The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-31
nd il is pity the politicians should not con.

ana ~ ls pity the ponuclans should not con-
sent
In all seriousness, the Republican party is
more indebted to Mr.. Greeley than to any
other man in the country. II gratitude and
the recognition of past services are to control
the nomination, his claims are infinitely
superior to those of General Grant. 1t may
indeed be said that notwithstanding his
great eminence as journalist, he has no
peculiar qualifications for President But
this objection is two-edged sword, which
cuts both ways. It is altogether more fatal
to the claims of General Grant than to those
of Mr.. Greeley. General Grant was not
nominated on the score of fitness, but in
sheer recognition of his dogged persistence
as military butcher. He had not the first
qualification for any civil office. But Mr..
Greeley has given the whole strength of his
life to the consideration and discussion
of political measures. 1t is not for
the Republican party to question his
wisdom when they have adopted and indorsed
all his leading views He has shaped all their
political issues. He has pioneered the path
in which the Republican party has followed.
Take the great measure of all, that on which
they pride themselves above all others, the
emancipation of the slaves. 1t is absurd to
credit Mr.. Lincoln with that measure, into
which he was reluctantly forced by public
opinion which MIR. Greeley had created. If
gratitude and the recognition of past services
are to control the Republican nomination for
President, theIe is no comparison between
Mr.. Greeley and General Grant. And as to
qualifications for the Office, Mr.. Greeley
would at least make as respectable figure as
the stolid military sphinx who has not politi-
cal ideas enough to supply him with the ma
terials of a three minutes speech. Grab
apples may not be the best kind of fruit; but
tree which every year bears great crop of
crab-apples is better worth cultivating than a
tree which bears nothing
Mr.. Greeley was a noted man in American
politics long before General Grant was even
heard of. And there is none of General
Grants possible rivals for the Republican
nomination who occupies half thespace in the
public eye which the editor of the Tribune
has done for the last quarter of a century
If the Republican party wishes to die with
grace and decency, let it at last do tardy JUS
tice TO the man who has done more to shape
its policy and achieve its success than any
other citizen. To be sure, it is none of our
funeral but we may be pardoned for feeling
the ordinary interest of spectators in the
pomp and parade of the final obsequies. Mr..
Greeley unequivocally signifies his willing
ness TO be the Republican candidate if the
party chooses to nominate him. Since he is
willing to be led as a lamb to the slaughter,
why should he be denied the crown of mar
tyrdom?
He has some strong points as candidate
He signed the bail bond of Jefferson Davis
He is strenuous advocate of universal am
nesty. In his present visit to the South he
has courted Southern popularity by express
ing the wish that Southern intelligence may
control public affairs in that section. By
nominating him the Republican party would
purge itself from a great deal of past bigetry
Moreover, he is the great oracle of the pro-
tectionists, and all the protected interests
would rally around him with enthusiastic
fervor, and the monopolists would freely open
their hearts and unloose their purse-strings to
supply electioneering funds for the campaign.
And "What 1 Know About Farming" would
secure him the votes of many simple-minded
agriculturists. He appeals to great many
feelings which General Grant cannot touch.
All joking and badinage apart, it is evident
from Mr.. Greeley's letter that he is stoutly
opposed to the denomination of General
Grant. He wants nobody nominated who is
not "a steadfast, constant believer in the
good old Wing doctrine of one Presidential
term" The one-term principle of course
rules out General Grant; but Mr.. Greeley
might with more propriety have called it the
Confederate doctrine than ''the good old
Wing doctrine, as the Confederate constitu-
tion wisely forbade its President to be re-
elected. MIR. Greeley has been for several
years adroitly trimming his sails to catch
Southern popularity.
We wish him success in getting the Repub-
lican nomination; but if we thought there
was the slightest chance of his election, we
should probably be in no haste to exchange
King Log for King Stork.