New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-09
4 POPULAR NO.uINEE.

on q sound basis, and to right ends; ana the
campaign of 1880 has an suspicious opening.
Il POPULAR NOMINEE.
"Great Majority Garfield" men used to call
the able and popular statesman who was
nominated for the Presidency yesterday. Rep
rescatng " the cw-England District" OF Ohio,
in the extreme northeast corner of that State,
he was in the habit of carrying ii, whenever
Congressional elections occurred, by over
whclming maiorities. lie was elected first in
1852, by G,525 majority; in 1864 his ma
iority was II, III in 1866 it was 1O,9S6; and
in 1868 it was 1850 Nine times in sncces-
sion he has been chosen in the district
In spite of all the political changes of
the past twenty years, his plurality at the
last election was 9,G13; and he has since
been chosen 10y the State of Ohio to fill the
seat in the United states Senate from which
Mr.. Thurman was dismissed. Until that tme
though long recognized as one of the most
popular men in the State, he had never con-
scented to be candidate for any other Office
than that of Representative in Congress since
he left the State Senate to enter the Army in
1861. Few men in this country have ever
been able to look back upon as long success
sion of trumphs by the popular vote, and very
few have given better evidence of fitness for
high station.
Mr.. Garfield has been the recognized leader
of the Republicans in the House during the
prolonged and trying struggles which have
occurred since his party was reduced to
minority in that body. But his course las
been such as to gain him great favor among
conservative and moderate men, and il is
probable that 10 other man. 50 COmpctclS
identified with the party and enjoying 50 fully
its confidence, could command so large an
independent vote. His brilliant record
and fine conduct M soldier made
him especially popular in tho Union Army
his personal character has been such as 10
endear him to the people among whom he
lives, and who have trusted and honorcd him
him so long and his position upon nll public
questions has been such as to render him
worthy candidate of the party OF Loyalty,
Justice and Public Faith. 1t is particularly
to his credit that, though accounted n
Western man. lie has been one of the
most consistent. answering, able and
powerful defenders Of Hand Money and
National Honor. On this account his nOml-
nation will be welcomed with peculiar
satisfaction at the East and i'll the financial
and commercial centres scholar and STATES
man rather than a mere politician, no has lrcn
for many years a close student of economic
questions and his steadfast fidelity and we'll
trained intellect have often enabled him to
render Invaluable service to the cause of pub
lie faith III the Committee Of Ways and
Means and in the House. His service
in Congress as chairman Of the Committee
on Military Affairs, as chairman of the Com
mittee OH Banking and Currency, and as
chairman Of the Committee ON Appropriations,
has made HIM peculiarly familiar with de-
partmcnts of National affairs which have been
STUDIED and well understood by too few Of our
statesmen.
The personal qualities of General Garfield,
as shown through all the struggles and cx-
elements Of the Convention, made him
the candidate ut last. Hearty and
genial in treatment of all who come
to him with fair cause or honest pur-
pose, he is innryiblo in his convictions,
a staunch friend and a splendid fighter As
the leader Of the Sherman forces he did his
full share in defeating the unit rule and the
third term. and represented better than any
other man on the floor the spirit of the anti
Grant majority. But from the opening of the
Convention to the end he did not thing and
uttered not n word to increase the bitterness
Of personal feeling, or to place a straw in the
way of the election of any candidate whom
the Convention might finally nominate. The
rare good sense and gcntlcmauly courtesy of
his speech in behalf of MI. Sherman, and
especially its earnest advice that nothing
should be done to impede the election of
the candidate to be nominated, impressed
the Convention strongly, because they revealed
to it man of unusual worth and merit. !
When all others had hestatcd, he had been
the man to protest against the attempted cx-
pulsOn OF the three delegates from West Vr- !
ginia, and by that step had shown both his !
wisdom and lis courage. When the anti |
Grant forces found that combination upon
either of their former candidates was impOs-
sibc, it was most natural that they should |
turn to the delegate who had shown himself
their own ablcst leader and wIscst adviser. |
The qualities which made him strong in the |
Convention, as they become appreciated
throughout the county, will make him strong
to unite the Republican party and to defeat
Democracy once more.