The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-02-19
Harrisonburg.

SHOULD THE STANTON CONVENTION EXPRESS PRE-
FERENCE FOR ANY ONE AS PRESIDENTIAL cANDI-
DATE-IF ESQ, WHY IT SHOULD BE FOR GEN. GRANT.
February 10th, 1880.
Editors Talley Virginian:
As one OF your admirers who has rarely GifYered
with you upon public questions, during the Iast
five or SIX years, permit me to dissent from one
of the positions taken in your leading edit oria Of
last week, headed 1.-The Staunton Convention
Iagree with almost all you so well say in that
editorial but fail to see the wisdom of that part
OF it W here you say you would not like to see
Grant men, or Sherman men, or Blaine men"
chosen by the Staunton Convention as delegates
to the Chicago Convention.
My firm belief is that any one who has been
spoken OF as the nominee of the Chicago Conyen-
ton, if nominated by that convention, win be
the Staunton Convention ought TO have and TO
express preference, for the Chicago Convention
will only be naming the next president, and Vir
possible. enforce her choice.
In other words, the Stanton Convention will
Simply pc calied upon TO say Who in its opinion,
will make the best President, it being admitted
that the nominee of the Chicago Republican Com
yentlon VIII be elected, and that expediency will
choice OF the candidate.
If then decided majority of the delegates in
me stauhton convention are convinced that Mr..
and his admitted ability as a leader of men better
qualify him for the Presidency than the others
gates be chosen H. however, there are m aGas
ity who firmly believe that the financial abiiitv
OF Secretary sherman is greater than tn at of any
other candidate, and that finance is to be the
question with which the next administration will
have to deal, then let Sherman delegates be Sc
lected But II IL should turn out that the major
ity are satisfied that Gen. Grant will make nv oll
odds the best President, let us select Grant dele
gates.
And Just here let me say that when use the
term Blaine delegates, Grant delegates, &C., 1
don't mean delegates who are determined to have
their man at all hazards and at any cost but only
he I'm
ton, and are convinced that their candidate
would make the best President, and who propose
to enforce their views upon their associates at
Chicago by every legitimate argument, but who
are at the same time prepared to yield cheerfully
to the will OF the majority This view OF the case
which have Just taken presumes that the Chi
cago nominee will certainly be President, and
that the delegates are performing an act which
the people will be sure to ratify.
But secondly. let US suppose for the sake OF ar
gument only, that the issue of the next Presi-
and that in order to be successful we will haye.to
be very careful in making our nomination. Then
at once the question comes up as to which States
ought to have the most influential voice in the
nominating convention.
list. think all will admit that those States,
do nothing towards the election OF the candi-
dates, ought not to be allowed to dictate the
nomination-such States, for example, as Ken
lucky, Maryland, Georgia, Texas, sc.
and. contend that those States which will GER
tainly cast their electoral votes for the Repub1.
can nominee, no matter who he IS, ought not to
name the candidate, for as far as the votes of
thoe States are concerned,one nominee is as good
as another, for we are now considering onlY the
question of expediency. In this category place
Vermont, Iowa. Pennsylvania. Kansas, Sc
3rd. 1t appears plain to me that the delegates
whose advice and opinion ought to have most
weight, under the circumstances we are now CON
siderlng, are those from the doubtful States
most likely to secure the electoral votes of their
States, and when we remember that as these
doubtful States go. 80 will the Presidential cleo
ton go. the great Importance of needing the ad-
vice OF these delegates will become too manifest
for argument. Amongst the doubtful States, or
those which can be carried for some Candidates
but not for others. place New York, Indiana
New Jersey, Virginia. North Carolina, South
Carolina, Louisiana and Florida.
II these premises are correct, I lay it down as
absolutely certain that the united uoiee of the del
egatfonJ from Viryinia will have considerable in
consequently the Virginia Republicans in their heir
convention at Staunton ought to express definite
ly their opinion as to which of the candidates
named could with any degree of certainty carry
Virginia. and ought to elect delegates who viii
enforce these views upon the members of the
Chicago Convention from other States
Now can any intelligent man doubt for mo.
m I VINO would pc the str oDgest candidate for
Virginia? In no State in the South are there so
many voters who have heretofore acted with the
so-called conservative party, who are now be.
coming thoroughly disgusted with it, and with
Grant as our standard bearer. there would not be
much difficulty in inducing them to support our
snc faint Put for no other ne Lying Republican
pains to inform myself upon this matter and
nave yet TO meet the first fair-minded Intelligent
not acknowledge, that if nominated Grant will
certainly carry Virginia. What other Republican
could? Again. who besides General Grant could
unite the colored vote Will there not be danger
OF Malone & Co. controlling a large number of
them against any other candidate? Unless GEN
Grant Is the nominee will we have any reasona-
district in this State while with him as our
second, third, fourth and fifth '--' --''''
=, These are questions for the delegates to the
Staunton Convention to consider when thew
choose their representatives to the Chicago Cor
vention. Then if these reasons have anV weight
let a delegation favorable to General GRANTS
nomination be chosen, and let them go to Chi
cago as Grant men. But if after they meet there
the delegates from New York, New Jersey Indi-
ana, North and South Carolina and other doubt
full States. are convinced that General Grant
can not carry those States. but that some one
man who can carry those States. ~ = luz 'ne
But if Grant can't carry New York who can ?
IL ne can carry indiana who can 1.-The cannot
Louisiana. and Florida, who can So much for
expediency.
that is, that without doubt, either MI. Blaine.
Mr.. Sherman, Mr.. Conkling, OF Mr.. Washburn ii
electoral votes to insure his election, but there
Is deeper and much more far-reaching question
than the mere fact Of whether the nominee OF the
Chicago convention can be elected or not, and
that is. "how will he be elected?" II any one of
the gentlemen named except Grant be nomina-
i'd South. On the other hand, if Grant be our
nominee it will be sectional victory-there
will be no solid South,'' but thoughtful and
tyrannicaI and. mischievous party which ever
cursed country.
Space does not admit OF my saying anything of
Gen. Grant personally, nor of his achievements
civil or military. But he needs no eulogy from
any man. His fame is already secure, and Wheth- |
er the Chicago Convention fails to honor itself by
nominating him or not, still long after it shall
have passed into oblivion the story OF the achev-
ments OF q. s. Grant will continue to fill the |
brightest pages of our nations history.
Respectfully,
REPUBLICAN. |