The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-04-23
PREPARING FOR THE CONTEST.

''ftf'' New Orleans City 1tem.1s III,
With wise selection of q standard
bearer the contest for the presidential
stake Of 1880 is more than half won for,
the Democracy. It is, however, Inn
possible for people in all sections Of the
country to see alike, or to put aside
those local and sectional prejudices
which prevent a com plete realization
of the force of the great national argu-
ment. But, though the. average citi-
zen is incapable of rising above the en-
be an attempt on his part to properly
appreciate the chances Of success or de-
feat. It is much easier to organize
failure than success, especially when a
blind fatality holds the rein, and wise
counsels are disregardcd. .'' r.
We believe that the strongest man
on the Democratic list is Major Cen
eral Winfield Scott Hancock. Win
field is in this connection suggestive
name. But with the name we have n
form and presence such as give the
world assurance of a man, and a civil
record which, when the temptations of
high authority pointed in an altogeth-
er different direction, won for him the
golden opinions of all true patriots.
His declaration, taken from a military
order, that, ttthe right of trial by jury,
the habeas corpus, the liberty of the
press, the freedom of speech, the nat
ural rights of persons and the rights of
property must be preserved" is de-
serving of being inscribed in letters of
gold on pictures of silver. His orders
aud official letters prove his integrity
as a citizen and his foresight as states
man, and certainly should commend
him to such popular approval as car
ries with it the highest position in the
peoples gift. '... .....
We find however that the Democratic
South, which should be a unit on this
question, shows anything but united
front. Though Tilden is scarcely
thought of, being condemned for the
double sin of selflshness and infirnity
of purpose, there are sections of the
South where Bayard is the first choice
and others again where John N.
Palmer, of Illinois, or Thurman, of
Ohio, is the favorite. The probabili-
ties, however, are that neither of these
gentlemen can command following
large enough to secure a recognized
position before the Cincinnati conven-
tion.
What then? 1t follows that Gen.
Hancock is the candidate on which
! the South and portion OF the North
can combine, and that the choice, so
far as Southern public opinion goes,
must lie betwixt him and some dark
horse that, whilst not Objectionable to
the. South, will be more acceptable to
the North. That dark horse is more
likely to be Judge Stephen J. Field
than any other person thus far named.
His ability is conceded even by his
enemies, and his integrity has been
tested on moro than one OCCASION, es.
pecially in the eight by seven contest,
and by his grand dissenting opinions
from the Supreme Bench, in matters
involving the constitutional rights and
sacred liberties of the American peo
pie, when they were assailed by the
dark forces of fcentralization. We have
never yet taken n Chief Magistrate
from our highest judicial tribunal, anG
if Hancock can not be nominated W.
would be disposed to compromise or
Field rather than on any other candi
date.
The issues involved are momentous
and it would be folly to hazard then
} by either unwise preferences or unwis
prejudices.