Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-06-19

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enquire into their motive, Grant
still faced the convention with a
very strong contingent he counted
300 votes, and this contingent re-
manned solidly devoted to him to
the end, il was never infringed
upon, it was never materially added
to. Now, what we wish our read
ers to see, is that if was the same
cause which preserved the members
Of Grant contingent intact, and pre-
vented it from being recruited.
Avowals that have been made since
the nomination, prove that there
was an understanding between
Blaine and Sherman that through
out the preliminary proceedings
they should act together as against
Grant, and they did SO, and it was
in virtue of those preliminary pro-
eeedings that the unit rule was dis
earded whereby Grants vote was
diminished by at least seventy
votes, and his nomination virtually
rendered impossible, all the pre-
vious Vaccinations of Conkling and
Cameron being thereby dislocated
and thrown out Of gear. 1t was by
those preliminary proceedings also
that the contestant delegations from
Illinois were admitted and Logan's
exploits in counting out set at
Haught, and these two transactions
made Grants nomination an inn
possibility even before balloting
commenced. A conversation has
since been reported in which the
Maine senator consOled himself
oyer his own failure by the refiec-
ton that he had succeeded in pre-
venting the denomination of Grant.
Though united however for this
purpose, it was obvious that Blaine
and Sherman were mutually as
implacably opposed to the nominal
ton Of ore another as they had been
collectively to that of Grant. When
it was found that the Grant contin-
gent stood firm, and that therefore
Blaine could not be nominated
without the transfer of Sherman's
votes to him, and, soon after, when
it became plain that such. a transfer
would not be made, it was not to
Sherman that the Maine vote was
transferred, but to Garfield, upon
which the movement which was
started by the transfer of the Massa-
chusetts vote from Sherman to Gar
field was soon converted into a
stampede to the side of the latter
gentleman, and the three leading
candidates bit the dust, slain in the
internecine war between them
selves. This, then, is the reason
why "dark horses" are the rule
rather than the exception in presi-
Dental nominations. 1t is because
the adherents of the more prOmi-
nent candidates are so much more
eager for the success oftheir respect
i've favorites than that of their par
ty, that they do not confine them
selves to the advancement of their
own candidates, but make agrees
i've warfare on the character and
interests of their competitors so that
a nominating convention OF the
present day presents more the as
pect OF IA collision of opposite par
ties than of council in the interest
of one. ...
The result of all this as affects the
republican party and its nominal
ton does not at all distress us, but,
unfortunately, we have good deal
of the same thing in the democratic
party. In that party also, the pro-
motion of one mans candidacy
commenced almost with the inaug-
uration of the present incumbent.
The adherents of Mr.. Tilden, ever
since Mr.. Hayes became president,
have been working not only to pro-
mote his nomination but to make
any other nomination impossible.
Their operations have been agrees
i've as regards Messrs. Hendricks,
Thurman, Bayard, and even lately,
we notice, as regards Judge Field.
About two years ago it was an
nOunced in the Sun, and repeated
drec efusion by TiIden papers west
and south, that no democrat could
walk into the presidency over the
dead body of Mr.. Tilden, and it is
well known that if that gentleman
cannot be nominated, the influence |
of his adherents will be exerted |
to defeat the nomination
of any of the gentlemen mentioned,
and secOndarily to promote that of
some politician who will accept the |
presidency as the gift of Mr.. Tilden |
and yield to him the control of its
power and patronage.
Thus there has been Il close paraI-
lei between the candidacy of Grant |
and that of Tilden, and we believe |
it will, as it ought, be attended by |
the same result. Nor is it improb-
able that, by resisting the nominal
ton of any other prominent demo-
crat, the Tilden contingent may
have the power to force that of
some Obscurer member of the party,
and so impose upon us also a clark
horse"
We have thought it right to ex-
hibit this evil in terms as unsparing
in reference to one party as to an
other. We believe it to be the
evil of our present political
system, one which renders govern
ment in the interest of the people
whichever party may
obtain power, and at present we
no remedy, deeming it use
less to do so until the evil is clearly
for no man will take
until he knows himself to