Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-04-18

name. It seems just now to be assessed
at the value of the vice presidential
nomination, and all the Republican
presidential candidates are willing, II not
eager. to have L'ncoln's name go on the
ticket behind theirs. The question for
Mr. Lincoln to decide is as to whether
his name is not worth more than their
assessment, and whether in fact he may
not trust to 1t to take him on at the head
Of the ticket rather than at its
tail. This question Is presented
TO him now by the action Of the
Pennsylvania Republicans in putting
out the Blaine and Lincoln ticket.
Another question for him In the same
matter Is as to whether this Is the asso
citation he wants, even IL the place suits
the estimate Of his size. Mr.. Lincoln
may conclude that while his name Is not
strong enough to draw the presidency
for himself it may be available to draw
it for some other fellow who will suit
him better as an associate. In fact
there will be u goJd many considerations
for Mr.. Lincoln after he decides, II he
does so decide, that the presidential nom
nation is too much to expect his name
to draw out of its own strength.
1t is quite possible that II the leading
Republican candidates cannot capture
the prize for themselves they may be
ready to throw him the prize. This is
so probable a contingency that Mr.. Lin.
coin will direct his lrst attention to
keeping himself in readiness to receive
what the gods thus give him. He need
feel no modest doubt as to the possibility
of so high place falling to his moderate
intellectual strength. After Hayes
anybody is possible In the Republican
party as an heir of the defeated presiden.
tial wrestlers. Mr.. Lincoln, even if he
smelled less sweet and strong by another
name, might hope 10 be his party's
choice. But with his name and nothing
else, he may have very comfortable
expection indeed. lie will not therefore
want to cast himself into the arms Of
Blaine, or Arthur, or Logan, or any.
body, unless he can get valuable con
sideration for the partnership nor will
he be otherwise disposed to resent their
all casting their arms about him. If how
ever he determines to lin on alone hand
for the presidential nomination, he will
hardly permit his name to be put for
ward as second to Blaine. But If he
sensibly declines to take the risk of such
an endeavor, he will let the Pennsylva
MIA ticket stand without protest, along
xuish ha Arth anl I ippnln tinklt
which better represents his present sit
uation in the administration.
The Philadelphia Times tells him that
il he ever hopes to be president, he
should decline to be vice president, since
it has come to be an accepted Cauor
presidency by the death OF his chief
That is very likely to be Mr.. Lincoln
experience, if he gets into the vic
presidency, though We do not think tn
canon Is so well settled as TO prevail
against all men in that elegant, bu
sepulchral Office. Mr.. Lincoln not
being strong man, and having his name
as his sole political capital, will be very
likely to exhaust its power in getting
into the vice presidency, aud to find him
self without resources TO ascend into
the presidency, But there ia no good
reason why strong and patient man,
finding himself in the vice presidency,
should not hope to get up into the
presidency, as Van Buren, did wher
Jackson got down. Now that the third
term presidential possibility has beer
eliminated by Grants lesson. our futur
presidents may be- expec.e .el TO reSigL
themselves gracefully TO the two tern
rule and abandon the idea thai the!
are bigger men than Washington. Thei
old clothes will as fitly go to tbs vic,
president as JacksOn's did to Val
Buren, If he is a man who know
how to pick them up and weal
them; and If he is that sOr
of man, he has as good chanc,
as he would have in any other place tC
command the nomination, even though
the retiring president should MT be dis
posed TO annoint him. lie has the advan
tage of being in place where he is con
spicuous while he is protected from
enmites, He will have TO wait eigh
years for his leap and get another vic
presidential nomination in the meantime
and take the chance of the twa elections
and keep himself free in the second teri
to cut loose from or cling to tn
administration as circumstances de
mand. Since Van Buren's time. VIC
presidents have not reached the presi
dency by election, because some got ther
by death and others died themselves
politically or physically and again thei
party died. And 80 the Office has com
to have a sad and troubled air, which i
really does not deserve. When we rehec
that nearly all prominent statesmen di
before reaching the goal of their hope
the funereal air should really hang aroun
the candidacy and not the candidate
situation, Neither the Senate, nor tn
House, nor the cabinet Office is prom
ising place from which to start out on
presidential race, il we are to judge fror
the success Of past experiments. Th
general and the governor have had tn
best luck lately, but tho generals hay
gone to seed aud the governors are no
now promising well.