Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-06-28
+i From the New York Tribune.
The Democratic Ticket.

| In an nOUI Oh cXCltcUcut anu pdselOu ~u'
other democratic convention has missed all
chance of victory. Eager to bury Tildenism
and to escape the nomination of Mr.. Tilden,
which seemed at Cincinnati as here to be as
inevitable as it would have been fatal, the
convention went with rush to the first can
didate who appeared to have the lead. Men
who calculated cody what the convention
must do in order to succeed, and expected
that the convention also would calculate cool
ly, we're surprised by its action. In fact. the
only prominent democrat who anticipated the
result was that democratic leader who said at
Cincinnati on Wednesday as reported in yes
terday's paper:
"Well, I've been q democrat ever since ! was
voter, and have never known the party to fail to
commit Internal diOcy ut critical points in its
historx 1t has done sensible thing In its career
| there never has been time when 1t might not have
succeeded BY doing something equally sensible;
but Il would be just like the democratic party to
nominate General Hancock. just when the soldier is
ltary Presidents such, and when the whole thing
has been spewed out of its stomach; and for the
democratic party to to come up fifteen years behind
| time and try to set up in business as . soldiers
party" Tho look Of mingled amusement and dis
|
dicrous "well. said he, ''there are no issues now
| a.days but those Of finance and political economy
and on every one Of these the democratic party has
country in republican hands for years more"
General Winfield Scott Hancock is a re-
putable and gallant soldier of the United
States Army, and will make just about such
candidate as General Winfield Scott did.
| He is nominated just as much too late, when
| the day for more military candidates Is just
as far passed. He has had less experience III
war (and none at all in civil life) he is less
widely known, is less popular, and stands a
fair chance to be as badly beaten. He is a
soldier and gentleman, and as handsome a
man as Winfield Scott himself. but he can't
come in. He did brilliant service in the war
against the rebellion, but has never held civ
| il Office nor participated in public affairs as
a citizen, nor had opportunity to acquire any
know ledge Of civil government save that pc
culiar knowledge which West Point teaches.
The country knows absolutely nothing of his
opinions in respect to any Of the practical
questions which concern the interests and the
rights Of millions of citizens. excepting as it
| may guess Mt those opinions from the predi-
lections Of his supporters. The ultra-sOft.
money faction Of Pennsylvania and Indiana
placed General Hancock in nomination. Sem
ator Wallace secured delegation in part for
him from Pennsylvania, aftera hot fight with
Speaker Randall, the representative of Mr..
Tilden's interests. Whether General Han
cock shares the views of the rabid imitation
lists. whether he has any opinions Of his own
on these questions, whether he would be as
clay in the hands of the potter, to be mould
ed at their " ill by democratic demagogues,
the country has no means of knowing. 1t is
not probable that the tricky evasions of the
platform will be so thwarted. by frank declar.
atoms from General Hancock himself, as to
give the country any idea of his opinions. A
vote for him is q purchase of lottery tick
et
In truth, it would be the worst kind of gam
bling to stake the welfare of the Nation upon
the chance that man who may be presumed
to know nothing Of National questions, moth
ing Of public affairs, and nothing of the rela-
tive fitness of public men for civil stations,
may possibly Prove qualified in intellect, in
character, in knowledge of affairs and Of
men. and in freedom from prejudices and
power to resist temptation, to administer well
the most important civil Office in the republic
and to check by his influence and guidance
most dangerous political party. The coun-
try has never taken such risk. 1t has never
been even proposed before to intrust the gov
eminent to a West Point cadet who has spent
his whole life from boyhood solely in
army service. Jackson, Taylor. Pierce,
Scott, Mcclellan, Grant, were all men of
some experience in civil affairs; Hancock
has never been outside the Regular Army and
its influence for q day in his life. Many
years ago, when there were no railroads, no
telegraphs and fe~ newspapers. a most dis
tinguished statesman, then acandidate for the
Presidency, heard Of the nomination of his
opponent, and exclaimed: 81 am beaten
His friends asked, "Whv, Mr.. Clay?" And
Mr. Clay replied: because nobody knows
James X. Polk" But the times have changed
greatly. No man can be elected in these
days to the highest Office in the country be-
cause his opinions are wholly unknown The
people are not anxious to take leap in the
dark. Or rather they are not ready to trust
a corrupt, disloyal and revolutionary party
| because it has run away from its leader, in
the hope Of escaping his infamies, and has
seized as its candidate q dashing soldier Of
whose fitness for any civil duties, or opinions
on any civil subject, the country knows MOTH
ing. while the chiefs Of that party may know
too much.
General Hancock will not prove as strong
\ candidate for the Democrat party as Gener
al Mcclellan, who was tried At . time when
his military glory was fresh and when the
country was half ready to worship shoulder
straps. Many years have passed. The
country 10 anxious now to have grave ques-
tons Of civil policy 90 settled - to promote
it, material and business interests. The
party which suppressed the Rebellion has
not thought At to nominate the formost SOL
der Of the Union Army. The nomination
Of any other soldier, BY the party which
caused and sympathixed with the rebellion,
will hardly strengthen il with the country.
Nor will il be strengthened by tagging to
the ticket rich Indian banker. whose sole
Recommendation il that he can be COM
PEELED to pour money into the canvass to
carry his own doubtful state.
The American Institute Of Instruction will
hold it, Asly-Arst annual meeting in Sarato-
u, vsek aieer nszt. beginnins Tuesday, July