Year: 1875

Under this caption the New York TrIb-
une recently printed an article to show that
President Grants friends-those who it is
himself-are intriguing to carry the next
convention for him at the psychological
moment" when "hysterical acclamation"
may he accomplished bya bold stroke of
policy. What il says about the handling
of q convention is true, as every one knows
who has ever had anything to do with an
organization of that kind. 1t aptly slludes
to the manipulation of the first Chicago
convention by Mr.. Judd, who disposed of
the seats so that the doubtful delegations
should be caught by the contagious yells
of Mr.. Lincoln's supporters, and to the
nomination of Seymour at the very
instant when, in the New York conven-
ton, the programme called for the
nomination of Judge Chase, as incidents to
show how readily the proposition to re-
nominate President Grant may be effected.
1t even goes so far as to suggest that ''our
own Senator r'-meaning Mr.. Conkling-
might do the work at the critical moment
which would capture the convention and
carry it away from the paths laid out for it.
1t also takes into consideration the faint and
fading possibility of the election of Cover
nor Allen on the initiation platform in Ohio,
and the consequent control of the next
Democratic Convention by the repudiators
"a result which it virtually admits would
set the people to thinking about Grant, be-
cause he is consistently pledged to maintain
the nations credit inviolate.


Exactly why the Tribune should expend
so much labor upon this subject is mys-
tery, unless 1t was to prove its ignorance of
the plans or designs of the Republican
leaders. The truth is the party was never
more at sea than now for q candidate, not
even before the nomination of Mr.. Lincoln.
Messrs. Wilson, Blaine, Morton, Logan,
Conkling, Burnside, Washburne and dozens
of others have been mentioned; but as yet
no definite movement has been organized
to secure the success Of any particular IA
vorite. 1t is the habit of American states
men generally TO decline the honors of
candidacy before they are rendered, and
this habit has not been ignored in the pres
ent instance. In the case of President
Grant it is different. He was virtually
called upon by strong elements In his
party which favored or opposed his renom-
instion to speak, and although the provo
cation which gave birth to these elements
was insignificant, the tendency of their
antagonism was to injure the party. He
therefore retires from the contest not only
in response to his personal inclinations, but
for the purpose of allaying party strife.
The action of the Pennsylvania convention
convinced him that while there was no
personal hostility to him as man, no lack
of respect for him as an official, and no OBJ
lection to his Administration, the enemies
OF the party have insidiously used the Third
Term spectre to frighten the timid and
arouse the animosity of the ambitious. His
letter 10 Gen. White came, and, like pour
ing oil on troubled waters, it had the effect
to restore quiet But the party is no nearer
q choice of candidate now than it was be-
fore. One bone of contention has been re-
moved, and one suppositious rival has been
disposed Of, but the future is as mysterious
ly uncertain as ever. While the Tribune
has its hand In, will it not relieve suffer-
ing public by settling the matter at oncef
1t has lately assumed the charge of both
political parties, and it Is to be hoped 1t