New-York tribune., 1870-05-10
THE FREE TRADE CONCLAVE.

We have hitherto cOntrastcd the diverse ac-
counts given of the recent gathering OF rev
"enue reformers" at Washington by Gen. D..
r. Uawley of The Hartford COurdnt and GER
tain bolder spirits with whom he took sweet
counsel on that occasion. &C. N" OF 1he
Erening Post exultingy proclaimed that it was
there resolved that certain prominent Repub-
lican Representatives in Congress, including
Messrs. Schenck and Bingham of Ohio, Van
Wyck and Bailey of this State, John Hill OF
N. Jersey, &c, were to be beaten this Fall
because of their Protective ympathies-beaten
by Republican "revenue refOrmers," II that
should be practicable; but, If not, then by
Democrats. The Chicago Tribune, through its
correspondent G. A. r., seemed to us to con-
firm the account given 10y The EUening POST
The Courdnt, on the other hand, talked of
keeping the controversy within the Republican
ranks, and seemed to scout the idea OF sup
porting Democratic Free-Traders for Congress
in order to run out Republican PrOtectlOnlsts.
We now invite the attention of The COurdnt
to the following account of that council from
the columns of The Free Trader, whose hackers
were among the terspirits OF the gather
ing 1t says:
"Our readers have doubtless in the daily papers
all over the country to convention of Free
Traders and revenue refoners recently held In wash
ington. The convention private but we violate no
confidence I'm giving the Of those present. and
general statement Of what was done.
"The gentlemen present were: ID. A. Wells;
ex Governor Hawley OF Connecticut; ex-secretary
OF the Treasury McCulloch; Horace White, ed
itor OF The Chicago Tribune; Col. Grosvenor,
editor Of The 81. Louis Democrat; Charles Nordhoh,
editor of The Nep York Erening Post; f. L. Godkn, ed
itor of The Nation: Dom Patt Of The Cincinnati Com
percial; c. + Adams, jr and Henry Brooks Adams or
the North American RerieU; William Dorshemer, United
States tAttorney, Buffalo, George Alfred Town
send OF The Chicago Tribune Amasa Walker, Gen. +. A.
Walker, Robert b. Minturn, Mahon Sands, c. H. Mar
shall aud Alfred Pc OF the Free Trade League; and the
Hon. Estes Howe President OF the New England Reform
League. The tariff question: in its bearings upon poll
ties, exhaustivey discussed and 1t was agreed by
the Republicans present that they would endeavor to
bring that party repentance for the past and In the
present to works meet for repentance Failing this, 1t
,oas determined that action outside Of the Republican
party oud become necessary and should DC taken Re
publican 0spirdnts for Congress- uho are ProtechOnsts
r therefore, in The merit Congressional eecfionS De OPP
posed by the most influential newspapers IN The country,
and I this Led1lte and its branches and
coadutOrs. Both newspapers and Leagues "tH unhes'-
tqtingy and gladly support upright Free Trade Demo-
crat aqains all kinds Of Pr0tecOniSL, wheher incident
aIiss or followers Of The Chinese school II deter
mined to hold a National FreeTrade Convention in Gin
cinnati during the Spring or Summer
The COurdnt will bear us witnessIthat the
above citation is fully and fairly made from a
journal with which pe have no sympathy
whatever, while the contrary would seem to
be the case with The Courdnt and its Editor.
Does it. or does it not, sustain the view
hitherto taken by us and repelled by The
Courant of this gathering its purposes, and
its conclusions Is it possible that all those
engaged in this movement were ignorant of
its object and spirit, the Editor of The COurant
alone excepted Is it wrong in THE TRIBUNE
to hold that the Editors of The Erening Post,
Chicago Tribune, Free Trader, &C., knew what
they were about in this conclave, and what
were the means by which they purposed to
achieve their end?