Morning journal and courier., 1880-06-02
Wednesday Morning, June ?, 1880.
THE CONVENTION.

The very noisy and somewhat bitter pre- Hminary proceedings at Chicago are nearing their end, and to-day at 12 o'clock the con- test in the convention will begin. It bids fair to be protracted one, for there are i'm portant questions to settle before the ballot ing can begin and much discussion Is ex- pected. There are also indications that the
 'Let us have peace" of the most prominent
 candidate will need to be more or less often
 spoken and listened to. But however long
 and turbulent the contest, we hope for the
 best results, and feeling confident that the
 majority of the delegates are men who will
 not be carried away by the excitement of the
 hour, we expect that they will act wisely.
 It is impossible to gather out of the mess
 of wild dispatches that have been sent 8 very
 accurate idea of the situation. It may be,
 however, broadly stated that the ti-Grant
 forces have thus far got the best of the con-
 test. They will control the organization of the
 convention. The unit rule will apparently not
 be enforced. The managers of the Grant can
 vass have come down from their very high
 horses and have actually condescended to
 consult with the friends of other candidates.
 Cameron especially has received lesson
 that may do him good in future campaigns.
 And some of the Grant leaders have even be-
 gun to talk about a second choice. These
 and similar facts of course do not make it
 certain that Grant will not be nominated, but
 they show the weakness of some previous
 pretensions and check the ''rush" that has
 been so freely and confidently predicted.
 If the bitter antagonism between Grant
 and Blaine makes it necessary to choose 8
 third man, so many are hoping and ex-
 pecting it will the convention can hardly go
 wrong. If it takes Senator Edmunds great
 and universal satisfaction will be felt. And there are some straws that show his chances for the nomination to be good, in case of Grants failure. The Grant men are friendly to him, as they ought to be, for he has not
 set himself up against their candidate. The utterances yesterday of two prominent Grant papers-the New York Times and Boston Advertiser-show the feeling for Edmunds in the Grant camp. Says the Times: 'FWe are far from regarding General Grant pablo of giving the country all the reforms which it demands. He has not the training the civil experience, or the natural bent of mind for that task, and we know of no man in public life, with one possible exception Senator Edmunds-who has," And the Ad- vertiser: But it is right and safe to say that since Mir. Edmunds' name has been pro- claimed as candidate not whisper of re- proach or disparagement has been isped against him. Of course his time would come, and he would be torn limb from limb if he should be nominated or be in great danger of nomination. But his escape thus far Is an advantage, and unquestionably all the fac tions in such a state of ferment now would 1 unite very cordially in his support" It is gratifying to see the talk about the folly of supporting Edmunds give way to such gener- al recognition of his availability the past week has brought out. But if the conven- 1 tion discards Grant and Blaine and does not take Edmunds, there are Sherman, Fish, Washburne, Garfield and Windom, either one l of whom would suit the party. We wish l that the name of President Hayes were also l in the list of candidates to select from