Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-20
GRANT AND KEY.

Among the various rumors from Washing
ton with which the country has been flooded
for months past is one of recent origin to
the effect that Postmaster General Key is to
be placed on the Republican ticket as a can
didate for Vice President with Grant. 1t is
said that Grant has expressed his preference
for an associate of Keys calibre and ante
cedents, and has expressed the belief that
with such ticket the Republicans could
carry Virginia, Tennessee, Florida and sew
eral other of the Southern States.
We do not know how much strength Mr..
Key possesses at the South, but do not
greatly fear its proportions. The people of
neither the North nor the South have any
particular affection for men who sell their
principles for mess of pottage as Mr.. Key
has done. During the war he was an earn
est confederate, and at its close was
Democrat, and as such was sent to the
United States Senate. When offered plaee
in Mr.. Hayes cabinet as peace offering to
the South for having stolen the election,
Mr.. Key greedily accepted it, and has ever
since been supporter of the policy of the
Republican party. True, he has not been as
conspicuous in his advocacy of its measures
as some of his associates, but this has been
due more to his lack of oratorical ability than
to lack of disposition. He would, however,
be fit associate of Grant on the Republican
ticket, and would no doubt receive tho cordial
support of the mass of the party, who regard
apostacy as reprehensible only when they
themselves are forsaken.
Though the personal popularity of Mr..
Key is not great and his political influence
but limited AN attempt will be made to create
capital at the South by instancing his nomi-
nation as an evidence of the sincerity of
Gen. Grant in his recent speeches when he
protested a desire for the oblitera-
tion of all sectional lines and the
union of the whole country on
one broad platform of peace and fraternity.
ALI of the generals speeches at the South
contained this sentiment, which he evident
ly desires to be the keynote of the campaign.
It is shrewd change of front, and may
have some effect at the South, which may
be still further strengthened by the nomi-
nation Of q Southern renegade on the same
ticket with him.
If it is the purpose of the Republican
party as indicated to haul down the bloody
shirt that has been SO long floating at the
head of its columns, and instead to tender
the olive branch of peace and good will, we
shall hail the change of heart with
satisfaction, yet not without doubts
as to the commences of the conversion. It
would be creditable to the party to acknowl-
edge the errors of its past career and &C.
knowledge that the people of the South are
loyal to the flag of the Union and entitled to
all the rights and privileges of citizenship,
instead of denouncing them as traitors and
rebels fifteen years after the close of the war.
But although portion of the party may do
SO, we fear that the majority will find the
force of habit so strong that they will be
forced to keep up the old war issues and stir
up anew the fires of civil strife. 1t is not at
all probable, either, that the people of the
South will accept the protecting care of a
party that has SO long maigned them, while
rejecting overtures from a party that has
proved its friendship for them in many
dire emergency. The new dodge will hardly
prove profitable one.