The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-03-31
Does Not Seek It.

1t is stated on good authority tnaJ !
President Harrison is not a candidate |
or denomination. in the ordinary ac>
,eptation of it. II the Minneapolis Co.'s
vention should by practically unani-
nous vote renominate him, he might
accept. The President has not even
gone that far, but that is the impression
with his friends He would not have it if
to allow his name to go before the Con-
vention meant a contention and squabble
for the honor. This much may be said
positively We have no doubt that the
extreme conditions mentioned will be
observed, however. 1t would be an I'M
gracious action for the Convention to
manifest formidable opposition to the
administration 1t is not to be presumed
that there will not be ia the Convention
delegates who have been disappointed
during the past three years iii their
wishes. There will doubtless be there.
in representative capacity, Republl
cans who have failed to get what they
wanted and they asked for. But there
will hardly be there men who are capa-
BILE of allowing such petty considerations
to control their votes. If they are worthy
of the position they will first consider
the welfare of the country and the in
terest of the party, whose success, 1T is
presumed, they believe is essential to
national progress and prosperity. NO
Republican can, in reason, question the
ability, the broad craftsmanship and
conservative policy of the Administra
ton. There can be no excuse found, IN
omission or commission, in the acts and
recommendations of the President, to
Justify coademnation. Not to give
assent to his unanimous denomination
would, however, mean condemnation, and
impel the conclusion that personal dis
appointment and not high, broad, nat
ional concerns, influenced such opposi-
ton.
The President, we think, has taken
the right position. The responsibilities
of the office-the great strain upon the
mental and physical being, scarcely find
compensation in the honors and preroga-
tivesof the executive office. Itisa position
of mighty import, and any one, having
once discharged its duties, may reason
ably claim to shrink from second term
But if the party which elected him, and
conferred the high office. should demand
that he make personal sacrifice and
again consent to occupy the place, he
could not we'll refuse. 1t was upon this
theory that the unwritten law of parties
has prescribed two terms as the limit Of
service that any one should be called
upon to perform, and it is upon this
theory that q second term is deemed
wise, when the first term has been &C
ceptable, from party standpoint.
1t was the observance of the same ide;
that gave Mr.. Cleveland the renomina-
ton for the second term. He, like Pres
ident Harrison, had disappointed part.
friends in the distribution of office. Blu
his administration had been able, clear
and Democratic, and not to have renom
mated him would have been verdict 0
condemnation from the party which h
was presumed to represent. Whether thu
reasons that apply to second tern
would hold good, for the denomination
third time, with defeat intervening, is
question not so we'll settled. 1t become
more matter of expediency than obi
CATION in that case. And it 10 the eA
pediency phase of it that the Chicag
Convention will have to consider. L
our mind he is the strongest candidate
with the Democratic masses, the DEMO-
racy could present, and if they coul
not elect him, we do not believe the
could elect any one, Notwithstanding
they have able and good men, who woul
worthiIy wear the honors of the office
should the voice of the people call an
one of them to do So