New-York tribune., 1872-12-02
THE EIPCTORAL PROBLEM.

For whom shall the Greeley electors vote
The problem is as unprecedented as the
occasion of it was unexpected and tragic
They cannot in any case obey the
expressed will of the people who
elected them. They might possibly be
justified in casting their votes for the candI-
date who stood next to Mr.. Greeley in the
Nominating Convention, Mr.. Chas. Francis
Adams; OF for either of the other distin-
guished gentlemen there urged, Mr.. Ly-
man Trumbull, or Mr.. David Davis.
Or they might vote for Mr.. Greeley's associ-
ate on the ticket. Mr.. Gratz Brown, and leave
their ballots for Vice-President blank. All
these plans are mentioned in the various
speculatons and suggestions upon the sub
iect recited in our dispatches. There is
another, proposed by one of the earliest and
most valued supporters Of the Cincinnati
at the South, The Nashrillc Banner.
" Let the South" it says, avail itself of the
" opportunity to make the vote for Grant
" unanimous, in the spirit of that cause OF
" reconciliation of which Mr.. Greeley was,
"while living, and to the latest moment OF
"his useful life, heroic and eloquent ex-
ponent."
The last proposal seems in striking accord
with the sentiment of Mr.. Greeley's very last
editorial in The TRIBUNE. In this article,
entitled abiding the ISSUE" Mr.. Greeley
said
1.-THE South" wo are told. has decided for Grant by
small majority: wherefore those OF the South who were
not should conform TO the Judgment and get TO
work to build up their sections industrial and
commercial prosperity. We heartily second the
motion. Let the South. like the North, accept
the situation. The South must live; and
she cannot live sterile agitation. she has appealed
for kndlier usage and 1t has been fatty denied her.
Now We are we'll assured that the chief victOrs In our
late struggle inclined TO correct abuses and satisfy
lust complaints to the extent OF their power We urge
the lust overborne Whites Of the South to meet
kindly overture with cOrdiality and trust
The late canvass has enlightened the North with re-
gard to Southern local rule its causes and It's pers NO
longer pretend that things they should be at
the South States like South Carolina, whero Re-
pnplican rule meets no opposition. IT
ia quito generally understood that Universal
Suffrage is not all that is required; there must
be hearty accord between tho educated ana
the better class Of manual laborers Where these vote
with the roughs and punderers, from apprehension OF
wrong from the gentlemen and landhoders the present
ia hopeless. We have said that tho renewed Ad-
must be impelled by its very strength,
IL by no higher consideration, to pour oil upon
the wounds Of the South 1t has no longer
any need Of Moses Clayton spencer 1t has only to
hint what these must do and 1t VIII be done. We shall
be sorely disappointed IL Gen. Grant does not soon in
his own way let 1t be known at the South that thieves
may no longer hope for immunity from just retributon
y shouting themselves in his praise and stigma
tiz.Dg those opposed to them as ReDels
Would it not be legitimate result from
these very last words Of counsel from our
departed Friend and leader, that the
votes which could no longer be re-
corded for him might wisely be cast
for the man to whom the South must now
look for whatever Executive aid she is to re-
ceive7 In any case, Mr.. Gratz Brown is fairly
entitled TO the votes for the Vice-Presidency.
The Cincinnati movement was begun to
secure certain reforms, whereof the need was
crying Gen. Grant has, since the election,
betrayed in several cases disposition to
do what he can in the direction
of those reforms. If the Cincinnati
has now anything whatever to gain
from the formal action of the Presidential elect
ors, it will not be found in an impotent vote for
some impossible candidate, for whom they were
not instructed to vote. Possibly it may be
found in an effort to lift the next Administra-
ton out Of partisanship; and, by giving it
the support of the whole South, impose
upon it an additional obligation to treat the
South, not in the spirit Of party, but from
the highest dictates of the purest patriot
ism. 1t can avail us nothing to cast
"a electoral ballots for some candidate for
whom the people did not vote. 1t may be a
service, by giving them to the can
didate for whom the overwhelming
did vote, to make him
more emphatically the President of the whole
people, indebted to every State for his sup
port, and responsible to every class and party
for just and nOn-partisan discharge of his high
functions If party leaders complain that this
would be unjust to those who made so gal
liant struggle for Mr.. Greeley, we answer that
tho vote for Gratz Brown would still make the
record they seek; and that the history of the
Country shows unanimous election, like that of
Monroe, to be the surest presage, first, Of such
an era of good feeling as our Country
now sadly needs, and next of reorganization
of parties on new questions, as they arise. For
the sake of the South, for the sake of
the whole Country, in the hope OF
the reforms which Cincinnati demanded,
and of the non-partisan Administration
which the support of all the elect
ors would deserve and impose, we suggest
what we believe TO be the legitimate deduc-
ton from Mr.. Greeleys own latest teachings,
the casting of his electoral votes for Grant.
UNEASY FRANCE.
NJ. Theirs is again in difficulty. No sooner