and will sit for three days. According to the correspondent
of the Times, of 700 members already elected, 302 are pledged to Mr. Blaine, a moderately honest "politician ;" 124 to Mr. Morton, a Southern Radical ; 80 to Mr. Bristow, the Repub- lican "honest man ;" 63 to Mr. Conkling, a New York "politician," in its worst sense ; and smaller numbers to Mr. Hartranft, Mr. Hayes, and Mr. Jewell. The Times, therefore, calculates that Mr. Blaine will secure a majority, which is pro- bable, but a majority will not secure his nomination. The Times forgets that a candidate, to be selected, must have two-thirds of all the votes present in the Convention,—that is, speaking roughly, at least 450 votes. It will be most difficult to concentrate so many votes on any of the candidates named, and if this is not done, the Convention must either choose a new man or fall back on General Grant.
Previous page
