Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-05-07

MI. Greeieys deyout advocacy Of the one
term principle for the last few months was
for no other purpose than to aid in killing
off Grant for second term. 1t was all
sham to cover treason.
What the democrats in the scheme have
done to fulfill their agreement is we'll
known. Against the protests OF the Van
Trumps Of their party and the indignant
remonstrance of the honest democratic
masses, the traders have sacrificed the
honor and principles of the party in the
vain hope of obtaining Office for them
selves. If the party had no principles it
should have died decently as the Wing
party did and saved Its self-respect if moth
ing more. The pretence of casting every
thing behind it that it ever protested to
believe, adopting more radical platform
than the republicans, and accepting the
leadership of "Massa Greeley" is more
shameless fraud than the course of the
liberal republicans. We exonerate the
masses, but the hungry Office seekers
were willing to sell honor itself to beat
Grant and obtain position for themselves.
That is the secret of the passive policy,
the new departure, and the great interest
among democrats in the Cincinnati nomi-
nations.
The Cincinnati convention was the cul-
minating point in all these preparations.
There the campaign against Grant was to
be opened in earnest. Upon its proceed
ings the leaders staked everything. What
is the result Horace Greeley is nomina-
ted for President and the movement is a
failure from the start. The very delegates
and parties to the convention are denoun-
cling its proceedings and repudiating the
nominations, while the democrats are
warned by their Executive National Com
mittee to beware of endorsing Greeley,
and prepare for convention Of their own.
The Cincinnati gun was too heavily
charged and the recoil has knocked over
those who aimed it. The democrats were
ready to take republican platform and
republican candidates, but candidates OF
the type Of Greeley were not what they
bargained for. The leaders would endorse
him without twinge of conscience, as
the Portland Argus and few other party
democratic papers have, but the voters
say "Grant before Greeley" and SO there
will be a national democratic convention
which will not nominate 'Massa Greeley"
although he is thought to be popular in the
South and able with his Tribune to make
some Roadway against Grant in the North.
The consequence Of this failure then to
make junction between democrats and
republicans on the Cincinnati candidates
is to open the field for triangular contest.
The democrats will call convention
and nominate candidates. 1t is suggested
that they may nominate Adams or some
man of his class IN politics. The mos
that they know at present is that they ar,
i all afloa!, drifting without sail or rudder
Some are for Greeley, some for Adams
$ some for a straight democratic nomination
and some knowing that the game is u
and the prize lost in this election are dis
> heartened and totally indifferent. TIL
d blunder at Cincinnati cannot be retrieved
The only hope of beating Grant was t
unite all the opposition upon some candi
date against him. That has been tried an,
Il failed. The result is what might hay,
= been expected. 1t was the desperate ex
% pedient of desperate men. If tried again
the result would be failure, because it il
y as impossible to bring such elements al
i. assembled at Cincinnati together in har
Il mony as to mix oil and water. The grant
:; blunder was in making the attempt at all
i With three candidates in the field the mos
5 that can be effected by the opposition will
3 be to throw the election into the House o
9 Representatives, where there is strong
) Grant majority that will keep him in thu
3 Presidential chair another four years.
] Thus the grand campaign planned ant
. directed against President Grant ha
/ proved fizzle. The war of factions i
now changed to the democratic camp
2 The traitors to the republican party have
! unmasked and gone into separate or
3 ganization. We are well rid of them
: Better to fight them openly than to bt
2 obliged to endure their insidious attacks
, while wearing the garb of republicans
! We shall probably see in the democratic
! : camp lively times between the Greeley and
3 anti-Greeley, the trading and honest DEM
) ocrats. if the traders dare to make stand
) in caucuses and conventions for the con-
. summation of the bargain made with the
liberal republicans. All these base attacks
o and dshonorable means to defeat Grant
. are serving to unite and cement the re-
publican party more strongly. "Massa
Greeley's' supporters will be but hand
full. The course of the democrats has de
moralized and weakened thsn. Many OF
the party will vote for Grant under any
circumstapoac The ranuhl;oanc will ,,o,