Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-06-12
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
Cincinnati from . Tilden- Field St~ndpoin

WASHINGTON, June II, 1880.
The nomination Of Garfield has now
been thoroughly canvassed, and the set
tied opinion among congressman and
others familiar with his record is that it is
a weak one. The Credit MObilier affair,
the Washington ring, the paving contracts,
and the pulp monopoly, will make an
awful load to carry through the race.
The Democrats have only to make pru-
dent selection of candidates. against whom
there arc no old scandals, either true or
false, to sweep the country. Who shall
that man be? There are many such, and
the convention can hardly go amiss, if it
seeks only the really available man, with
out regard to personal griefs or personal
preferences.
The following is the substance of an
interview with distinguished Southern
congressman, who was foremost in the
Tilden movement in 1876, and among the
last to submit to the Great Fraud in 1877 :
Mr.. Tildcn was the strongest man we
could have named in 1876. The issues OF
reform, economy and honesty of admins
tration, which were then uppermost in the
public mind. were presented in him better
than they could have been in any one else.
We won the fight under him, but some
body blundercd, and We lost the control of
the government which the people at the
polls assigned to us. How far Mr.. Tilden
was responsible for the disaster do not
l. hat 1,nc
uatiOn has changed, and with it the issues
to be met The questions now arc whether
the progress of federal consolidation
shall be arrested Whether the
states shall live and the republic continue !;
shall bc repeated in 1880 and Hayes seat
mcnting fraud, rs Grant seated Hayes. 1t
is not certain that Mr.. Tilden is the man
best fitted to meet these questions. There
exists in some quarters a fear, arising out
of the events of 1877, that he would not
meet another crisis of the same sort with
the tirmness, courage and vigOr of con-
us from forcible revolution. We need a
man whose record is perfectly clean,
whose character, public and private, is
uhOui hIoAOi, WIZ ICplCoShCo No ohSS
states rights and uncOmprOmising union
ism, and who, above ali things, is bold,
and not afraid of responsibility. For such
a man the Democrats would work with a
will, because they would have some as
surance that if elected he would take the
Office
am not sure that Mr.. Tilden would
be willing to run again. His place
in history is fixed and most
honorable one it is. He was elected presi-
dent by great majority, and lost the office
only because he refused to pay for the le-
gal attestation of the fact. This eminence
doubtless satisfies his ambition. 1t is not
credible that man of his refined tastes
and studious habits should desire power
for the mere sake of power. The presi-
dency would add nothing to the dignity of
his character, and he would naturally be
slow to endanger the record Of 1876 by a
new adventure under different circum-
stances. A wise man, in his situation
would prefer to nurse his health, and in
dulge his tastes, amid his books, pictures
and gardens, to the turmoil of a second
campaign, in which he has nothing to gain
and the almost inevitable physical collapse
under the burdens of the Office should he
Uc clcCtcu. WI.
Tilden is philosopher enough to conserve
his own fame by retiring at the right mo-
ment.
That Mr.. Tilden is not himself desirous
of the nomination is shown cOnclusively to
my mind by the number of candidates who
have sprung up under his coat-tail, and are
claiming his support. Most of these men
are in such relations to him that they could
>% md FOL, %l,,c
out his consent and encouragement in some
for Mr.. Tilden that l sincerely wish he
boldly himself or name his man. He
terry and intrigue. 1t is no light thing to
a sham canvass for this great Office, and is
by half dozen smaller men, all but one of
whom are bound to be cheated in the end.
Besides, l. for one, desire his influence to
be felt at Cincinnati, because I believe it
will be exerted for the safety of the party
and the welfare of the country. But if he
waits much longer he will not be able to
transfer his strength. Men are forming
preferences which no wish of his will dis
turb, after they are assembled. He might
do much to guide opinions during the
process, but he will be powerless
to alter them when settled and fixed.
do not believe that Mr. Tilden's barrel
has been on tap in the South. The Tilden
sentiment in that section is of natural
growth. But to say truth, there is not
much Of it-although we are, as hereto
fore, inclined to follow the lead of the
North, and accept the nomination that
promises the most votes above the line.
Mr.. Tilden, however, is not supposed to
be much stronger in your country than in
ours.
Randall has friends in the Southland
for awhile he was looked upon rs the prob
able nominee, because he was regarded
as Mr.. Tilden's heir. But since Mr.. Til
den seems to be considering Mr.. Payne
and several Others with about equal and
perhaps greater favor, the speaker is fall |
ing out of sight. We remember, however.
MIR. Randalls record in years when |
there were few like him in Congress, and |
until the page which bears the account of
his successful fight against the force bill |
shall be torn from our books, he will never
turn his face Southwark for sympathy and
support without response. Mr.. T'ilden |
might have made him the candidate. But |
he has lost the opportunity. He has
' taken time" as he did on the electoral
bill until it is too late.
Judge Field is strong with us. The re-
success of the Field movement |
IN Virginia, Alabama and Georgia, has |
given new set to the tide. The reasons |
ire obvious. We are determined to win.
Tu6oa Fial6 iS NOT a worn r,ut and ha n toro6 |