Year: 1872

Example for the Press and the Poll =
| ticlans.


The HERALD special dispatches from Bald-
more and the account of the proceedings of
the Democratic Convention now in session in
that city, published to-day, will serve to show
that the real business of the Presidential
| campaign is only now about to commence,
and that the encounters we have heretofore
witnessed have been merely the skirmishes
preceding the great battle that is soon to do
eide the question of the control of the federal
for four years to come. Up to the present
time the two wings of the republican party
have had the contest all to themselves,
waging civil war within their own
camp between the adherents of Grant
and of Greeley, the nominees of Phil
adelphia and Of Cincinnati while the
democrats have held aloof in a sort of armed
neutrality, debating and contending among
themselves as to the most desirable disposition
to be made of their forces in the approaching
fight. Here and there democratic journal
has anticipated the action of the party, and
entered upon the work of the campaign under
the liberal republican banner; but as ageneral
rule the democratic organs have been resting
on their arms, awaiting the signal to be given
from Baltimore before taking the field. As
soon as the nominations have been made by
the Democratic Convention to-day new
spirit will be infused into the campaign, and
every newspaper in the country, from Maine
to California, will declare for one or other
of the candidates and enter with ardor
into the contest. From the unanimity with
which the Convention promises to accept
union with the liberal republicans it appears
probable that there will be no serious defec-
ton among the democratic press, and hence
we may anticipate great immediate Access
sion of newspaper strength at least to the
Greeley side, and the commencement Of q
desperate and very doubtful struggle for the
Presidential Office.


How far this unanimity will prevail among
the masses of the democratic party, and
how great number of individual dem
ocrats called upon to choose between
two candidates. neither of whom is Of
their own political faith, may prefer Grant to
Greeley, is a problem yet to be solved, and
upon which will, no doubt, depend the
result of the November election. So far
as the Baltimore Convention may be
taken as a test of democratic senti-
ment in the several States, all opposition
to the proposed union with the liberal repub-
licans appears to have been abandoned, and
entire harmony is said to prevail. Indeed,
the descriptions of the scenes in and about
the Convention given by our correspondents
call to mind the old gatherings of the unter-
rified before the war, and indicate such a
revival in the organization as has not been
witnessed since 1860. The streets of Balti-
more are gay with flags and other decorations
and filed with rejoicing and somewhat bois-
ferrous crowds. The barrooms are lively with
discussions and hobnobbings. The theatre in
which the Convention holds it's sessions is
covered with gay and saucy banners, The
names of all the States float on pennants side
by side, to tell the gratifying story of the COM
plete restoration of that Union so roughly
broken by secession at Charleston and
SO long kept asunder by on unnatural war.
Notices declaratory of the principles and sen-
timents Of the reunited party meet the eye in
every direction, and the lists Of delegates indi-
cate the return to the democratic fold of men
whose names were familiar sounds In the
household years before the rude interruption
of the rebellion. Still, it must not be forgot
ten that political conventions are usually
filed with professional politicians, and at this
time party ties are too loosely drawn to bind the
people fast to the behests of their leaders. If
the Democratic Convention to-day carries out
the foreshadowed programme and nominates
by an almost unanimous vote the candidates of
the liberal republicans it may be necessary
to await the response to its action from
the several States before forming judgment
as to the concurrence of the democratic masses
in it's conclusions. At present, judging from
the pitiable failure of the attempted straight
out democratic movement, the chances seem to
favor substantial union of the democracy
upon Greeley and Brown and fair fight be-
tween the two candidates already in the field.


The work of the Convention yesterday was
confined to the completion of the permanent
organization, the selection of a committee on
resolutions which is expected to report at an
early moment of to-day's session, and
the appointment, through the several
delegations, Of national committee
for the next four years 1t was found
that not a single seat was contested in any
State, and that the delegations were all full
In personnel in the orderly character of the
proceedings, in the ability shown in the
speeches, and in its directness Of purpose, the
Convention has decided advantage over those
by which it has been preceded. The policy
suggestions of the Blairs and others, who have
been busily engaged for two or three days