Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-24
LOOKING TO CHICAGO.
Tue TALK IN WASHINGTON ABOUT
BLAINE AND SHERMAN.
What the Friends Of Each say-Besuties OF
the Ocean Wave-shermans
HAcnrd.
From orr Rernlnr Corrospondontl

AiANfh thA AfNNAih SoAA'NtVhNhhkt
WASHINGTON, d. G., April A.-lt
looks now as II the candidacy for the
presidency on the Republican ticket was
narrowed down to Blaine and Sherman.
Two of the most prominent and pro-
missing candidates have recently with
drawn Mr.. Depew, who probably would
have had the unanimous support of New
York, and Senator Cullom, who would
have had the solid vote backing Of
his own State Of Illinois. MIR. Sher-
mans friends claim that he has
the pledged votes of 81 delegates
ont of 4l2 necessary TO a choice,
and they hope to secure an absolute ma
iority before the convention meets. But
the Blaine men here laugh at their
claims, and declare that they have great
" exaggerated their strength. Besides,
MS one of them said to me to-day, Eat
lerst two thirds Of the delegates for Sher-
man will come from the rotten boroughs
OF the South, States that will not give
single electoral vote for the Republican
candidate. Is it reasonable to suppose
that the representatives OF the north
eru States. which will elect the can
didate. if he is to be elected,
will allow him to be selected for them
by States that will have no voice IN his
election ?" From all ! can gather from
personal interviews with Republicans
from the North and West and from scan
ming the papers Of these sections 1t
seems almost a certainty that Mr. Elaine
will be the nominee of the Chicago Con-
vention. When that convention meets
Mr. Blaine will be on the ocean.
As the New York SIM well says, 1t
will be impossible to communicate with
him; the convention Will nominate
him ana adjourn. And when he arrives
II will be too late for him to decline the
nomination, for the convention Will be
j3,ncfuS 06icj0, and scattered to all parts
of the country. Mr.. Blaine will be
placed in the very agreeable position Of
having to accept, and will make "A virtue
of necessity. If he is elected, well, and
if not, he will be able to say 81 did
not want the nomination, and notified
Won that was not candidate. lou
forced it upon me, and must TAKE
the responsibility OF our defeat.
IS between Blaine and Sherman.
the friends of the former claim that
ne is much more available for
one simple reason. lie has been a can
didate before. and his record has been
searched to the core and exposed to The
calcium-hght of adverse political crit
clsla. Nothing can be said against him
in 1888 that was not sad IN 1904. IL
will be an old story twice told. il, when
the record was fresh and these charges
pressed with all the ylgor Of which hs
opponents were capable, he missed sue
cess by the merest accident OF an Old
mans shrewish tongue, Is it not fair 10
suppose that on "A second trial,
with Burchard silenced and ConhIng
dead. he will be able to overcome the
small majority of LOO votes that gave
New York to the Democracy? On the
other. hand, Mr.. sherman, they aver,
has a record that can never pass the III
,pcctioa of the American people. AS
one of the chief instruments in the THEFT
OF the presidency in 1876, with private
history tnat is full OF weak and assallahle
points. how, they ask, can he sustain the
food Of light that viii ne thrown upon
his career from the time he entered
Congress pmper until the present mo-
ment. waen he is confessed million
ARE?
Minister Phelps was on the floor OF
the Senate to-day, and WAS welcomed by
many senators from both sides OF the
chamber. The opposition to bis Iomi-
nation for tie chief-justiceship has
oueted down to 8 great extent, owing to
the generauy-received belief that the
President is inclined to defer to the
almost unanimous expression Of Demo-
cratic opinion against the policy Of the
aDuOiutment.