The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-03-20
Gen. Grant in Missouri.

THE REPUBLICAN, PARTY UNITED FOR THE
CANDIDATE OF THE PHILADELPHIA CoNvEN-
TON. -
The Morning Herald, of st. Joseph, Mo-, the
leading Liberal Republican" paper, outside of
ST. Louis, in that State, replies to the claim of
the Schurz clique to represent the Liberals as
against Gen. Grant. After declaring that the
principal Liberal leaders are with the regular
organization, and in favor of the Presidents re-
nomination, it says
The statement that the Liberal Republicans
of 1870 are not now in favor of the denomination
of Gen. Grant is evidently based upon the as
sumption that the movement of 1870 was hos
; tile to the President. This is not so. The fact
that the President-unwisely we think-advis-
ed his friends to support Clurg against Brown
did cause temporary feeling of hostility to-
ward him; but the reasons which the President
gave for this advice, viz: that the Liberal move
ment was scheme to hand the State over to
the Democracy, time has demonstrated to have
been eminently sound and truthfully prophetic.
1t is our candid opinion that Gen. Grant will
command larger Liberal Republican vote
than any other candidate who can be named
and we will give our reasons for this belief be-
fore we close.
The proposition that Missouri Republicans
have much to complain of, and are hostile to
the President because certain men held the Off
ces, could have been made by no man thorough
ly acquainted with the stuff of which the Re-
publicans of this State are made. The bolt of
1870 had nothing to do with Gen. Grants pat
ronage. The DIVISIONS healed. The true men
of this State, since 1861, have fought under the
banner of Republicanism. They are members
of the Republican party, for that organization
was the only one which aided them in their
contests with the invaders of the Southern Con-
federacy For four years Missouri was bat
tle-ground on which some of the most sangui-
nary contests of the rebellion were fought, and
Gen. Grant led the hosts which rallied under
the banner of freedom. Missourians have not
forgotten that, and it will take something more
potent than few crumbs of paltry patronage
to drive them to the ranks Of those who fought
him and them in a life-and-death encounter
The masses of Missouri Republicans never give
the subject of patronage passing thought, and
to place their Republicanism ON this low ground
is doing them base injustice. The Republicans
of Missouri are intelligent, progressive, and full
ly posted in the current politics of the day
They read the newspapers. They have watch
ed the course of Gen. Grant critically, Certain
great facts stand out so prominently in his ad-
ADMINISTRATION that they compel the admiration
of the most hypercritical.
Republicans of Missouri feel that Gen. Grant
was tried in the fires of the rebellion, and came
out victorious patriot, an honest man. Three
years of trial in the White House has given us
assured security at home and increased power
among foreign nations. Firmly, silently and
with dignity, he has enforced the laws and pro-
ueCteQ loyal ClUlZenS IN every p0rCOn OF the re-
public. Important treaties have been made by
which we are to receive justice from the great
Powers Of the Old World. The people know
that the President will enforce those treaties.
While taxation has steadily decreased, three
hundred millions Of debt have been paid. The
percentage of corruption in Gen. Grants ad-
ADMINISTRATION is not as great as that in any of
his predecessors and every known violator of
the law has been vigorously dealt with. The
national credit has gradually grown strong, and
the country has continually prOspered. For
these reasons the Republicans of Missouri stand
by the administration of General Grant. Six
Presidents have been renominated, and neither
had made so brilliant a record as this. And
yet, there are men who would have the world
believe that the Republicans of Missouri will
abandon this grand Republican party, desert
the colors under which they have rallied to SO
many fierce struggles and go over to the enc
my beca9seTbecause, forsooth few paltry
offices in st. Louis are held by true and tried
friends of Gen. Grant, who do not happen to he
versed in the trickery and chicanery Of ward
caucus!
This county, buchanan, gaze B, Gratz Broom
1858 majority, but to-day almost eperY Liberal
Republican in it is pledged to support The 3,oUai-
nee of the Philadelphia Convention. At our last
County Convention, speeches were made by
Messrs. Wilkinson, Chandler and others, and
every allusion to the fact that the party was
once more unit and for Gen. Grant, elected
perfect whirlwind of applause; That is the
feeling pervading the Republican masses in
Missouri.
The Missouri Republicans do not enter the
contest Of 1872 with the same feelings that in
spre their brethren of Kansas and Iowa. We
go into the contest with none of the pomp and
sturdy contest, a severe Struggle and doubtful
field. We go in to fight; we are determined to
win the victory. We have the same enemy to
confront which we have encountered on many
occasions. We have fought him in the brush,
in the prairie and from house to house. we
haye worsted him in every engagement, and we
shall again conquer # our old leader is to
carry the standard. the old hosts will rally with