Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1880-07-03
0ppvas.--..-

From the Chicago Times:
But it is not nomination that can bt
said to fulfill the party's opportunity. Il
never had more favorable opportunity
to bring to the front new political
| leader; one who would give promise OF
leading the party out of the old political
graveyard and onward to new and
hopeful future of political activity. Gen
Hancock has furnished no evidence OF
good capacity for political leadership
As the Times said of him yesterday, he
is nothing but a soldier, and not a very
brilliant one at that. Educated for the
profession of arms, he has always pur-
sued that profession, and rose by personal
gallantry during the civil war to the
rank of major general, though he never
held an Independent command and never
gained victory. 1t was when com
mander of the military district of New
Orleans, in 1867, that he chiefly gained
public note by the tenor of his military
orders, declaring that the true function
of the military after armed rebellion
had been put down, was to uphold the
civil power in the normal exercises of
its functions. This. he said, would be
the guiding principle of his action; but
he at the same time announced that any
fOrcible obstruction of the laws would be
Instantly suppressed by arms" These
orders were put forth with good deal
of declamatOry flourish about "free in
stitutions" and "the great principles of
American liberty" style of superfiuOus
magnilOquence that greatly tickled the
eff1siye southerners, and led them to
regard Gen. Hancock as northern man
with southern IDEAS" Ever since, the
southern politicians have been fayOrably
inclined toward him as presidential
pOssibility-a circumstance not likely to
strengthen his candidacy in the north.
His name was brought before the con-
ventiOn of 1876; but the objection OF pre-
senting man who was nothing but a
soldier in opposition to one who, though
also nothing but soldier, was more
famous one, caused it to be received
with little favor. 1t was then believed
to be the true policy OF the party to pre-
sent an eminent civilian, of known
capacity for political leadership. The
foundation of that lelie was good in
1868, and is equally good now. Ii the
party at Cincinnati had fulfilled its Op-
pOrtunity, it would have chosen for its
leader statesman, not mere soldier.
As regards the military record of the
two men, Gen. Hancock and Mr.. Garfield
may be regarded as standing on the
same platform. Their military records
are perhaps equally good. But, while
one stands on nothing but his military
record, the other has gained his widest
repute as one of the fOrmOst among the
ablest of our living statesmen. The
nomination of soldier with a good war
record, whose fidelity to the national
cause is unassailable, will 60 far to sup
press any bloody shirt" character of the
canvass. The rejection of Mr.. Tilden
takes the hypOcritical fraud issue
out of the combat. What remains?
There remain the important political
questions that have been raised by the
action, or attempted reaction, Of this
congress. Upon these political questions
it is now more than ever likely the presi-
Dental canvass will be conducted. Evil
IDENTIFY, in Such controversy, the party
that has taken for its leader states
man who has shown himself to be one
Of its very ablest leaders, will enter the
contest with an important advantage
over the party that has passed by all its
statesmen and taken for its standard
bearer a soldier with no experience or
known faculty of political leadership.
Therefore 1t is that the nomination of
Gen. Hancock is a mistake. if not a
blunder. He is not the man for leader
of political party in this or in any
other political emergency.