New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-03
THREE CANDIDATES IN THE FIELD.

THREE CANDIDATES IN THE FIELD.
M REASON FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF EITHER
EIAINE OR SHERMAN IN FAVOR OF GRANT-IHE
srcprrARY's DENIAL THAT HE is WORKING FOR
TIE NOMINATION THROUGH TREASURY OFF,
c1us-uIs STRENGTH IN THE SOUTH AND WEST.
trpou THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuNE'l
WASHINGTON Feb. 2.-The recent somewhat
rroxrected success of Secretary Shermans friends
IN North Carolina. where the predominant sentl-
mspt among Republicans was supposed to favor the
nomination of General Grant, and reports received
evervday from other parts of the South fcreshadow-
inc the election Of Sherman delegates to the Chi
caoo Convention in majority If not in nearly all
the States south of the Potomac, bring the Secre-
tarv of the Treasury fairly into the field as fresi
DENTAL candidate and make the contest In the
Republican party-if General Grant remains IN 1t
a three-cornered, though very friendly one. Ihey
have also been made the occasion of fierce attack
upon Mr. Sherman by one or two nominally Repuo-
can newspapers not in the interest or at the nstl
cation of any other candidate, but, as one OF MT.
sherman's friends said to-day. apparently out OF
"pure cussedness."
The correspondent of THE TRIBUNE calling at the
Secrearys office this afternoon in regard to other
matters. found Mr.. Sherman at his desk rapidly
transacting public business debating letters to his
secretary and talking with members of Congress
and others who had called. During pause. and
after other subjects were disposed of, the cOnversa
tion turned on the late events affecting the Pres-
Dental canvass and asked the Secretary If he had
seen some recent articles in a New-York newspaper
about Treasury agents travelling through the coun-
try in his interests as a candidate for the Presl-
dency.
"Oh yes," he said, II always read the chronic
tTimes), which is generally impartial In abusing
all Republicans but for two years has given me
more than nv share In the recent articles there Is
scarcely the shadow of truth and the assertion that
have promised offices to secure delegates is ahso-
Iutelv false. lam gratifed that few Treasury
officers have taken an interest in my nomination,
but Others have not only opposed me. but favor
General Grant This is especially true In Virginia
and North Carolina The great body OF the officers
in tho Treasury Department were appointed during
General Grants administration. They are all at
liberty to favor any candidate and shall neither
hinder them nor make them afraid.
81 have never,' added Mr. Sherman, " mentioned
the subject of the nomination &c aly one. unless he
has first mentioned it to me and of the 5000 peo-
ple employed IN the Treasury building, do not
know the preferences of a score. L learn that I'D
the meeting in North Carolina several revenue Off
eers openly favored General Grants nomination"
This is about as pointed as any declaration which
tho Secretary could make the subject need to be
and will undoubtedly be accepted by Republicans
avervwhere as uniting to rest all similar reports
may from any motives. be put in circulation.
Secretary Sherman will undoubtedly go to Chi
capo. so bis friends in Washington say, with
solid delegation from Ohio as a nucleus around
which to rally his friends from other sections OF
the country Ofcourse there are many Republicans
in that state-not few of them Of prominence and
influence, too-who would be glad of an opportunity
10 vote for Senator Blaine or General Grant either
in convention or at the pollsj and II the former
should be nominated he would certainly inspire an
enthusiasm in Ohio such as no other leader. Mr
Sherman perhaps excepted, could expect to arouse
but state pride and the duty which almost all Re-
publicans of his own State will recognize. OF giving
TO Mr. Sherman substantial evidence that his great
services to the country in both houses OF Congress-,
and in President Hayes's Cabinet are appreciated
will strengthen his numerous friends and enable
them to secure the soma vote Oh MS own otate ior
him in the convention.
Nor will Secretary Sherman be dependent alone
upon Ohio and the South for the support Of his
didacy There are already accorded to him, be-
lieye some votes from Massachusetts,, Connecticut.
and his friends have been expecting that he would
have suoport from New-YOrk Tor at least that they
would be able to prevent the State Convention in
Now-York from instructing in favor of General
Grant. How they feel and talk about this matter
since the meeting of the Republican State Commit
tee of New York last Saturday don't know.
The report current last week that some friend OF
General Grants in Philadelphia had a communi-
cation from him in regard to his candidacy, that
would be made public before the meeting of the
PENNSYLVANIA State Convention this week. has been
generally received with increduhty and has not
changed the political outlook to any perceptible
degree.
Those not in the secrets of the Grant party infer
that no such communication is In existence, or il
tits that il will be Published at from the fact
thai the Grant managers in New-fork and Pennsy
vana are going ahead and gaining control of the
conventional both States with Grantas their rally
ing cry for that is what the Conkling movement in
New-York means; while they would concentrate
their efforts upon some other candidate il General
Grant was to be taken out Of the canvass
One fact has been disclosed by the events OF the
past few weeks and that is that if Grant goes into
the Chicago Convention a candidate he will have
10 measure swords with Senator Blaine and Secre
tary Sherman. Both Of these gentlemen have all
allowed their friends to 20 too far for 1t to be
possible for either of them to withdraw now unless
some unforeseen emergency should arise which
would shake the political world to its foundations
and introduce new set Of issues into the contest
In other words, there no signs DOW of any over
shadowing emergency. which will cause the people
OF this country to rise up one man and demand OF
General Grant that he shall again come TO the from,
and save the Nation. and without such emcr
geney there will be for the withdrawal OF
either Of the other candidates.
But the Grant men have said. ever SINCE the cx.
President returned to this county. that he would
not enter the contest II he had to meet other csnd
dates on equal terms; there must be something like
unanimity IN the demand OF the Republican party
fss General GraaPs reelection or he wou,d be con-
snt with the honors he has already won. Unless