The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-09-06
From the Cincinnati Commercial
ANTI.GRANT, AND WHY.
To the Editor of the Commercial

Harper's Weekly, in the article which
you republish to-day, says:
at seems unfortunate that state
ment Of reasons for opposing the action
which the Republican party evidently
contemplates should be delayed. \ y
Those who favor the denomination
of the President do 30 because they
believe it to be the wisest course OF the
party, and consequently for the country.
If they are mistaken, it is for every
reason desirable that they should know
Those who honestly think that he
is not, ought certainly to indicate the
Republican who commands more gen.
eral confidence, and who would proba.
bly, poll larger vote"
True, every word of it; and as | am
one Of the Republicans referred to as
opposing the denomination Of the
President, will with your permission
give few OF the reasons why.
First, because he cannot be elected
against prudent nomination made by
the Democrats. When l say prudent,
| mean, for example, such man as
Salmon P. Chase, John Quincy Adams,
B. Gratz Brown, or William S. Groes-
beck, with a Vice President and a plat
form to correspond.
OF course the Democratic party may
play the fool as it did in 1868, but it is
never wise to presume upon the idiocy
OF your opponent.
TO be elected, General Grant must
carry all OF the three States Of Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois, and he cannot
carry either of them as against either
Of the men l have named. Why?
Simply because in every township, aye,
in every school district. there are one
or more Republicans who won't vote
for him. The reasons why these men
are in this frame of mind are various,
but you may rest assured they have
reasons, for they are among the most
intelligent men in their respective To-
calities. Let us classify them.
Class No. l have a profound dis
trust of military Presidents per Sc.
They know perfectly well that a purely
military life like that of General Grant
is anti-Republican and anti-Democratic.
and absolutely units a man for the
administration of civil affairs in a
Government like ours. As illustra-
tons, they point to the Presidents mil
itary staff, to his Cabinet surroundings,
to his disregard Of political forces in his
distribution Of patronage, to his
nepotism, to his San Domingo policy,
to his New York, Missouri and Lou
isiana imbroglios, and to a thousand
and one other things, which a man
bred in civil affairs would never think
Of doing
General Grant, to this present time,
probably, has never voted Repub.
lican ticket, or any other ticket, in
fact; for it is the habit, as well as
inclination, of military men, not to
vote. | do not blame them, for it is
their interest, as well as their education,
to taboo civil affairs; but this is not
the soil in which statesmen grow. So
much for class No. |.
Glass No. = call themselves Liberal
Republicans, and look upon General
Grant as the representative of coercive
legislation in regard to the South.
They were in favor of all the amend
ments to the Constitution, but after
their adoption, and the admission Of
the rebel States to representation in
Congress, they believed and still
believe, that all further restrictions
should be abandoned, and that every
State should manage its own domestic
affairs, subject only to coercion in case
of rebellion against the authority Of
the General Government.
These men are in favor of universal
amnesty as well as universal suffrage,
and have profound misgivingS as to all
such legislation as the Ku-Klux Bill.
Glass No. 3 comprise, perhaps,
twenty per cent. Of the Republican
party, and consists mainly in Repub-
iicans of Democratic atecedents. They
were Democrats when Democracy
meant hard money, free banking, rev.
euue tariffs, and opposition to every
variety of monopoly or special priv
ilege. They are generally known as
Revenue Reformers, and every one Of
them, TO the last man, has felt insulted
and aggrieved ever since the President,
in his last message, went out or his
way to give them kick. They look
upon that performance as a surrender
to Cameron, Chandler. Conkling d Co.,
and that combination they abominate
next to the rebellion itself.
Glass No. comprises what are
known as "one-term-men," and includes
all expectant politicians out Of office,
who knew perfectly we'll that it is only
by a new deal that new men have
any chance, and, as the "outs" outnum-
Der the "ins" ten to one, this class ls
well worth consideration in counting up
political chances.
This class also comprises a large num-
Der of the best men Of the nation who
do not want office, but believe that so
long as the two-term principle is tolera,
ted the first will he wasted in mad
effort to secure the second.
There are other classes, but they
comprise fewer numbers, and those
already named will suffice for an an
swer to the question proposed.
Secondly and lastly, am opposed to
Grants denomination because we have
men who can carry more votes. AS to
the question, Who9 reply, any Repub,,
lican of good character and national
reputation who recognizes the objections
named. For example, George William
Curtis himself believe he could oe
elected with a whirlwind ofenthuslasm,
with Harpers Weekly, minus Grant, Tor
a platform: