it, merely desperate return to {
situation of which they are not proud
The important question, then, is whethe
the fear of Democratic success woul(
reconcile all these classes to a thirt
Grant term. All that can be said il
reply is that they would probably nc
cept it as an alternative. But is it wis,
to make nomination which woult
compel the party constantly to explain
and defend, and to argue that the can
didate had undoubtedly changed hi
views of many men and things, an,
that there was no reason to suppos
that what had been would be again ?
The Republican candidate should b
acceptable to every element of the on
position to the Democracy, but he nee
not be the one Republican who ha
been most Objectionable to a large bod
of that opposition. There is not a vot
that would be cast for General Graz
which is not sure for any other Reput
lican candidate. But there are a gre;
! many votes that would be thrown for
candidate without his disadvantag,
which would not be given to hin
Those who say that the country neet
strong hand at the helm to curb I'll
: Southern spirit, which has not bee
half subdued, forget that General Gran