Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-06
TIE PENNSYLVANIA CONVENTION.

Lis proceedings Ol CHt SHhsJ wanna
Republican State Convention have resulted
in putting General Grant formally in can
didature for the Presidency. Whether his
prospects have been strengthened or weak
ened by this event is, however, question
demanding careful consideration. The
theory of the Grant "boom !" has been
from the first, that the people demanded
the nomination of the General, and that
the professional politicians had nothing to
do with it. The outcome of the Pennsyl-
vania Convention, however, must be re-
garded as destroying that theory COM
pletely. Grant is here made to appear
not as the unanimous choice of popular
movement, but as the special candidate of
the Cameron. clique. The familiar political
manipulations have to be resorted to in
order to secure the instructions of
the Chicago delegates for him, and
it is only after sharp contest and by a
small majority that his hackers finally sue
coed in their object Clearly this is
not at all the kind of proceeding
the original theory of the Grant :" boom "
demanded, and it seems questionable
whether Grant himself could afford to ac-
cept such an introduction to the campaign
as fulfilling the conditions under which
alone it has been alleged that he would
accept the nomination. Certainly the
triumph of his supporters at Harrisburg is
not that pronounced and unmistakeable
kind of victory which marks a man out as
the Presidential choice of his party, and
which, coming at the beginning of a cam
paign, inspires succeeding Conventions
with enthusiasm and leads on, through
series of hearty Endorsements, to
the ratification of the National Con-
vention. The Cameron party were
able to instruct delegates to Chi
cago, but they were not able to
give their action the significance which,
according to their programme, it
ought to have had. Blaine developed for
midable strength, and his friends stood by
him so firmly as to force upon the public
the conviction that politicians at least by
no means regard the nomination of Grant
as being demanded by the majority of
the Republican party. The vote-l33
ayes to ll3 noes-on the motion to instruct
the delegates, showed a working majority
for Grant, but not the kind of majority
called for in his interest by the circum
stances. The practical result of this test
of strength, in fact, seems to be little more
than demonstration that in Pennsylvania
the Grant men are able to outvote the
Blaine men. 1t does not indicate the ex-
istence of any widespread belief in the
popularity of Grant as Presidential can
didate.
The most important effect of this test,
however, is to take Grant outof the category
of essentially popular candidates, and to
put him in the ordinary category of poll
ticians' candidates. 1t will be. perceived
instantly that if after this he should re-
ceive the nomination, he could be said to
have owed it, not to his strength with
the people, but to the manipulations of the
Cameronians. Had the Harrisburg Con-
vention given him anything approaching an
unanimous Endorsement, the case would
have been very different but the third
term question was brought up in the Con-
vention, debates upon it were had, resolu-
tons condemning it were offered, and a
strong and well-marked opposition was
developed. 1t can therefore no longer
be alleged that General Grant is
singled out by any peculiar phenomena
for the nomination. The popular enthusi-
asm idea melts away before the practical
test of strength, and the question of avail
ability comes to the front with enhanced
urgency. 1t is apparent that no data of a
positive or encouraging kind have been af-
forded for estimates as to Grants strength
at the polls, for the capture Of State Con.
vention will not be accepted as furnishing
any trustworthy guidance in this respect.
What has been shown, however, is that
other candidates are resolved to contest
the nomination, and that one at least of
them already possesses enough strength to
make it clear that the result of the Chicago
Convention is by no means a foregone con-
clusion. 1t is possible that this first step in
the Presidential race may be regarded by
General Grant himself as an indication
that the representations made to him by
his friends have been ver-colored, and
that there is too little certainty in the
enterprise to warrant its further prosecu-
ton. We have, of course, no means of
knowing what General Grant is likely to
think of the matter, but it certainly must
appear to dispassionate observers that for
him to enter upon third-term candida
ture, and then to fail in securing the NOM
ination, would be disaster and humilia-
ton not lightly to be encountered The
doubt which the strength of the opposi-
ton revealed must engender, of the policy
of presenting him to the people as candi-
date, is question which the leaders of the
Republican Party are now called upon to
consider with due seriousness, moreover.
THE INSURANCE QUESTION.
In the attempts which are being made to