The New York herald., 1863-12-21
Our PrcsidonttaI Candidates, from Jack
60 Grant.

In the Tribune Of Friday last poor Greeley
made a most conspicuous display of his utter
ignorance of the political history of his own
country. The subject which he selected for
this display was particularly unfortunate one;
for it happens that everybody else, and es-
pecially every other politician. is pretty we'll
informed about the facts Of which poor Greeley
| thus confessed himself ignorant. 1t Is there
fore from pity for the Tribune philosopher that
we shall now take the trouble to repeat what
all the rest Of the world knows. Greeley has
always been the object Of our tenderest inter-
est and compassion; and, since the unkind fates
have placed him In an editorial position for
which he is utterly incompetent, we will again
give him the benefit of our knowledge and ex-
perience, 80 that he may avoid any such stupid
blunders in the future.
The point upon which we now have to In
struct our unfortunate contemporary is in re-
gard to the HERALD's Presidential candidates.
Poor Greeley asserts that our candidates are
paper in these words:-"Its embrace hav-
ing always been sure destruction to
the unfortunate candidates upon whom
it forced its favors one would think any SOL
der or civilian who might venture to aspire to
the Presidential chair would, the moment it
proffered him its aid, cry out, in the words of
the Spanish proverb, Deliver me from my
friends, and l will take care of my enemies"
The grammatical construction of this sentence
is not of the best; for it is not very clear
whether the HERALD or "the Presidential chair'
proffers its aid to the candidate. The mistakes
in fact are much more important however, than
the mistakes in grammar, and the malice and
the ignorance of poor Greely are very apparent,
even if his meaning is not. lesson in politi-
cal history will do him far more good than
lesson in syntax.
We began our political life about forty years
ago. In 1926 we nominated Jackson and Cal
houu, with Van Buren, for the succession, in
paper published in this oity, and called the
| National Advocate. Our articles attracted
universal attention, and-poor Greeley to the
| contrary notwithstandng-Ja and Cal
houn were elected two years afterwards. In
| 1882 we advocated the denomination of Jackson;
and it may surprise poor Greeley to learn that
jackson was reelected In 1886 we brought out
Van Buren, far in advance Of the politicians; and,
although poor Greeley knows nothing about
| it, still it is historical fact that Van Barren
was elected President In 1910 we excited
| tremendous popular enthusiasm for Harrison,
and elected him in spite OF the politicians, who
revenged themselves by boring him to death
in month. This may be strange to poor
Greeley; but it is true, nevertheless. In
1874 we supported Polk; and if poor
Greeley has any memory at all he will
Iecollect that Polk was elected. We nomi-
mated General Taylor long before tho next
election came off; and il poor Greeley will
consult any standard history Of the United
States be will learn that General Taylor was
elected in 1s4s. The politicians killed him, as
they killed Harrison. In 1852 we gave our
support to Pierce, and perhaps poor Greeley
may remember that Pierce was elected by
tremendous majority. We are sorry to add
that Pierce was great failure as President.
He would not have been 80 had he taken our
advice; but he was very foolish and very un-
grateful, and he hath his reward.
Thus far, from our first entrance into politics
down 70 the term Of poor SPierce, we have
had to record series of successes. All Of our
candidates were elected, and the most Of
them were morally certain Of an election as
soon as we brought them before the country.
| In 1856, however, we came out for Fremont,
and he was defeated. Singularly enough, we
owe this sole defeat to the treachery Of poor
| Greeley himself; for Fremont would undoubt-
| edly have been elected had not Greeley played
| him false. If Fremont had been elected we should
have had no rebellion and no civil war; and thus
Greeley is responsible for the very inception Of
our present troubles. However, we forcsaw Ere
mont's defeat some time before the election;
and knowing what we do of James Buchanan
and his administration, we are not at all sorry
that we supported the Pathfinder who could
not find the path to the Presidency. In 1860
| we had no candidate. Lincoln was elected
and Greeley may have all the credit of that
of it. 1t is enough for us that we knew that the
aboltionists would gain power unless Provi-
dence and the people intervened, and that we
warned the country Of the terrible calamities
| which now overshadow the land and deluge
it with fratricidal blood. This brings our politi
cal record down to the present day. We ad-
wise poor Greeley to study it attentively, and
carefully compare it with his own. Upon what
| one of our candidates has our embrace"
brought "sure destruction" What one of poor
| Greeley's candidates, whether successful or un-
successful, has not uttered the prayer of the
proverb, "Save me from my Tribune friendY"
Now, in 1868, We nominate General Grant,
and we intend to elect him In 1864. We nomi-
mated General Jackson two years before the
election, and the people ratified our nomination.
We nominated General Taylor while he was yet
upon the banks Of the Rio Grande, and the peo-
pie did not forget the old hero at the polls. We
nominated General Grant while be stood upon
the heights Of Chattanooga; and does poor