The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-14
A Confederate Brigadier Tells Why
General Hancock Ought to BE NOmf-
mated for President.

WASHINGTON, ID. o., June IL, 1851.
To the Editors Of the Richmond Dispatch ::
The review Of Democratic candidates for
the presidency, in the Dispatch OF June
10Th. has attracted much attention here.
The nominations at Chicago have unques-
tionaby served to bring Seymour again to
the front, and he has never doomed up in
the minds o! the Democrats gathered at the
capital as he does to-day. | asked repre-
sentative Confederate briga1ier this morn
ing il he had read your editorial. He re-
piled:
eyes, have read it carefully, because
the Dispatch justides its undeniable pre-
miership OF the Virginia press by its able
and wel.considered articles upon public
questions. lie opinions always command
respect from thinking men. Seymour's
chances have experienced a sudden revival
since the nomination Of Garfield and Ar
thur. All the eyes of those who are seek
ing success, instead of intriguing for per.
sonal preierment or for access to some ones
bar'l, are turned toward the New York sage,
who unquestionably occupies the first place
in the Democratic heart. But observe
that the Dispatch does not exhaust the Sey-
mour question. 1t doubtless did not fall
within the scope of its article to point out
that. besides Mr.. Seymour's own attitude
toward his own nomination. bis availability
as a candidate will depend greatly upon
the friendliness or hostility toward him
that may be exhibited by the New
York delegation at Cincinnati. III when
Mr.. Tilden's nomination Is abandoned
the New York delegation should cast its
solid vote for Seymour, it looks as il his
nomination would be certain. But il Mr.
al
accept Seymour or TO support his candida
cy, the case will be different. The neces-
sty of going outside of the New York fac.
tions for candidate who can unite them
will then become evident, and the question
will arise. Who is the best candidate for
this purpose? / think it is General Han
cock, and he seems 10 be general second
choice. His candidacy has not been an ag-
gressive one, and is antagon!zed by none OF
the elements that render so many OF our first
statesmen unavailable. Several OF Mr.. Sey-
mour's greatest points OF strength are also
possessed by Hancock. 1t is fortunate for
Mr.. Seymour that being removed from
active politics he has made no very positive
record upon the questions which have so
nearly rent the Democracy asunder-like
the financial, the tariff, ana the nternal.iIn-
provement questions. General Hanc )ck has
been kept in the same favorable position by
being in the regular army. By common
consent it is admitted that candidate who
has been identified with the sO-called soft
money doctrines would be unavailable.
But the balance of power in all the pivotal
States in New York, New jersey, and Con.
necticut, as well as Pennsylvania-is held
by those who have voted for the national
candidates at recent elections. II would be
unsafe, and inviting an unnecessary peril,
10 nominate q candidate whose votes upon
the silver question or for depriving green
backs OF their legal-tender quality have ex-
cited the hostility Of this large element.
This hurts Judge Field, whose opinions
against legal tenders are Of record. The
reconciliation OF silver was demanded by
our platform of 1876, and has been favored
by five sixths Of the party, especially among
the farmers. The currency and tariff Ques-
tions are two-edged swords, and hard to
handle. The trades-unions are all protee.
ti0nists, and their votes would be cast solid
ly against any free.trader like Morrison,
which would lose us any eastern State. We
must unite all the elements OF opposition
to the Republican regime il we would
succeed, and some Of them are very
discordant clements indeed. l cannot see
where any candidate is as strong at all
points as Hancock, and no one but Seymour
anywhere near as strong. The Brooklyn
Eagle is said to be the most influential DEM
ocratic paper in New York, and it would
not have taken up the advocacy OF Han
cocks nomination il be had been weak in
stead OF strong. He is stronger with the
soldier element than any other Democrat In
the North. ] take this to be the case on ac-
count OF his prominence In Pennsylvania,
where he has not resided since his bOyhood,
and where the ruling political ciques have
no hold on him, and are either Indifferent
or hostile to him. Besides, 1t Is known that
all such prominent Union soldiers and reli.
able Democrats as General w. b. Franklin.
General w. r. (Bsldy) Smith, General Hen.
~ w. Slocum, aud General Martin j. Mnc.
Mahon, are earnestly in favor of Hsucock's
nomination. This soldier element has been
zoo much neglected bv the northern Demo.
Gratis, and 1t ought TO be considered at this
time.
"GeneraI Hancock. II elected President. |
could treat the South more generously than |
any Democrs:ic civilian politician. This
class has always been afraid Of us. It has
fought against our public buildings and In |
tefnal improvements, and u we get into
power II will want lions share OF the OF. 1
octs on The ground that policy dictates our.