Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1860 — The Presldential Contest. [ARTICLE]

The Presldential Contest.

[From the Baltimore Republican.

During the ensuing sixty days, the National Convention of the Democratic party, the Union party and the Republicans, will construct their platforms and place upon them their candidates for President and VicePresident. In each case the question of availability will so largely influence the nominations that it may be regarded as almost an impossibility to name the probable choice of either. The Democrats open the campaign at Charleston on the 23d of the present month. The two most prominent candidates are understood to be R. M. T. Hunter, of Virginia, and Stephen A. Douglas,'of Illinois. Mr. Hunter can undoubtedly carry all the slave States, including even Maryland, if the contest is“=Warrowed down to a straggle between Democracy and Republicanism. But we doubt very much whether he can secure a single electoral vote North of Mason & Dixon’s line. The following States only could be regarded as certain for him; , Alabama .. . ,f> I Georgia. ......... 1(1 Arkansas; 4 Kentucky 12 California 4 j Lousiana 6 Delawa-e 3 I Mississippi 7 Florida 3 | Missouri 9 Mary lane 8 | North Carolina.... iO South Carolina 8 1 Tennessee 12 Texas. 4 | Virginia. ? . 15 Total 124 Necessary to an election 152 Riquiring to secure his election 28 With Mr. Douglas us the caudidateof the Democracy, there is some doubt whether South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and, perhaps, Virginia, might not be tempted to nominate independent electors, or to make a seperate nomination with a view of expeting to throw the contest into the House of RepreseEtatives. But independent of the Southern States, Mr. Douglas woteld have a good chance, ar d his friends claim for him with certainty, of the vote of Illinois, 11; Indiana, 13; Minnesota, 4; Oregon,3, a«d New Jersey, 7; making in all 38 votes, or 10 more than sufficient for his election, with the entire vote of the slaveholding States, and one more than is necessary without New Jersey or Oregon. There still remains Pennsylvania, which the Democracy regard as doubtful, but which the Republicans claim by 30,000 majority. a The second Convention, thatof the Union Opposition party, will be held at Baltimore on the 9th of May. That Convention will also be controled by the question es availability, and very largely , by the character of the Charlestos n ami nee. If Mr. Douglas is nominated at Charleston,the object wiilibe to put in nomination a candidate who will meet the views of the dissatisfied Democrats of the .Southern States—one whose .record is purely national oa the slavery quest-ioti. If they look to the-South for Bupport their nominee will (probably be the Hon. .Jobii Bell, of Tennessee—who would be po.pu.lar in all sections ofthe .country. But should the Democracy proye harmonious, and nominate Mr. .Hunter, or agree upon a platform on which they elect can Mr. Douglas, or fall back on Vice President Brackenridge, me (Southern aid and comfort to the Union nominee need'be expected. The effort .will then probably be, in case Mr. Hunter as •nominaletl, to (bring forward, as the Union candidate, Mr. Bates, of Missouri, iu the hope that the Republicans will be compelled to take him at Chicago, in preference to Mr. Seward. But the .question would then arise whether, -with Mr. Hunter as the opposing candidate, ’.the Republicans would not feel sufficiently strong at Chicago., on the ,23d pf May, to take their first choice against -the field in the per-son qf Mr. Seward. The following States are claimed as certain for the Republican candidate, let him be whomsoever -he may, and the .contest is (Understood to be narrowed down Between Mr. Seward as their first choice, and Mr. .Bates as .the.candidate.of the “availability” pertiqn of the party: New Y0rk........ 35 I New Hampshire.... 5 ’ Ohio. 23 Michigan 61 Rhode Island. .. . 11 Massachusetts 13 j

Vermont 5 1 Maine 8 Wisconsin 5 I lowa ••••.. 4 Connecticut 6 ] Total 114 Necessary for an election 152 Requiring for an election 38 The States which both parties claim, and which we, therefore, class as “doubtful,” are; Illinois 11 'Oregon 3 Indiana 13 Pennsylvania. - •••.. 27 New Jersey 7 Minnesota ‘ 4 Total 65 If Mr. Hunter is nominated, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Illinois will be no longer doubtful, and may be transferred with safety to the Republican column, making 58 votes, being 20 more than sufficient to place their nominee in the Presidential chair. In short, if Mr. Hunter is nominated at Charleston, Mr. Seward will be nominated at Chicago, as the Republicans will then regard the glove as fairly thrown to them for a sectional contest, and they will have the issue that they desire to make. The Charleston Convention may therefore be looked to as the key of the whole contest. To those not in the secret of Convention management, it may appear to be an impossibility to make any satisfactory nomination. The cotton growing States, all of which can give their electoral votes to the nominee, will not be disposed to yield their choice to the dictation of delegates from States that are certain to cast their electoral vote against the nominee, whoever that nominee may be. On the other hand, if they do not yield to the demands of the eight doubtful States, it must be with a willingness to go into the contest with almost certain defeat before them. The question of “availability” will thus stalk into their midst, and it will be a difficult matter to resist itS'requirements. In fact, national politics were never more complicated than at the present time, and in the progress of events even the Union Convention, to be held in Baltimore, may become the compromise ground of these great sectional differences.