The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-13
MIR. O'COn0r and the straight-Ou
Democrats.

MR. VCOnOr ahO inc StrNt8nt-Out
Democrats.
We publish to-day in another part of the
paper the appeal of the committee representing
the straight-out democrats of the Louisville
ination for the Presidency, the reply Of that
gentleman, and the final action Of the COM
mittee in making him candidate, though he
still persisted in formally refusing the nomi-
nation of the Louisville Convention. The
whole proceeding is very singular, and adds
curious chapter to the varied political history
of the country. We will not say that Mr.,
O'Conor has been coquetting with the demo-
Gratis who met at Louisville, though that
might be inferred from the course
he has taken all through the
movement, and particularly from his last
response to the committee. We take it for
granted that he did not desire nomination,
and that his refusal to accept one, both at first
and at last, was honestly given. But as he
puts this in his last reply, which we publish
to-day, on the ground Of repugnance to politi-
cal conventions, and as he declares in favor of
the spontaneous action Of the people in choos-
ing the President, it is to be inferred that be
would not refuse to serve should be be elected
to that high osice. That evidently is the con-
clusion the committee Of the Louisville Con-
vention came to when they declared that he
should be their candidate, in spite Of his
formal declination of that honor. We may
consider Mr. O'Conor, therefore, to be fairly
in the field as the candidate of the straight-out
democrats and for all the fragmentary politi-
cal elements opposed to Grant on one hand
and to Greeley on the other 1t is probable,
too, that MIR. Adams may accept the second
the political situation.
Surprising, then, that O. Conor and Adams
should thus enter upon or be forced into the
race what would be the probable result? No
one could expect they would be elected, un-
less, indeed, there should be most ex-
traordinary and unprecedented revolution
within the next six weeks in the political
affairs of the country. This movement might,
however, take away sufficient number of
votes from the candidates Of the Baltimore
and Cincinnati Conventions to make the re-
election of General Grant comparatively easy.
1t could make little impression upon the solid
phalanxes Of the regular republican organiza-
ton. The Louisville Convention was, it is
true, an aggregation Of impracticable,
visionary and scheming politicians, for
the most part, and had the appearance
Of being a farce; but the respectable
names of HConor and Adams may
have wider Influenced than many have
thought they would have. Many of our
citizens might give them their support, too,
from catching the idea which Mr. O'Conor
has thrown out OF hostility to the dictation of
party conventions and the caucus nominations
OF corrupt and scheming politicians. If we
may judge from the recent elections in the
New England States Mr.. Greeley cannot
divide the republican party to any appreci-
able extent, and can bring little accession of
strength to the democratic party. According to
present appearances the Baltimore Convention
has been deceived, or deceived itself, and has
sold out the democratic party for mess of
pottage. It is not unlikely that the mass Of
that party may see the matter in this light be-
fore November, and may either become apa-
thetic or vote for o Conor and Adams. At all
events it seems probable that General Grant
will be reelected if there be the three tickets
named in the Presidential campaign
While we give Mr.. O'Conor that credit for
honesty and lofty principles which we can
hardly accord to most Of those who have
pushed him forward as Presidential candi-
date, it does seem that both he and they have
Inexperienced the real issues before the
country and the motives Of the liberal repub-
licans and democrats in their combined nomi-
nations Il is all very well talking about time
honored principles, party consistency or party
affiliations, but every student of history knows
that parties and their policy must change or
be modified with the changing circumstances