The New York herald., 1872-04-21

q hundred creeds and to justify as many more 40.
the deepest scepticism and all the confusion, con-
tradictions and Inconsistencies among them. Yet
they stop boasting OF this great star OF pos
sessing this great guide, this great criterion OF
TRUTH which hundred discordant sects point to as
their foundation OF faith, While while taey understand
But all this pretty talk about the Bible we would
pass over II they would only refrain nom abusing
us about IL. ellindeed has Protestant remarked
.sThese words Search the Scriptures have undone
the world"
day night is sample OF the pure water he is yet to
administer to taly-whOse every pore he Is to fill
'that fair land' win be more poisoned than ever.
concluding remarks, where he assures his audience
that God has ordered him to put salt In the impure
water OF Italy think it might be well to put some
op her "tail' also; she would then yield without
further trouble.
Hoping, Mr. Editor, that for the benefit of truth,
win permit, and that you will excnse its length
yENTlLATOR.
Henry Ward Beechcr for Presidential
New Rcligio-Political Party to be
Formed in New York-He4rv Ward
Bcecher Proposed ms Its Candidate for
the Presidency OF the United states.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
IL has been announced and 1t is now generally
understood among the more radical and progressive
classes throughout the United States that Ma
tions and movements which represent the revolu-
tionary spirit OF the country as relates to political
social, religious and educational reforms is to be
held in Steinway Hail. in the city of New York, the
9th and 10th of May proXim0. The object for
which the Convention has been called Is purely
political one, namely, to form a coalition, II pos
sble, of all those classes OF citizens everywhere
that are devoted more to the principles OF justice,
OF truth, of freedom and equal rights than TO the
either OF the republican or the democratic
parties; and In case the Convention shall agree
upon definite course of poll cal action to be pur
sued, to nominate candidates for President and
Vice President of the United States for the next
Presidential term.
The Convention referred to is expected to be
composed of representatives of the following or
ganizatons, viz. The National Labor Party, the
International Workingmens Association, the Wo-
man Suffrage party, the Temperance party, the
Peace party the Spiritualists, the Liberal non-
Evangelical Christians the Free Religlonsts, the
Free Thinkers, the Free Lovers, the Land Reform
ers, the Socialists, Communists, Positivsts Harmo-
nialists, &c. Now, the question arises, "How
upon what theory Is 1t to be expected that con-
vention repre- sentng such variety If not diver
sity OF IDEAS will far raternize, fuse and consol
date as to come to understanding that will be
satisfactory to the different elements composing it,
promote the ideas they respectively represent, and
secure the earnest and undivided support of all the
elements thus represented in the present political
campaignS How is such convention to agree
upon candidates who would represent many
forms or movementsY Who will the candidates
probably besn
Each class Of voters represented in the Conven-
tion may be supposed to have its favorite expo
nents, its great champions leading spirits and ideal
representatives of what 1t conceives to be the i'm
portant issue of the times, and whom it would pre-
fer to have as the Chief Magistrate. For instance,
the labor party has already nominated Judge Davis,
of Illinois, as Its choice and 1t may be unwilling to
drop him and go for coalition candidate. Then
there the Internationals, with their favorite,
whoever he may be-may be Wendell Phillips.
Next the woman suffrage party may clamor to
have Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton or Theodore Til
ton or Victoria c. Woodruff nominated. The tenn
perance party may urge the nomination of George
Francis Train or some other temperance champion.
The Spritualsts may want Andrew Jackson
Davis or Robert Dale Owen, and the other fac
tions, likewise, may each have their cham
can. Here, then, Is probability of a very wide
difference OF honest opinion coming together, and
an opportunity for disagreements, schisms, confu-
sion and defeat of the object in view, unless the
wsest counsels are allowed to govern, and spirit
OF concession, and OF mutual support and depen-
dence prevail in the sessions OF the Convention.
The individuals above named are known to the
radical thought and reform: II any of them should
be nominated at the New York Convention, 1t is, to
say the least, doubtful whether they would receive
the undivided support OF the different factions or
bodies to be represented in the Convention. In
deed, 1t Is not improbable that the nomination of
any OF them might result in some of the parties to
glance and support to the nominee and the new
party, and thus endanger the success OF the
whole movement. 1t seems to be plain that
some sort OF compromise will have to be effected
before q candidate can be selected who would
stand any chance OF election or Of receiving the
whole vote OF all the classes holding the Conven-
tion. Now, the course which wise policy would
indicate in such state OF things as the one most
likely to meet the eXigencies OF all classes would
be not to press the nomination OF any person for
the Presidency who Is notoriously identified with
the recognized champion Of any special phase of
reform, for the reason that such persons, however
good and competent they may be, are generally un-
popular distasteful and Obnoxious to the popular
mind. The Convention should select q candidate
who Is friendly and tolerant, or, at least, not
friendly and intolerant, to the various ideas ami
well and favorably known to the public, and to
whom, If elected, the people would look up to with
@ens IN am emen perap
than could be found in any other indiyidual-may
be named
MR.. HENRY WARD BEEcHER, OF NEW YORK.
Mr.. Beecher's character, abilities and fame are
world wide, and would OF themselves be IA tower of
strength to any party that would choose him for
their candidate. His history and antecedcnts are
known to everybody His influence is already felt
over the civilized world. His sermons, lectures and
speeches have been more widely and generally read
the past twenty years than the utterances of almost
any cOntemporaneous public teacher. Further
more Mr. BecCHeT IL u uDeTdllSt IN MS views ana
teachings. Some would consider him very radical.
lie, for instance has from his own Plymouth pulpit
endorsed the lnternatiOnals and culo9Zed the Paris
Communists: he has admitted the main points In
Spiritualism; he has surrendered the infalibility
OF the Scriptures or dogma Of plenary inspiration;
he repudiates the doctrine OF eternal punishment;
he favors woman suffrage and the equality OF the
sexes; he is the patron of temperance, peace, toll
GRAFTON, progress. In word Mr. Bcecher Is a man
OF reasonable ideas, honest and frank possessing
mind open to the convictions OF reason and truth
and the intuitions OF his soul. or his devotional
nature it is quite unnecessary to speak.
Taking this view OF the New York Convention and
OF Mr.. Beecher 1t Is questionable whether there is
person In the United States who combines In him
self so many OF the elements OF success as q candi
date for the Presidency as Mr.. Beecher, and who
would at the same time represent to an equal ex-
tent the radical and progressive character Of the
proposed new party Perhaps the strongest oppo
siton to the nomination OF Mr.. Beecher would come
from the anteceesastical class for the reason that
ne Is Christian minister, and that his church
proclvlties might bias his Judgment in favor Of
ecclesiastical laws and measures to the detriment |
oil the cause OF Justice, freedom and religious lib