The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-01-29
The Chicago Convention.

Inc campaign LOT the fTeSlQeuClal NOM
nations of the two great political parties
OF the country has commenced in earnest.
The most prominent candidates or those
whose friends are pressing them forward,
on the Republican side are Gen. Grant,
Secretary Sherman and Hon. James G..
Blaine. Recently there has been devel-
oped a systematic effort to get up ''boom''
for Mr.. Sherman and also for Mr.. Blaine,
to counteract the manifested sympathy of
the people for Gen. Grant. Friends of
these two competing candidates have been
very active in the States of Pennsylvania
and New York in their endeavors to create
a Blaine and Sherman sentiment. If all
the reports which reach us through the pa
pers friendly to Mr.. Blaine are true. his
strength in Pennsylvania particularly
has been heretofore greatly underesti-
mated; while Mr.. Sherman has developed
considerable strength in New York, al
though it is conceded that Gen. Grant in
the latter State is decidedly the choice of
the Republicans. 1t is stated, also, in the
Washington correspondence of the New
York Times, that the interests of Mr.. Sher-
man are being actively represented in the
South through the Internal Revenue Bu-
reau. and that determined effort will be
made to capture many of the delegates
from that section to the National Conven-
ton. While we cannot hold Mr.. Sherman
responsible for everything we see in the
newspapers, we may assume it as probable,
at least, that some of those whom he has
favored with official positions, will use their
influence to give practical form to his
known wishes, and endeavor to secure for
him as large support in the delegates
chosen as possible. How far these officials
may be able to influence the State Conven-
tons, through district delegations, in the
selection of delegates to the National Con-
vention, we cannot say. We may say,
however, with certain safety, that nine
tenths of the Republican voters of the
South are decidedly favorable to the NOM
ination of Gen. Grant, and that delegates
elected who may not represent this senti-
ment, will not be in accord with the public
pulse.
We make these remarks without any per-
sonal bias for either of the distinguished
gentlemen whose names we have mentioned,
for it has never been our policy to press the
claims OF any particular candidate over
those of another, through our columns, be.
fore the Convention has made its CHOICE
The true policy for the Republicans of the
South, it seems to us, is to ascertain first
the sentiment of the Northern and West
ern States, and then unite with the known
wishes Of the Republicans of those sections
in securing the nomination of the man Of
their choice. They have the electoral votes
upon which dependence must be had fol
success. We can calculate upon nothing
certainly in the South, and it would be
manifestly unjust, as well as unwise, fol
the Southern delegates to the National
Convention, who could give no positive
assurance of single electoral vote, to force
a nomination by the Convention. Whether
that person be Gen. Grant, Secretary Sher-
man or Senator Blaine, if Northern and
Western delegates prefer him, it should be
personal predictions for the good of the
cause. While, according to our under.
standing of public sentiment, Gen. Grant
would be the strongest candidate who could
be nominated, in the South, and Republic
cans could make better fight with him as
their leader, yet that is a secondary and
subordinate consideration. If the delega.
tions from the States whose electoral votes
can certainly be controlled for the Repub-
lica.a candidate give the assurance that
either of the gentlemen named would be
more acceptable to the masses of their con-
stituents. then the duty would be clear fol
the Southern delegations to interpose NO
formidable obstacle to his selection.
We do not, however, by any means,
confine the probabilities to the three candi-
dates mentioned, The history of most OF
the nominating Conventions is, that the
mere prominent candidates in the prelimi-
nary skirmish. manage to kill each other
off before the final vote, and we have no
assurance that the Chicago Convention of
this year will prove an exception to this
general practice. 1t is not at all unlikely,
therefore, that the selection will fall upon
some one who has not been so conspicuous
ly discussed before the country. In that
event we know of no one who combines SO
many elements of strength as the Hon. E.
B. Washburn, of Illinois. His public re-
cord is without a blemish. Throughout his
long public services in Congress and in
the diplomatic department of the Govern
ment, he ranked among the purest and
ablest of American statesmen, and to the
German element especially his nomination
would, probably, be the most acceptable
that could be made. He is sound upon
every public question that would enter into
the discussion during the campaign, and is
thoroughly representative man of the
progressive Republican sentiment of the
nation. We, however, have no purpose
here to discuss the comparative claims and
availability of any of the distinguished
gentlemen whose names may come before
the Chicago Convention. Our purpose in
introducing this subject is to utter word
OF caution to the South, and especially
to Virginia, in the selection of delegates.
We hope it will be the pleasure of the Con-
ventions which will assemble in the South
ern States to select none but their best men
to represent them in that body-men who
will have the intelligence and the courage
to subordinate all personal feeling and
preferences to the good of the party, and
consequently of the country, and who will
carefully study the situation before their
votes are recorded. 1t would be eminently
unwise to make choice of personal parti-
Fans, or to embarrass the action of the
delegates by instructions in favor of any
one. 1t is the success of the party, and not
OF individuals, which is the primary object
to be secured. No one will be chosen as
the standard bearer of the Republican
party In this great national contest, who
is not worthy of the support of every MEM