New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-06-06
A Bolt from the Boilers.

4Hc uiSrupliou Vi Tue LlDoraI hepuDllcan
ranks occurs at an earlier day than even its
most sanguine opponents could have ex-
pected. The meeting of the Free Traders
in New York, called for the express purpose
of repudiating the nomination Of Horace
Greeley, is a demonstration neither supris-
ing nor does it express the views of an iso-
lated body, but those of a large party, with
ample power to accomplish their object,
which is no other than to nominate de-
clared Free Trader, with as little, if any,
thing, of Republican antecedents as to make
him acceptable enough to the Democrats to
be Endorsed by them in Baltimore. There is
no reason why this scheme may not succeed,
unless frustrated by the old Bourbon Democ-
racy; and it is evidently the last thread on
which the hopes of the authors of Liberal
Republicanism are hanging. Originating in
personal resentment, wounded vanity, and
INSCRIPTIONS ambition, it owed its temporary
spread mostly to the ingenious device of the
leaders to write revenue refom' OH their
banner. 1t was, indeed, the only real and
solid issue on which they could rely, amnesty
and the scream about corruption being lodges
altogether too transparent to cntice the masses
away from their old party associations. As
it was, the Free Traders among the Republic
cans, whose Free Trade tendencies are
stronger than their Republican principles.
became its chief supporters, never dreaming
of the possibility that any man but an ac-
knOwledged Free Trader would be nomi-
mated in Cincinnati. With what indescrib-
able rage and dismay they must therefore
have been filled when the ugly demand was
made to them to pledge themselves to the
support of lifelong, extreme Protectionist.
and Of anon-committal platform? For such an
issue it was not worth severing old party ties.
Indeed, it would have been only trife more
absurd if in 1868 the Chicago Convention had
placed PendletOn or Mcclellan ON their
platform and summoned the adherence of all
good Republicans.
If, as may be expected, the new boiling
movement assumes larger dimensions, it will
have the result of leading back to the SUD-
port Of the Philadelphia nominee those who
are not yet ready to surrender entirely their
Republican tendencies, while the others will
join their affinities in Baltimore, where they
can be certain to have q platform which at
least will be explicit in this respect. Mr..
Greeley will thus be left in the unenyiable
plight Of a man who has seated himself be.
tween two chairs, with ample leisure for
melancholy meditatiOns on the folly of sacri-
fieing the glorious record of a life nobly spent
in the service of a great cause for mere
bubble of vain glory. On whatever
course he may determine, whether under
such hopeless circumstances he will with
draw from the contest or fight it out to the
end, his public career will be ruined beyond
redress. "A future not less honorable than
his past was open to him. If now. or at
some future day, he had aspired to the Presi.
dency by means Of the support of the Remb.
hcan party he might have been unsuccessfnl
yet his inhuence-the general respect he
enjoyed as one of the foremost among the
Republican leaders-would have remained
unimpaired. We do not see in which direc-
ton he can now look for party. The Demo-
Gratis and Free Traders are just now giving
him rather strong evidence of their views
concerning him, and the Republicans will
never forget that he has attempted to ruin
the party for the qualification Of selfish ambi-
ton. Tile stain is indclible and no white
washing can ever cover it.
1t seems hardly probable that Mr.. Gree
ley should not by lbis time begin to realize
the situation. Nevertheless, the Tribune
continues its onslaughts on the Republicans,
and General Grant, in particular, as though
they were the only enemies he has to en-
counter. No pretext is deemed too trivial
and frivolous, too obviously unfair, to seize