New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-11-30
Re-NominaiEon of General Grant.
From the New York Independent.


IRON the New York Iniepcnd.nt
Now that the State elections for this year ar
finished, resulting in the most decisive victorie
1 for the Republican party, the Spring field Re
! publican, true to its own antecedents, renew
the expression of its opposition 10 Genera
Grant rs the candidate of the party in the mex
/ Presidential campaign. Ii gives list of Re
! publicans from which successful nomine
might be selected, including Messrs. Colfax
/ Boutwell,, Hawley, Sumner, Adams of Massa
chasetts, Greeley, Cox of Ohio, Trumbull. udg,
/ Davis. Gratz Brown of Missouri, and Curtin o
! Pennsylvania, but not including Ulysses s
I Grant. We could have guessed beforehand
I that the last OF these names would not be founC
4 in the Republicans list, and hence feel 20 sur
( prise. It's attitude toward President Grant has
been one of persistent hostility, and very otter
of querulous, bitter, and exceedingly unfair
criticism, IN which respects it is 90 representa-
tive of the general tone Of the Republican press
The motives of the editor we neither impeach
nor commend; yet it is a well understood fact
that the Springfield Republican has undertaken
the JOB OF defeating the denomination of Gen.
eral Grant. Ii was, hence, a matter Of course
that 1t would look elsewhere for candidate
Advice coming from such q source may we'll be
taken with great many grains of allowance
LII the State elections of this year had been
disastrous to the Republican party, this would
have supplied the Republican with a plausible
aud, indeed, forcble reason why the party
should concur with its view-at least, so far
| as General Grant is concerned His opponents
would have said, and that too very Justly, that
the Presidents Administration was condemned
by tae popular voice and that it would. there
fore, be inexpedient to make him the Republi.
can standard bearer next year. 1t would have
been argued that these elections, though al
rectly confined TO State officers, were, neverthe
less, so connected with national politics. and
| the general management of the Government ms
to Indicate the drift of public sentiment. This
fact would have been urged as "A very serious il
not a conclusive objection to General Grant,
unless the Republican party proposed the folly
OF counting It's own defeat by presenting can
didate shown not TO possess the confidence and
good will or the people.
1t so happens, however, that the fact is just
the reverse of this supposition. The eighteen
State elections which have been held this year
have been almost one continuous series of Re
| publican triumphS, indicating the general salts
faction Of the people with the policy of the
party, and Of the party with the President.
! These victories have been won with the preva-
lent and nearly universal expectation that
! General Grant would be the nominee of the
next National Republican Convention. No
! other name is prominent before the people.
! The general sense of the party has already set
| tied what the act Of the convention will for
mally declare. This fact is upon the face OF
the State elections held this year. The result,
being not one of disaster, buC of victory, indi-
Gates what the Republican party will do next
year, with the name of Ulysses s. Grant in
/ scrlbed on its banner Ii totally different
result would have been a just cause for reject.
| ing him, then surely his virtual Endorsement
/ by the people is a very good reason for giving
him the nomination. Public sentiment IN re-
spect to him is already ascertained, By the best
test possible, short of the actual process of
casting aud counting the votes for Presidential,
/ electors.
The strength Of General Grant with the
! people is so manifest, from the elections OF
/ 1871, thar the leaders of the Democratic party
| are ut this moment put to their wits ends 80
| know what TO do. Some have advised the dis
organization OF the party, and the creation OF
/ IL new one, on different pf!nci Piles 4; aud Others
! have proposed that Democracy, while re5aining
/ its organization should make no nomination
/ for the Presidency, but 90 into the field as the
volunteer servitor of boiling Republicans, anC
help them ia the task Of defeating Genera
Grant, Ia the event of his nomination. Demo
Gratis have the sigacity to see in him the
strongest man whom Republicans can present
to the people and, assuming that Republicans
possess an equal sagacity, and will, hence
nominate the man most likely to win, they
anticipate their own defeat, unless they can in
some way divide the Republican vote. We dc
not mean to intimate that the party could moi
succeed with any o;her name yet we entirely
agree with Democrats and nine-tenthS of the
Republican voters throughout the country thai
| Ulysses ). Grant is the man whom it will bt
most difficult for the Democracy to beat, and
whom, moreover, Republicans can most easily
and certainly elect
If the Springfield Republican, and those
Republicans who declare their opposition TO the
denomination of General Grant, have not ye
made this discovery, they are very dull schol
ars. If they have made it, and yet persist il
their opposition, then they would be very poor
| guides for the party to follow. Ii they meaI
TO intimate that they will not support the
ticket with General Grants name upon it, ther
let us understand beforehand that they are no
Republicans unless they can dictate the nomi
nee OF the party. This is kind of Republi
canism which scarcely merits hearing, except
to be summarily treated with the contempt il
! richly deserves. Political leaders who will not
acquesce In the general sense of the party tC
which they belong had better seek their quar-
ters elsewhere. No party should tolerate any
such prescriptiye asceudency among any of it:
supporters.
The overwhelming leaning Of the Republican
party at this moment toward General Grant
has Its basis in good and sufficient reasons
found in his administration of the Government
and we know of but one man who can change
this attitude, and that man is himself LIE
him continue TO conduct the Government witt
the same discretion, wisdom, and fidelity thai
have hitherto distinguished his official career
aud be will continue TO retain the confidence
and esteem of the people. This will make
him the nominee of the Republican party anC
the elect of the people next fall and that
too, in spite of all opposition, either in the
party or out of it. The effort to divert Re
publcans from this purpose by attacking Gen
erai Grant Is at best simply waste of powder
lie has too many solid recommendations, anC
has managed the Government too wisely anC
TOD we'll, to be laid aside TO crafty not more
than half dozen Republican politicians, whC
have taken 1t into their heads TO oppose hi
denomination. The best thing they can do i!
quietly to accept the inevitable, and console
themselves with the reflection that the collected
wisdom of the party is quite equal to the
| individual light. We are not entirely withOu
hope that the Springfield Republican will er,
long come to this conclusion.
The Governors Of New England ana thu
Northwestern States will meet in Convention
&C Detroit on Wednesday, the Goth day o