Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1872-02-15
2olsifal.
The RenOn1inatien.

u
The Republicans who are opposed TO
the denomination Of the President IN
sist that as certain indefinite number
of the party would prefer another can
didate, those who prefer the President
should give way. There can, however,
be little doubt, if we may judge by the
ordinary methods OF aScertaining the
opinion OF the party, that the great
mass of Republicans desire the renoml-
nation; and it is not clear why they
should renounee their preference be-
cause a few would select another candi-
date. II, indeed, there were any other
candidate suggested, there would be
more reason in demanding the renunci-
alton. But the argument that, because
some Republicans are opposed to Grant,
therefore any other candidate is strong
er, is not a convincing argument. We
have constantly heard it said that any
one OF dozen gentlemen would be pre-
ferable to the President. But that there
was any reason to suppose that, If Grant
were out of the question, the friends OF
all other candidates would unite upon
any one of them, we have not yet seen
proved, er even asserted.
There are, it is true, certain great
newspapers of Republican sympathies
which oppose the denomination. The
New York Tribune is the first, and its
position is the more significant because
it has been always, in the usual sense, a
strictly party paper. But the others of
we speak are free lanceS in politics.
They are independent critics, and ex-
ercise the right in the press which Wen
dell Phillips illustrates upon the plat
form. Certainly we do not compl9in OF
this, nor doubt that the true duty OF the
press is to.assuage rather than to embit-
ter The spirit of party. But as the gov
ernmentis carried on by party organi-
zations, the counsel of those who are
professedly Independent Of such organ
izations must be carefully weighed
The force of the 1Fi6tsle's position as q
party critic is very much lost by its
warm advocacy of the sides in the un-
fortunate Republican division in New
York, which springs from patronage.
1t regards the President only as a
friend of Senator Conkling, whose pol
icy i'm the State it opposes, and whose
influence il believes TO be malign, so
that a constant reader of the paper
would conclude that it was more inter-
ested in the defeat of the Presidents
denomination than in the ascendency
of Republican principles in the govern
ment. .tras r. fff -ts
The country, in the meantime, is
tranquil and prosperous, and the gen.
eral policy of the Administration shows
a constant and faithful endeav0r to
maintain the principles which brought
the party into power, and TO secure the
welfare of all the people. In what way
another Administration of the party
would more truly or efficiently promote
that welfare has not been stated. 1t
does not follow, indeed, that the same
Administration should be continued if
it is not the free choice of the majority.
But if patronage be so strong that 1t
can defeat the popular will, is it moth
ing that the President has virtually re-
nounced patronage? In his inaugural
address he said that he should have no
policy opposed to that of the people,
and Ia his first and each subsequent
message he has urged upon Congress a
reform of the whole method of appoint
ment. -sfFHo5 ,rstGFss a 3l
IF it be said that this is no reply to
the statement that the service has been
more prostituted under PreSid ent Grant
thanever before, the sufficient rejoinder
is direct denial. 1t is true that what
may be called the political system OF
the New York Custom-house, for
which he have no excuse or apology,
has been more publicly exposed than
ever before; but it is not true that the
system is worse under Grant than an-
der his predecessors, which, indeed, was
hardly possible. And the public eX-
posure is due not to the fact of the
greater abuse, but to the fierce party
feud which has led the two wings to a
warfare upon each other. The origin
of this feud, if it be due to patronage, as
is alleged and believed, is not in itself
discreditable to the Administration,
however unfortunate it may have been
to the party in New York. We de-
nOunce corruption of any kind, in the
New York Custom-house or any where
else. But we deny that the evils of
system which all parties have sup
ported and which all Administrations
have recognized are justly chargeabls
to the Administration which is making
the first earnest effort made to correct
the system itself.
1t will seem strange to those Repub-
licans who think the Administration
peculiarIy corrupt that it should be sus-
fained because of the profound popular
faith in its honesty; and yet that is its
strength, and it is that conviction
which will renominate the President.
Politicians privately sneer at the peo-
pie, and believe that they manage the
people. But they are managed by them,
When the politicians declare for can
didate, it is because they believe that
he will succeed, and that faith is found
ed upon their knowledge of the popu-
ular feeling. This feeling renominated
Mr.. Lincoln in 1864, although many
politicians and many newspapers were
opposed, and thought that we should
s'driftv to destruction 1t is sometimes
said that Mr.. Lincoln was re-nominated
and reelected because it was not
thought wise to change front before the
enemy. But the reason was. much
deeper. 1t was not one of expedieney,
but of principle. The mass of the loyal
people of this country had confidence in
Mr.. Lincoln. They believed him to be
an honest, simple man, one of them
selves, and sincerely devoted to the
sacred cause which they held dear. 1t is
the same feeling, the same faith in the
honest, sturdy purpose of the Presi-
dent, who is as simple in the cabinet as
he was modest in the field, which
makes him the candidate of the mas
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