, 1880-02-22
TEE DEMOCRATIC DILEMA,


that they have given no attention to the beam
| in the Democratic eye. In other words, the
Republicans, during tile past three or four
| weeks, have been SO much concerned over
| their own Presidential nomination that they
| have failed to console themselves with the
| reflection that their opponents are in dl-
lena that Is even more perplcxing. The Re
| publican material for President-naking is
| rather an e,nbarras dc Ttchesses* The confu-
sion Of the situation arises from the differ
ence Of opinion as to the relative availability
of number of gentlemen any one Of whom
t will make strong race. The Presidential
! timber on the Democratic side, on the con-
trary, is SO scarce, and the prospect Of suc=
cess so dismal, that the managing men of
that party are in dire despair as to what they
must do to be saved.
The struggle over the location Of the
Democratic National Convention is fcre-
cast Of the serious dissensions wi. h
threaten that body when it shall come
together. when the choice Of loca-
ton for the Republican Convention was
in question, the circumstances that determined
the selection were the superior accessibility,
accommodations, and attractions of Chicago.
But the Democrats are perplexed with other
considerations. One faction desires to know
Mr. Tilden's preference in order to sustain
it; another desires to know Mr.. Tlden's
preference in order to antagonize 1t. The
convenience and comfort Of the delegates are
secondary considerations with the Demo
cratic Committee that is charged with locat-
ing the Convention; the question Of local in
fluence over the deliberations of the Conven-
ton is of paramount Importance. The aim
of the various factions seems to be, not SO
much to promote severally the interest Of
any one candidate because each is convinced
Of the superior availability of Its fayorit, but
to defeat the other candidates because all
seem to be persuaded Of the conspicuous
weakness of the various pretenders. It is
not 30 much a trial Of strength as test Of
weakness.
The Democratic candidates, more OF less
prominent, may be listed as follows: Tilden,
Hendricks, Thurman, Bayard, Seymour,
Church, Hancock, Mcdonald, English OF
Connecticut, English Of Indiana, and Payne
Lightning may strike somebody else.
Tilden is shut out at once by the various
factions that oppose him for various reasons,
because they all agree that the Democratic
quarrel in New York will prevent him from
carrying that State. It is claimed, and with
good deal OF force, that the defeat Of Robin
son (Tilden's proxy last falD, by detection
of Is, ,000 voters under John Kelly and Tam
many, demonstrated that Tilden will also be
defeated in person in case he shall be the
Democratic nominee for President There
is no hope for electing q Democratic Presi-
dent without the vote Of New York, and
hence Tilden is shelved by all those who are
not attached to his personal fortunes in some.
fashion that does not leave them free agents.
It may be doubted, too, whether Mr.. Tildeh
himself is so anxious to make another race
for the Presidency as he was a year or more
ago. According to all accounts he is very
much broken In health, and must naturally
apprehend personal disaster from the worry
and yexation OF heated political campaign.
John Kelly's triumph last fall must have
been great shock to him, and he is too good
hater himself and too crafty politician to
depreciate the power Of his New York
enemies within the Democratic party. Mr.
Tilden Is not the sort of man to aspire after
the empty honors Of defeat, and it is alto
gether likely that he will not exert that vast
and peculiar influence to Secure nomina-
ton this year which won him the prize at St.
Louis in 1876.
But the rejection Of 1Ir. Tilden by the Ma
tional Convention is by no means tantamount
to his elimination from the National CAM
paign. Tilden's experience, money, and sup
port are even more essential to the Demo-
Gratis in New YORK than the cooperation Of
the anti-Tilden Democrats in that State.
The Democratic Convention cannot afford to
nominate any man to whom Tflden is hos
tile, and this fact shuts out several other
Democratic candidates. A1r. Hendricks is
notably under the ban. It would be in the
nature OF personal atTrUnt to Tilden to first
refuse him the nomination and then confer 1t
upon the tail-piece of the last ticket, and
such an affront would be resented with all
the effective vindictiveness which Tilden can
bring into action when he is provoked. If
the Republicans had the naming OF the DEM
cratic candidate they would probably select
Mr.. Hendricks as the most available for de-
feat, because Of the reasonable certainty
they would then feel that the Republican
candidate, whoever he may be, could carry
New York. Unless the Democrats are Utterly
blind to their own interests they will be I'M
pressed by: the same consideration.
Mr.. Tilden will regard the selection Of any
other New York man in much the same light
as the selection of Hendricks. He naturally
holds that, If New York is to furnish the
candidate, he is entitled tn the distinction by
reason of bis claims On the Office and his pre-
eminence over all other New York Demo-
Gratis. Hence he would resent the nomina-
ton Of ex-Gov. Seymour or CkiefJustice
Church almost as much as that Of Hendricks.
Gov. Seymour himself, there is reason to be-
lieye, Is honestly aserse to accepting the
nomination on account Of his advanced age
and physical inirmity; be was tha victim Of
a paralytic stroke some years ago, and is not
in condition to endure any strain or excite |
ment without danger of second shock with |
fatal results. Judge Church Is not seriously |
thought Of as candidate, except by GER
tain coterie In his own State who are identi- |
fed with the anti-Tilden faction, and who !
I. i, .kl