Year: 1875

! Washington ChTonicIe.i


! The Chronicle has several times NEIL
! toned jefferson Davis as 8 possible
| Democratic candidate for the Presiden-
cy. This suggestion has been noticed
! by few OF our northern Democratic
! cotemporaries with feeble attempt at
! ridicule; not so by the more ssgacIous
| leaders even in that section OF the
! Union. In the south there is unques-
/ tionsbly a strong feeling in his favor.
/ We clip and print in another column an
editorial article from the Galveston
! NetCS on this subject as sample, which
will be read with interest by citizens of
all parties. 1t contains only fair eX-
preston of the sentiments OF the SOUTH
ern Democracy, and if ever brought to
the test will be indOrsed by
their northern allies. The writer
Of the Chronicle articles had an
excellent opportunity to observe


Mr.. Jefferson Davis's official conduct


and bearing as secretary of war under


President Pierce's administration, and


as member Of the senate. His ability


az an executive officer and as senator,


no one whose opinion is worth a grote,


will disparage. His personal integrity,


and his honest belief ia the right of the


several States to secede from the Union,


we think will not be disputed. In this


be had the support of nearly all Of the


Democratic leaders south, and a large


majority Of those of the north. That


his zeal outran his judgment in sane


tioning the secession movement is now


as plain to him, no doubt, as to any of


his old supporters. IN his advocacy Of


the right Of States to secede from the


Union, and in taking up arms in Its de-


Tense, 1t is difficult to see in what sense


mis- position is different from that Of Sen


ators CapeTtOn, Cockerell, Gordon, Nor


wood, and others, now members Of that


august body Of statesmen, and eighty


odd members OF the house Of represent


atives from the southern States who


fought against the Union, except


that he was vastly their superior


in talent and capacity for leadership.


These gentlemen, after taking an oath


to support the constitution, and not in


future to take up arms against it,


are considered trustworthy national law


givers. Should Jefferson Davis take


these Oaths, who that has ever known


him will doubt that he would sacredly


keep his plighted faith. OF course Dem
ocratic Presidential aspirants from the


north will at present discourage his can
didacy. This is to be expected; but as
the prospects of carrying majority of
the Presidential electors for any one
Democratic candidate wane, as they
surely will during the coming year,
having secured control of the house, the
wisdom OF running two Democratic cam
didates-One in the north and one in
the south-will become more apparent.
In that case Mr., Davis's candidacy
would be eminently expedient; and the
probability of his election is not inferior
to that of Andrew johnson to the sem
ate two years since.


st. Louis Globe.l


We have been often misrepresented
and then abused for having plainly
stated the feelings which prevented
Union men from rejoicing over the elec-
ton of ex-Confederates to congress on
the avowed ground that they are Con-
federates. If we were to make an ap-
parent exception, and express a prefer
ence for one among many possible can
didates from the ranks of the Confed-
crates, we would certainly object less
strenuOusly to Jefferson Davis than to |
any other. His abilities, training and
experience are SO we'll known that We |
care less to dwell upon them than to
speak OF him as representative Demo-
crat and sOutherner, and as one whose
name is already frequent in the mouths
of men as standaTdbearer of the De-
mOcracy in the next Presidential cam
paign. 1t is not our business to
press his claims, and, perhaps, if
we desired tn do so, the more
judicious method to accomplish
anything would be to seem to wish
nothing. But we give notice to Bill
Allen not to feel surprised if, when he
drops his fog-hOrn, believing, and
opens his eyes to count the results, be
sees the lean and silent face of the ex-
president of the ex-Confederacy loom
ing up from the darkness across the
Ohio river; and when Sam Tilden has
made up his mind that he cannot ride
the reform horse, and the Democratic
mule in one race, he may be more deep
ly saddened by finding that his fellow
believers in the States lately in rebellion
would like to have something to say
about the candidacy. We are afraid
that there are great many bad men in
this country whose lips would pucker
naturally for the cry of "'Rah for jeff"