New-York tribune., 1880-06-17
" THE ONLY MAN. "

II has been manifest for long time that
among Democrats llOratiO Seymour Is believed
10 be the most popular man Of his party in the
country. They not only consider him the
most popular within his party, but are
confident that as n Presidential candidate he
would proyc-notwithsanding he has once
been defeated for that Office the most popular
with the country. We are by no means of this
opinion ourselves. On the contrary, we art
mite confil, mt that under election laws
differing somewhat from those under winch the
vote of Ncw-YOrk was counted for HIM in
1858, and under II different administration
from that of Tweed, he could not carry tins
nor any of the doubtful States. But his
friends, thinking otherwise, are very anxious
to make him their nominee and put him in TIE
field. In their present desperate state they
look to him as the only man who can give them
the slightest show for Carrying the Presidential
election If hc would consent to accept it we
have no rcnson to doubt that he could be nomi~
mated at Cincinnati by acclamati0n.
But ne does not want it, In 1868. "a he and
his friridS insist, he was strongly aycrsp to the
use of his name, but was finally forced into the
position of candidate He has repeatedly
declined public office since then, once going so
far as to compel a State Convention which had
adjourned after nominating him without his
consent to rrnsscmblC and take up Il new
candidate Time and again during the past
two years has he reiterated his positive,
absolute and final refusal 10 be considered
candidate. He has said that he would not under
any circumstances permit his name to be used,
and that if nominated he would not accept.
N,4L;,., cou1b qnntn N hp moro conpluSiVp ~ In
his wishes and his determination. SO often
and 80 positively has he proclaimed his fixed
and unaltrrablo purpose in this regard that
further urging can only be looked upon IT,
ncctng upon his honesty and sincerity and
something that less amiabo man might resent
as insulting The men who still pursue him with
imp0rtuntirs to Withdraw his refusal ale
certainly not doing it out of any love for him,
for they are too plainly acting in utter dis
regard of his oftcn-rcpcatcd and Well-under-
stood wishes. Their motives arc cntiIely
selfish They believe him to be the only man
with whom as candidate they can stand any
sort of chance Of winning at the election. And
they care very little for his wishes or his comfort
If they can Only use him for their own purposes
and make him the instrument of their success.
This is the secret of the Sudden outbreak Of
enthusiasm for his nomination since the Gar
field and Arthur ticket was announced. The
Chicago nominations have put them to their
tiumps. They know that against Garfield and
Arthur no ticket headed by any OthOr candi-
date than Seymour can have reasonable pros
ptct Of success They think that with IIOratiO
Seymour they might have chance. Hence
the demonstrations at Washington and else
wherc of the past few days. 1t is testimony
TO the excellence of the Chicago nominations
and their strength with tho people that the
Democratic leaders are driven by them to the
desperate resort of dragging I'M unwilling can
ddate into the field in opposition to them. 1t is
a palpable confession of Democratic weakness.
In this readiness to drop all the fayorltcs to
take up II candidate who is only not vulnerable
by reason of having kept out of public life dur
ing the time when tho party has been in power,
and other leaders have been making record,
We may read the tacIt admission that the party
and its leaders have forfeited public confidence
and do not dare go to the people on the record
they have made 1t is a good sign for the Re-
pubcans when their nominations have made
such an effect upon the opposition.