The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-01-22
Unexpected Results.

We referred the other day TO some iss's
copnec,ed witt. the recent troubles IN Sa'ue
which went 20 show that Governor eAkch'
,ov and Governor LAMrsoN bsd themselves
set on foot the agencies whereby taeir pa'"-
van scsemes were defeated. Tue FORMER
.nno,o,ed a General Of militia who became
under that appointment Dictator, ana
Iorded IL over the State WITH hlgh manu-.
The latter refused to qualify the Republican
members Of the Senate, asd thereby SET up
m opposition Senate, which Few Gays
afterwards superseded the body by whicn
ne had been chosen Northumberland
and remsnded him and his legislative SYM
pathizers to private HE.
II would not be very strange II ufe re
Dublicsns Of the New York Legislature
should In like maunerset in motionshe guir
,ot,ne which Is to cut od the head oil their
candidate for President OF the united
States. Hitherto New York has been re-
gardcd as a pivotal state. AS might 20 her
Immense electoral yote-thTee times as large
ne that OF Virginia--so would go the 'o'os
of a majority OF the electors or, rS'her'
her vote east INTO the scale OF either
party would insure triumph Tor That
marty. All men Of all parties had come
90 look uopn it as fixed that WITHOUT the
vote Of New York the Democrats cou'd
hardly hope TO elect q President. The solid
South. IL is true, has 1871 votes; but that
number falls - short OF being majority
of the electoral votes. The question was
bo,y and where 10 get these As votes. Ne"
York and Indiana would together De SUI
ficient TO supply the missing - votes III"
have two 10 spare. But how are we 10 se'
botb statesy What candidate can carry
both, What platform will suit botn
These were the questions asked by every
body, but answered by nobody.
For years the powerful weight OF New
York has compelled the other States to nomi-
nate citizens OF that State for President
SEYMOUR in 1865, GREELEY in 1872, TILDEN
in 1876. The same result was beginning 10
be expected this year. Men had become
convinced that 1t might be necessary TO
nominate a New Yorker again in order TO
carry that Empire State. Mr.. TILDEN had
fallen into the background, but Mr.. SEY-
MouR was daily gaining popularity ana
even Mr.. BAYARD's strongest point was that
he could carry New York.
These circumstances had almost ruled out
Mr.. THURMAN and Mr.. HENDRICKS, and were
fast narrowing the question OF the nomIha-
ton down to a choice between SEYMOUR ana
BAyARD. when the scheme OF the New
York Republicans for having the presI'
Dental electors chosen by districts put an
entirely new face upon presidential mat
tiers. III that scheme should be carried out,
men saw at once that it might result exactly
rs GARCELOX's and LAMPs0N's did. II might
insure the election OF Democrat who might
otherwise have had no chance OF success.
II might make the defeat Of the Republic
can nominee beyond a doubt. For. as our
evening contemporary has repeatedly said,
the South will vote for the nominee
without regard to the platform upon
which he stands. The platform, like
the candidate, it was supposed, must
be cut according TO the New York pat
tern, Now, however, all is changed
that IL, we mean, supDosing that the New
York electors are to be chosen by districts.
ANY Democratic candidate upon any plat
form could carry twelve TO fifteen districts
I'm New York II that scheme be consum-
mated. So that as Ohio and Indiana are
able to make up the rest OF the AZ needed,
il would then be as easy TO elect THURMAN
or HENDRICKs-mOre SO. perhaps, than to
elect any other Of the aspirants. Mr.. THUR
MAN could carry Ohio against GRANT or
BLAINE as certainly as Dir. SEYMOUR could
carry New York against either OF them.
And we think it highly probable that be
could carry Ohio against even Mr.. SHERMAN.
The New York Republicans will think
twice before they adopt the proposed
scheme. Ii would weaken them instead OF
strengthening them. III they are going TO
make any change it would be safer for
them TO have all the thirty-ive electors
chosen by the Legislature. Even this
might not save their party; for Ohio. New
Jersey, Indiana, Connecticut, and Oregon
would almost surely make up the forty
seven votes needed by the Democrats in
order to the defeat Of the Republicans in
their mad race for the presidency.