New-York tribune., 1880-04-06
LATEST pRESIDEyTI4L MOVES

| The Republican party and the DemOcratl @
have had each serious obstacle to overcome,
in order to go into the Presidential contest with
| a prospect of success. Each has done much of
late to overcome its difficulty, so that, para
dOXical as it may seem, it is nevertheless true
that both parties are really in stronger position
on account of the work of the past month. The
possibility of General Grants nomination was the
chief peril of the Republicans. The possibility
of Mr.. Tildcn's nomination was the chief peril
of the Democrats. Sensible Republicans feared
that General Grant could not be elected over ~
strong Democratic candidate, and sensible
Democrats knew that Mr.. Tilden could not be
elected over q strong Republican candidate.
But the supporters of Mr.. Tilden had convinced
themselves that General Grant would inevitably
be nominated by the Republicans, and that
he could be beaten even by Mr.. Tidcn. In like
manner, supporters of General Grant had con-
vinced themselves that Mr.. TildeD would GER
tainly be nominated by the Democrats, and that
| lie could be beaten 10y any Republican.
| 1t was q curious situation. A part of the
| Democrats were exceedingly anxious 10 have
| General Grant nominated, because they said,
"we then can afford to nominate Mr.. Tilden.'
| Hence they spared no efforts to promote the
| Grant movement, and in some States, where the
| organs of public opinion are mainly in Demo
| cratic hands, they did strongly impress Repub-
lcan voters with the idea that the movement
was irresistible. Other Democrats though not
desirous OF the same nomination for their party,
hoped for that of General Grant by the Repub-
| lcans because he would be more easily beaten
than any other candidate. Thus it came to
pass that in most of the strongly Democratic
| States where Republicans are weak and not
| well informed, the current of Republican Opin-
ion seemed TO set strongly toward the nOmina-
ton of General Grant. Indeed, the chief dan
| ger seemed to be that he might be nominated
| almost wholly by delegates from States which
could not be expected to give him a single clcc-
tOral vote. But the Democrats were in a SIM
liar predicamcnt. All Republicans hoped. and
the supporters of General Grant especially de-
| sired most earnestly, that Mr. Tilden should be
nominated. Each party has strong Influence
upon public opinion i'll the other, and it came
to pass that Mr.. Tilden seemed likely to be
| nominated mainly 10y delegates from Republi-
can States. Each party was doing its best to put
the other in its least favorable position. It's i'll
| teiesting to consider what a curious race it
would have been if each party had put up its
weakest candidate. 70 those who care for re-
publican institutions, however, the spectacle
would not have been pleasing or hopeful one.
The Democrats had the advantage i'll slow
trace of this sort. Their Convention was to
meet later than that of the Republicans.
Hence, if General Grant should be nominated,
they could put up their weakest candidate with
comparative hOpefulncss, or could name Il
strong one with gIcat probability of success.
But the Republicans would be obliged TO take Il
leap in the dark They could not nominate
General Grant with any certainty that his oppo-
ncnt would he Mr.. Tilden fOr the Democrats
might determine at the last moment to grasp
the rare chance of success offered them, and to
nominate strong candidate. Sensible Repub-
licans felt therefore, that it was the height of
folly to nominate any weak candidate, or to rely
upon Democratic stupidity for Il chance to pull
through, and that it was their duty to make the
strongest possible nomination. In proportion
as their opinion turned toward the nomination
of their best man, the Democrats also Legan to
realize that they could not afford to choos" dele
gates favorable to Mr.. Tilden, on the change
of what the Republicans might do.
In the Republican party, opinion has moved
rapidly since tie conventions i'll Pennsylvania
and New-York. The demonstration that Gen
eral Grant was not really the first cLOice Of the
majority of Republican votes, even in those
States has had the ,ilect predicted. All over
the country, flom Maine to Texas, The tendency
has been stl0uriy rc'nSt tho third tenn move
ment, and ii ow seems possible that the name
of the exp esid, il. may not be presented ut all
III the Il. v..-l can Ctnrention. Tic friends of
Mr.. Blaine have been gaining ground con-