The Republican journal., 1871-09-14
"A Third Candidate Threatened.

Republicans in Ohio. who doubtless speaks
| the sentiments Of tens of thousands in
various parts Of the country. 1t is very
| evident that the efforts of the Office
| holders to force the denomination OF Gen
cral Grant has produced a serious division
in the ranks Of the faithful, which will be
| succeeded in the event of their success by
an open revolt and independent nominal
ton. 1t may be an easy matter to pro
| scribe men like Sumner SchurZ, Trum-
bull, Upton, and others of that class-to
insult and disgrace them by Executive
| dictati0n and Congressional subservlency
but il will be found more difficult to per-
suade the honest masses that prescription
! founded on personal motives is justified,
or that upright men are to be condemned
merely for denonncing corruption and
roguery
| REASON WHY GRANT CANNOT BE ELECTED.
| HalpcrS UccIiy says:
| at seems unfortunate that Il statement of
| reasons for opposing the action which the Re
! publican party evidently contemplateS should
| be delayed,
Those who favor the denomination of the
! President, do so because they believe it to be
| the wiseSt course for the party. and, conse-
| qucnty, for the country. II they are mistaken
| il Is for every reason esirlbl that they should
| know il.
| "Those who honestly think that he is not,
| ought certainly to indicate the Republican who
| commands more general confidence, and who
would probably poll Il larger vote.
| True, every word OF it, and as | am one of
| the Republicans referred to as opposing the re-
| nomination of the President, | WILL with your
permission give Il lew of the reasons why:
| First Because he cannot be elected against
| a prudent nomination made by the Democrats.
| When say prudent mean. Tor example. such
a man As SalmonP. Chase, John Quincy Adams,
| b. Graft Brown, OF VIM. ;. GrOcsheck, with Il
| Vice President and platform to CORES pond.
| OF course the Democratic party may play the
| fool As il did in lStS, but it is never wise TO pre-
| sumo upon the iciocy of your opponent.
| To he 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 have named. Why: Simply
| because in every township, ay. 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 localities. Let lis classify them:
| Glass no. have profound di>trust of mill
| tarv Presidents PER 81. They know perfectly
| we'll that a purely military education and II
| purely military life. like that OF General Grant
me ani-Repuhcan and anti-pemorratic. and
| absolutely unfit man for the administration of
| civil affairs in Government like ours. As
| illustration they point TO the Presidents mill
| tarv staf; to his Cabinet surroundings: 10 his
| disregard Of political forces III his distribution
| of patronage; 10 his nepotiSm; to his san Do
| mingo policy To his New York, Missouri. and
| Louisiana imbroglio> and 10 thousand and
one other things. which a man bred in civil If
| fairs would never think of doing.
| General Grant. to this present time, probably
ha, never voted the Republican ticket, or any
OTHER ticket in fact, Tor it is The habit as well As
! the inclination. of military men moi to vote.
| DO not blame Them. for it is their interest as
well as their education to taboo civil affairs but
| this i, not The soil in which statesmen grow.
| So much for lass No. I.
| Glass No, > call themselves liberal Republi-
| cans. and look upon General Grant rs the rep
| rcScniatNo 'Of coclriyc legislation in regard 10
! the South They were in favor of all the amend
ments To the Constitution; but after their adop-
| ton and the admission of the rebel States to
| representation in Congress. they believed. and
still believe. that all further restrictions should
De tlllilluOlltt tNtl nltlll-
! age It's own domestic affairs. subject only to
coercion in of rebellion against the authOri-
| ty of the General government.
| These men are in favor Of universal amnesty
| AZ well as universal suffrage, and have pro
| found miSgiYingS Is to all such legislation H.
| the ku-kluN bill.
| Glass No. 3 comprises perhaps twenty per
! cent of the Republican party and consist main
| ~ of Republicans of Democratic antecedents.
| They were Democrats when Democracy meant
/ Il
| opposition to every variety of monopoly or
| special privilege. They are generally known As
| revenue rctormers, and every one OF them. to
| the last man. has felt insulted and aegreved
| ever since the President. in his last message,
| went out Of hi, way 10 give them q kick. They
| look upon that performance 4 surrender to
| Cameron, Chandler. tonl>ling \ Co.. and that
| combination they abominate next to the rebel
| lion itself.
| Glass No. / comprises what are known as
| ~one-terln men, and includes all eNpectnnt
| politicians out of office, who know perfectly
| well that il is only by Il new deal that new
| men have any chance, and As the ''outs" out
| number the 'in>' ten 10 one, this class is well
| worth consideration in counting up political
| chances.
| This class also comprises a large number OF
| the best men of the nation vino do not want
| office. but believe that so long As the two-term
principle il tolerated, the first will be wasted in
| a mad effort TO secure the second.
/ There are other classes, but they comprise
| fewer numbers, and those already named will
suffice for IN answer 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. Who:
| reply, any Republican of good character and
| national reputation who antagonlzes the OBJ
| ections named For example, George William
| Curtis himself. | believe he could be elected
with wbillwind of enthusiasm with Harper's
| Weekly, minus Grant, for platform.
| James &. Blaine Charles Sumner, or Henry
| Wilson could he elected.
| Even Horace Greeley would run better than
| Grant 1t is true, Mr.. Greeley is the Prince of
| protectionist>, and would probably lose Illinois
and Indiana. and possibly Ohio, but he would
| carry every Southern State except Kentucky,
and those, with New England, Pennsylvania
| and the Northwest would elect him.
| Grant can't carry single Southern State.
| Senator sherman, believe. could be elected.
although his tariff and Ku-klnX views would
| be Il heavy weight to carry. Still, he is states
| man and gentleman and would make Pres
| idcnt to be proud Of
| cen Garfield could be elected with New
York and Pennsylvania against him, and then
| have twenty electoral votes to spare.
| senator Trumbull could be elected, and Il
| glorious President he would make, too.
| John A. Logan could be elected, and 20 could
| ColfaX, Of Indiana, and James Wilson, of iowa,
and il dozen others could name.
| II is easy 10 see, therefore, that are not at
| a loss for candidates, and when official gentle
| men, from post otfi 'es and custom-houses, with
owllike gravity, croak to the public, 'Who!
| who., who'll" we can safely reply, "Any-
| body; anybody whatever. who is Il good Re-
| publican, and sound of head and sound of
| heart"
| General Grant never Wis n popular candidate.
| In 1865 | spent ninety days on the stump for
him in the States of New England, New i DIRK
| and Ohio, and | know that thousands of our
| best men voted for him simply As a choice of
| evils. He was then in position to command
a nomination from one party or the other, and
| we took HIM rather than let the Democrats
| have him. This is the naked truth.
Gen. Grant is great soldier-lhe greatest.
| think, this country has ever produced and il is
| APPLY he did not retain his position nj the head
| of the army, which he is well fitted to atlorf
| and thereby save his friends (;nd know am
one of them the pain Of criticism like that | am
now making.
| Principles rather than men will decide the
| next Presidential contest. Ifboth of the great
parties think differently, let them act according
", and they will have Il chance to try conclu-
sionS with third party and the House of Rep
| resentatiyes in The year of grace, 1872.
II. BRINKERIOFF.
MANSFIELD, Ohio August 2S. 1871.