New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-02
B1AIyE TIE STRONGEST CANDIDATE.


to-day will count for nothing
BLAINE TIE STRONGEST CANDIDATE.
GRANT LOSING VOTES, MOST OF WHICH ARE TRANS
FERRED TO DLAI\E-EFFECr OF HE CAMERON
TACTICs-TnE DOUBTFUL DELEGATES DECIDING
FOR TIL" MAINE SENATOR
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
CHICAGO, June 1.--Smce the trOublc In the Ma
tional Committee has been arranged this afternoon
there has been more talk than at any previous
time among the thousands who have come to Chi
cagoto see or take par: in the National Convention
about the relative standing of the rival candidates
for President
When any one who has an opinion to give on
this subject, tonight. begins lie first expresses his
opinion in regard to General Grants chances, and
1t is universally conceded that the third-tcrm move
ment gained no victory and gathered no strength
from the proceedings of the National Committee IL
barely escaped q very dangerous setback. and was
only saved from utter ruin by the excellent man
agement of General Arthur and Senator Jones' The
outcome of that meeting is therefore, rather dis
appointment than otherwise to the Grant people
They counted Oh winning victory. and they came
out second.
The third-term cause has received serious injury
in the detection in New-YOrk and Pennsylvania
The New-YOrk pledge with its nineteen names has
given the Grant managers great deal Of trouble.
They expected that few of their delegates would
refuse to obey the instructions of the State
Convention, but even the most fearful
of them did not suppose the number would exceed
ten or twelve. The New-York pledge with the
names attached. has been printed on a little hand
bill and scattered all the hotels, and it has fur
nished very effective argument for the antl-Grant
missionaries to use with doubtful delegates.
Another straw which shows which way the cur
rent IS setting is the similar pledge which has been
circulated in the Pennsylvania delegation to-day
Coming after the New-York pledge. it has been
cumulative in effect, and has had discouraglng
effect ON the Grant forces.
EFFECT on THE DOUBTFUL DELEGATES.
DELEGATES to the National Convention Fcner-
ally good matheInaticians, especially If they are
undecided in regard to the course they shall pursue !;
and when the doubtful man looks the
tables made by the third.term mana
gers, and sees that at least forty votes
have to be transferred FROM the Grant column to
those headed by the names of other candidates, and
the majority which had been figured out is by this
simple operation converted into minority there Is
little temptation to embark n ship that seems to
be so rapidly sinking. Equally dlscOncerting
to the mind of the doubtful delegate are the re-
peated assertions made by men who certainly have
the means of knowing whereof they speak. and who
are generally careful what they say. that General
Grant cannot carry such great States as New-York,
OHIO and Illinois.
Whatever the Grant leaders might do it is GER
tain that large majority of the delegates to the
Convention that meets tomorrow would not
vote for a man who, thoy really believed,
would be defeated at the polls 10 matter
how much they might admire him. The anti
Grant managers have used the opinions of leading
Republicans in the three States named sent here
privately, with most telling effect, and have
0uestionably made some converts by that means
In brief them it is conceded on all hands-except
perhaps by the most active Grant leaders, who are
responsible for the conduct of the contest-that
General Grant has lost strength during the last
three days. One dispassiOnate veteran observer
said tonight that, il it were any one else who was
candidate, he should saw that his nomination was
an mpossibility. His only chance of success is in
the efficacy of the peculiar tactics which the friends
of the ex-President copied from him, of trampling
down opposition and winning by main strength.
Most peOple in Chicago whose opinion IS worth hav-
ing concur III the belief expressed above without
the reservation
BLAINK's GROWING STRENGTH.
While Grant has been losing strength, Senator
Blaine has been making positive gains. In the'hrst
place. the victory in the National Committee was
won by his friends and those of Secretary Sherman
Most of the votes that Grant has lost have gone to
Blaine, and swecd the total which he Is expected
to receive on the first ballot, TIL III eXceeus INC eS
tirnated Grant vote, and instead Of leaving him in
the second place, puts him at the head of the list.
Arguments that being used against Mr..
Baines nomination arc being very efectually dis
posed Of by his friends. One ofthem is that he can
not carry New-York account of Senator
Conkling's hostility to him. This Is met
by great flood of evidence to prove its
alsity. 1t is well known that in 1876
Senator Conkling, who was not then a member of
The New-York delegation. requested General Wood
ford TO move to make Blaines nomination unan
smous if it was effected by the Convention. His
friends here say that he does not speak
barshly of Mr.. Blame. and privately assure those
who ask them that he will support him if
lie ia the Conventions candidate. Senator Conkling
Ia a Republican and desires the success of the Re-
publican party, and there nothing in his relations
with Blame which will prevent him from according
10 the Senator from Maine cordial support If nc
Is nominated.
Senator Blaines friends staud by him moro per-
sstently than those of any other candidate, and
although it would be rash to predict now that he
will ba nominated the first or second ballot. IL is