New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-21
4 STORY oFAMBITI0N AND INTRIGUE.

MR.. PEYDLETON AND THE PRESIDENCY.
AN AIIEGUD SCHEME To SECURE THE PREsIDEN-
TIaL NOMINATION II 1S54-THE OHIO CAM
PNGN-JUDGE TAFT AFTEE THE sENATORsHIP.
IRON a STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSB.l
LONG BRANCH, July 20.-An interesting story Of
political ambition aud intrigue was told me to-day
by an Ono politician who is IN position to know
what is gong on below the surface Of present af-
fairs and to trace the wires that being laid to
control future party movements. do not v0uch
for its accuracy but it Is confirmed by much evil
dence circumstantial and direct that it by
means looks improbable The fst Of the story is
that Senator George IL. PeudletOn Is schemng for
the Presidential nomination in 8S4 and is playing
long-headed game TO win. The preliminary condition
of success is TO get Mr. Thurman out of the way, for
so long as he keeps his position and his influence
and prominence the representative and leader OF
! the Ohio Democracy IN National affairs PEN
dleton must be content to play second fade. The
first move in the game so the story goes, was TO
break down the Thurman clique headed by John
! Thomson and nominate for Governor man espec-
ialIy hostile to the old Senator For this purpose
Mr.. Pendleton pushed Evil" rward and sent
Senator Harris who had man his own Sem
atOrial canvass, to the Columbus Convention TO
bring over the Bishop crowd to the little squad
of original Ewing men. TIE plan worked well.
Thurmans man Rice was defeated, and Ewing,
who had only a meagre handful of personal sup
porters, was nominated.
II YOU interrupt the narrative at this point, and
say that Ewing is a of as towering AMBITION
az Pendeton, and that 1t IS not probable PEND eton
would push him into position from which he
conld reach out for the Pr idency on his own
account, the answer is that Ewing has
formidable organized political following in Ohio;
that he is regarded as an adventurous soldier of
fortune, and that PendetOn could break him as
quickly as he made Inn. With all his luck Ewing
Is not n good organizer Besides he Is bankrupt,
and may be said 70 be worth $500 900 less than
nothing / am told that suit is pending against
him in Cincinnati for $15O,0O0 and one in a county
court for $4,000, both on account OF his unucky
coal speculatiOns and tbs said by people who have
seen the papers in these that they would be
ANYTHING but helpful to General Ewings political
ambitions If they were to be published. NOnina-
lions for big Offices are seldom obtained nowadays
by men without money. According to current re-
port in Columbus tae Senatorship cost Pendeton
800 OOO Most of it no doubt went for work in the
close counties before the election but If strikers in
tn, Legislature like the bOuDty-jumper and convict
OConnor did not get finger In the fund, Mr. PEN
dletons dsbursing agent was peculiarly fortunate.
Mr.. PendletOn has money, ne has personal popu-
laritv he has devoted following, and he under
stands the arts and devices of politics thoroughly
His scheme contempIates the nomination of Iden
in 1880 He knows that the chances are that
Democrat can be elected next year the sectional
issue raised i'm Congress, and that if Iilden should
succeed in getting in tho probabilities would be
AGAINST his living out his term, and being available
for second nomination. Thurman is to have the
complimentary vote of Ohio in the Convention,
with the expectation that 1t Will do him no good,
l.,+ IN, Of ri between Illdeu
Hendricks, or any other man, Tilden Is to get the
vote after the first ballot 1t is not probable thaJ
the Pendleton programme contemplates either the
election OF Ewing the of the Democrats in
getting majority III the Ohio Legislature II Ewing
is beaten he will be out Of PondletoRs way, and of
everybody else's way. If be Is elected PendletOn
counts on being able to compel hiin 20 60 dnty as
ms lieutenant. should the Legislature be Repub-
hcaD the greatest obstacle 10 fcndletOns vaulting
ambition will be removed, for Thurman VIII per
force retire 10 private life. Should the Democrats
again succeed III carrying 1t, crowd OF candidates
| Will be encouraged TO como forward ana clutch at
the great Senator'S robe Of Office. George v. Nor
| gan, DUIlln Ward, rank HuTd. Ewing, ana Two or
three others Will be IN tue arena and IN the scram-
] bio and hurFy-scuTry, hT. Pendleton's genius for
| intrigue and maueuyre may be counted on TO give
| Thurman his cOHp-de-1rdce. With Thurman out Of
the way the field would be open In 1884 for con-
! servative Democrat, not cOnsp!cuousiy connected
| with the movements which are now impellng the
| Democratic party 20 defeat-a man OF edu-
| cation. dignity and suaVIty OF me social
/ qualities, OF gIcaV pcISOudI pOpuIhlltyJ
master OF political fncssc, haiing from the great
central STATE Of Ohio, the mother Of Presidents
| That nan is Of course George H. Pendlet0n. IL
must require au extraordinary amount Of confidence
! i'm the power Of management and combinations In
The political field 10 induce man 10 begin schenlng
Tor Presidential nomination five years In advance,
nut Mir Pendlcton believes that skill wns oitcneT
thIn uc or audacity IN the game Of politics. and
he knows there are few PLAY era as skliul as nc.
Another bit Of Ohio pohtical gossip Is OF more
i1mrdiato interest rs bearing upon the present
campaign. / learn from General Robinson, the
Chairman of the Republican Executive CQmmlttee'
thst there is probability that Senator j. NJ Ash
lew viii take the stump for Foster. Ashley was
great power in the Republican party In Northwest
ern Ohio In the carly days of It's career In
fact converted the Hack o swamp region aO9
Energy facing rro-slavery mobs that threat
ened Bis life gong alone into turbulent oaeSWooGs
iUonsn ma IL was bitter, with weapon save stout
waIkinq stick, and forcing angry crowds 10 hear his
ar0nments. liz 1859 he was elected TO Congress-
where he served for ten successive years. IN leIS
Inc Supported Greeley for President and since Ihen
he has been counted 40 O Democrat but he mas