New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-28

tered by Democrats that Mr.. Tilden is going to
be their candidate. Men who have been at
work, night and day, to prepare for the nomina-
ton Of other candidates, have taken great pains
to keep alive this belief. They reason, with
much shrewdness, that if the Republican Con-
yention, which meets first, can be brought to
act in the expectation that Mr.. Tilden will be
afterwards nominated it will be more likely to
take unwise and dangerous steps. Notunt1l the
Republican Convention has acted are these
men likely to disclose their real purposes; and
if it so acts as to make Democratic victory easy
with q candidate less Objectionable than Mr..
Tilden, VIC shall then see that preparations have
been made for months to take advantage of
Just such an opportunity. The lOng-headed
leaders of the South do not mean to throw away
their chance this year, and they have been pa
tiently preparing for a Convention in which
they can dictatetO their party. They have al
lowed Northern Democratic politicians to man
age affairs for fifteen years, and the result has
been succession Of humilating defeats
When they take the helm, it will not be to NOM
mate Mr.. Tilden, nor will it be in the power OF
Northern Democrats to offer elfectual resist
ance.
These are the probabilities which it becomes
Northern Republicans to consider very Sc
riously It is undeniable that Republican mis-
take this year might put it in the power OF the
Southern Democrats to seize control OF the Gov
ernment Unhappily, too, considerable num-
Der of Republicans have fallen into the trap set
for them, and are in the bumOr to nominate the
ex-Prcsident for q third term, either because
they have been persuaded that he may catch
some Southern votes, or because they think
that Mr. Tilden will surely be nominated. But
the Republican party ought to take no step
whatever in dependence upon either OF these
hopes, so carefully fostcred by the Democracy.
Republicans have no right to run any risk this
wear. They have seen the Dcmocra is conf
pletely suppress freedom at the South, so that
they can cary every Southern State with me-
iorities to order 1t is the duty of Republicans
to consider that the same thing can be done
again. They have seen the most bitter con-
troverscs between Democratic factions hushcd
up, at the instant chance Of victory appeared,
and must expect that hunger for the spolls-the
one motive which holds the Democratic party
together-will make it united whenever it has
reason to hope.
Yet we have faith that the Republican party
will not fail It's voters are too intelligent,
manly aud patriotic, to be greatly deceived rs
to their duty, or to be fatally divided by any
preference for individuals They are manifest
ing the deepest interest in the choice of del
egates, all over the North, and will not be easily
thwartCd by the manipulatonS of any clique
They are awaking to a sense Of the danger to
which Il third-tcTm nomination would expose
the party and the country, and arc declaring
ogainst it with degree Of unanimity which few
Of the party managers have expected. When
it is made clear to Republican Convention that
the Democratic leaders are particularly anxious
to have the Convention fall into the third-term
trap and have carefully baiied it with the hope
of Mr.. Tildcn's nomination, the Republicans will
be more unwise than they ever have been, in
any emergency thus far, if they do nOtavoid the
1nngnr.