The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-04-17
THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL
FIELD,

A Philadelphia newspaper published,
on Wednesday, a report, based on the
authority of the inevitably respectable
informant. that Mr.. Tilden has written a
letter, to be read at the New York DEM
ocratic Convention ut Syracuse, declining
to be a candidate before the Cincinnati
Convention, and withdrawing his name.
The reason assigned for his course is the
condition of his health. This same gen
tleman says that Mr. Tilden prepared a
letter, two months ago. Withdrawing his
name. but the intercession of personal
friends prevented it from being made
public.
We don't believe any such Il canarti.
Physically shaky, as may be the Gram
mercy Park mortgage Of the Democratic
party, he is however. too shrcwd to he
outwittcd by any one. of his right OF
foreclosure on the nomination. Besides
he possesses two indispensable requisites
for success-brains and a bari. No
other man yet named us a probable can-
didatc owns more than one OF these quail
ifications Thurman has the first. So
has Bayard Both have full heads, but
likewise empty bar'lS. Any one who
takes any interest in specializing upon
the relative strength and chances of
Democratic aspirants Tor the Presiden-
tial nomination-not a very profitable
occupation to our general reader, because
we believe that rh0errr may be nomina-
ted will be beaten-will, VIC think, con-
cede that looking to the Democratic ne
ito Seymour is the strongest candidate
that can be named. But all well inform
ed Democrats know So we'll the control
ing reasons that would render his ac-
ceptancc Il suicidal act, that hone of them
have talked Of Seymour as Il candidate,
except as the only possible alternative to
| Tildcn. Some of the Democratic organs.
in the extremity of their desperation,
have actually urged that Seymour should
risk his life to save the party from Til
dcnism and destruction. But Gov. Sey-
mour values his life and prefers Il series
of agricultural addresses and the delights
of the cheese press to premature death.
''in the harness. He is wholly out of
the question.
! How fnr fla Inv, Of pay ND
disloyal and questionable Wilmington
speech, in 1861, at the instigation of Mr.
Tilden, may damage his prospects, re-
mains to be seen. The general convic-
ton that Mr.. Tilden was at the bottom
of this attempt to knife an honorable
and dangerous rival. has caused Il good
deal of indignation among Democrats,
and of ridicule and contempt among Re.
publicans. How an attack can be made
on Bavards - war record that will not
| be disastrous to Tilden no one can under
stand-except on the principle of the
marksman who shot - to hit it, if it was
a deer, and to miss it, if it was calf"
There have been. as now, reports and
rumors that Mr.. Tilden was inclined tC
transfer his mortgage on his party tt
Mr. levitt, Mr.. Payne, Mr.. Randall, and
even Others but there is no authenticated
evidence of any such self-sacriticing will
ingness to STAY himself on the party altar
General Hancock is strong favorite
with the few Union soldiers who are
Democrats and with the younger men OF
the party but his "war record - is alto
gether too good, and his bank account is
too small. Senator David Davis labors
under the serious objection of having left
the bench of the Supreme Court just il
time to prevent the expected result OF
the Electoral Commission, and is, be.
sides, SO heavily judicial, impartial, and
non partisan in his politics that no thor
ough-bred Democrat can raise cheer in
aid of his boom.
Ohio's "favorte son. on the Demo
cratic side, Judge Thurman, was sub.
merged beneath the tidal wave of Re
pubicanism that swept over that pivota
State last Fall His red bandanna viii
no longer be a signal to arouse the fierce
Democracy of the West. But that wing
Of the Democratic party is by no means
inclined to submit to the foreclosure OF
Tildens mortgage. 1t is not at all
squeamish about financial Obligations
regards Tilden as IA rich railroad law
yer" and "bloated capitalist and be-
lieves that lie lacked the nerve and man
hood to assert his rights in 1877.
SO the Western Democrats, whose lead
ing and most influential organ is the Gin,
cinnati Enquirer, have been casting about
for some candidate to beat Tilden. The
Enquirer thinks it has found such a can
didate in the person of Justice Field, OF
the United States Supreme Court, and
presents his claims, availability, and su-
pcriOr qualifications with zeal and earn.
estness that unquestionably "mean bust
ness"
! But whatever business the friends of re-
spectiEe candidates may have on hand,
the Tilden bureau is every where doing
| successful work. Tilden holds the field