Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-10
1NGERsoLL ON THE PRESIDENCY.

He Thinks Grant Fairly In the Field-But
the Pennsylvania Instructions Wtll Not
be Binding.
Interview in Chicago Paper
"What do you think of the Pennsylvania
State convention recently held?" was the first
conundrum.
81 think it means that Grant has made up
his mind to be candidate, and to take the
chances; and I shall think that until I hear
from him to the contrary. If he does not
want to be President it does not seem to me
there is any point ia not saying, no. be-
lieve, however, that if it was left to the Re-
publicans of Pennsylvania, Blaine would be
the first choice of that State, and if Cameron
had been for Blaine 1 think there is very
little doubt as to how the delegation would
have been instructed"
"What do you think of the effect of the
action of the Pennsylvania convention on
the other States?''
"In the first place it does away entirely
with the idea that Grant will only be can
didate if unanimously nominated. 1t takes
from his candidacy all the halo. The aureoIs
is gone, and he is Immediately put on an
equality with other candidates, and he will
be attacked just as readily and bitterly and
defended just as earnestly as the others. I
suppose New York will instruct for Grant,
and the effect of these great States instruct
ing for him may bring the others into line;
but it seems to me that it will have ten
denoy to free the others, so that they will
have courage enough to vote for their choice.
It certainly can not be contended that the
candidacy of Grant is on any higher ground
than that of any other candidate. The &C.
ton in Pennsylvania has put him upon pre-
cisely level with the rest
"You have travelled about this State more
or less lately and have. of course, observed
political affairs here. Do you think thst
Senator Logan will be able to deliver this
State to the Grant movement according to
the understood plan?"
"If the State is really for Grant, he will
and if it is not, he won't. Illinois is "a little
owned as any State IN this Union. Illinois
would, naturally, be for Grant other things
being equal, because he is regarded as
citizen of this State, and it is very hard for
State to give up the patronage naturally
growing out of the fact that the President
comes from that State"
"Are these instructions going to be inal2"
"Do you mean the instructions to dele
gatesr'
eyes"
81 do not think they wiz be considered
final at all; neither do think they will be
considered of any force. 1t was decided at
the last convention, in Cincinnoti, that the
delegates had right to vote as they pleased;
that each delegate represented the district of
his State that sent him. The idea that
State convention can instruct them as against
the wishes of their constituents snlacks
little too much of State sovereignty. The
President should be nominated by the dis
tricts of the whole country, and not by mass
ing the votes by little chicanery at State
convention, and every delegate ought TO vote
what he really believes to be the sentiment
of his constituents, irrespective of what tho
State convention m BY order him to do. He
is not responsible to the State convention.
and it is none of the State convention's bust
ness. This does not apply, it may be, to
the delegates at large, but to all the others
it certainly must apply. 1t was 30 decided
at the Cincinnati convention, and decided
on question arising about this same Penn
sylyania delepation."