The Portland daily press., 1872-04-03
THE PR ESS.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL 8, '7s
The Lost Leader.

WHICH tHo Gill" al VA Vic w eohty IftOune, on
Thursday or Friday night, is the great event of
the week. The good man reads his paper con-
scientiously for one or two nights and then,on
Sunday, reads it all over again. What "Gree=
ley says'' has, up to very recent period: prob
ably been the basis of his opinions on most
political topics. But of late his faith has be-
gnn to fail. To his amazement and intense
regret he has seen the stoutest champion of
human rights on this or any continent, SUBJ
shutting for philanthropy, reform, equal
rights, Justice, progress and benevolence,me
personal prejudice and possibly, mere person
al aspirations. During the contest against
the Fugitive Slave law how glorious was the
course of the Tribune. In resisting the Kan
sas-Nebraska act the Tribune was a genuine
tribune of the people. Inopposing the extrava-
CANT pretensions of the slave power in 1860,
the Tribune tooka leading part. In protesting
against the shareholders rebellion the Tribune
was perhaps more conspicuous than any 9TH
er journal in the United States. In advocat-
ing reconstruction on the basis of protection
and equal rights for the freedmen, no paper in
America did better service than that of which
Horace Greeley is the editor-in-chief Re-
membering these things, the astonishment of
the Tribunes readers is the greater when they
find that paper allied with those who are prin-
cipally known as the promoters and defenders
of the Shareholders rebellion. Mr.. Greeley's
political aspirations appear to have been suf
fciently strong to outweigh everything else.
AT a time when the intrigues of the enemies
of equal rights seem in danger of neutralizing
all that patriotism and philanthropy have
accomplished, we find Mr.. Greeley devoting
himself chiefly to the satisfaction of personal
animosities, and going back even eighteen
years to republish letter, on the dissolution
of 'the copartnership of Seward, Greeley &
Co.,' in which he gives utterance to his in
dignation because persons who were under
obligation to him did not secure his appoint-
ton as Governor of the same State! They
find him abandoning the very principles of
political economy of which he has been for
many years past the principal exponent, for
the sake OF making head against the present
chiefmaglstrate of the United States. Henry
c. Carey himself has not given more valuable
support to the doctrine of protection than the
editor of the Tribune. Yet Mr.. Greeley has
placed it in the power of the Eueuing Post,
his lifelong opponent, to publish the follow
ing editorial attacking his record for consis-
tency in way that it is difficult to answer
1t is headed "a Wonderful Conversion
The State Convention of the liberal Republi-
cans OF Missouri met at Jefferson City on Jan
uary "A. Its most important act was to call
national mass convention to meet at Cincinnati
IN may Ii dld this in series of admirable
resolutions of which this is the third: 7raa
Res0loed, That no form of taxation is Just or
wise which puts needless burdens upon the peo-
pie We demand a genuine reform of the tar
IN, and that those duties shall be removed
which, in addition to the revenue yielded to the
treasury, involve an increase in the price of do
mestic products and consequent tax for the
benefit of favored interests.
The resolutions end with the invitation to
sall Republicans who desire the reforms set
forth" to meet at Cincinnati We copy in an
other part of this paper, from the Tribune
response to the Missouri CALL signed by num-
Der of leading Republicans of this city and State
Inc signeTs OF It begin by saying: "We, Rep
means OF New York, wish to express concur
renee an the prt'a cipteS lately set forth by the
liberal Republicans of Missouri. We believe,
they add, that federal taxation should be inapos-
ca gor reUenue, and SO adjusted as to make
light as possible" and they conclude by say
ing - - gdlI'
Missouri may be spread through all the States
ana influence every political party, zoe accept
the inuitdtion to meet in national mass conven-
ton at the city of Cincinnati on the first We'd
nesday OF May next, and we invite all Republic
cans OF New York who agree with us to COOP
crate in our action" a+ 1M
The second name signed to this cordial accep-
lance OF the Missouri platform, including its
dlstlnct declaration in favor of revenue reform
is Horace Greeley, and the most unqualified APP
proval the call has yet received from any jour
nal in this part of the country comes from the
Tribune. This conversion may be regarded by
some readers as suspicious for its suddenness;
but we are not disposed to question the snceri-
" OF the tribune or of its editor, and heartily
welcome it as new and important ally in the
great cause of revenue reform. We desire
nothing more in the way of tariff legislation
than that the principles which Mr. Greeley now
openly supports be faithfully carried out. ,i
Ii Mr.. Greeley can recover himself after
such '''palpable hit'' as this he is the most
extraordinary man in the world. That he
has ceased to be man of integrity we do not
yet believe; but that the soundness of his
Judgment has been impaired is apparent to
the most casual observer. We trust that the
editor OF the Tribune has most useful and
brilliant career before him, but he evidently
needs ''to fling away ambition as much as
any man of this generation.
CONNECTICUT, next to New Hampshire,
to vote for the nominees of the Philadel-
phia Convention at the approaching Presiden-
tial election. Gov. Jewell is reelected by a
clear majority over all the other candidates
and the legislature in both branches is more
largely Republican than last year. The cir
cumstances were all adverse to Republican
success and decidedly favorable to Demo-
cratic victory. The Democratic candidate !
had been Republican until Andy Johnson's
time; the party leaders at the State Conven-
ton had taken the most radical kind of new
departure, literally turning their backs upon
their past and apparently burning their ships;
Mr.. Hubbard had written the most stirring
letter of acceptance, which was commended
by all the ''liberal Republican, sheets through
out the country-but all of no avail.
The result in Connecticut enforces three
important lessons to uneasy politicians: First
The "new departure" is a source of weak
ness to the Democratic party Second: The
disaffected Republicans who are now nursing |
the Cincinnati movement are destined to make
a ridiculous failure. Third: The determine
ton of the Republican masses to re-elect
President Grant and the certainty of that re-
suit.
THE interest in the formation of Societyfor
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is spread
ing and deepening since attention has been
called to the matter in the PRESS. We con-
stantly receive from many quarters assur-
ances OF interest in the subject and express
sions OF wish for definite and effective &C
ton. The ladies-who are always foremost |
IN works OF humanity-seem specially earnest
that this matter be agitated until substantial
results are attained. We publish TODAY let
ter from M. j. M. S. giving exact expression
to the feelings and queries of great number
of our citizens. With such support as is al
ready pledged to the movement and such as
will be sure to heartily improve the opportuni-
ty to assist, a society might be formed under
most favorable auspices. .-t.
SECRETARY boutwell, shows the reduc-
tion OF the national debt for the first month
vi the last year of President Grants first
Term 10 De Sl5, 4S1 $685. 64-the largest of any
lnonen uuring the present administration. |