The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-19
Remarks of MIR. Iushes Accompanying His
Report of the Platform

| htHuFks VI W.T. lsNEHcS Accompanying III
Report of the Platform.
Part of the duty of this Convention is to a,
point delegates to the National Republican Col
yention of Philadelphia. This Convention has
right, speaking for the Republicans of virginis
to express its preference as to the persons to b
nominated at Philadelpha; and, in the excrcis
! OF that right, it will declare its preference fo
General Grant
But, though this be done here in Virginia, ant
though it be done in many other states 1t doe
not follow that the National Convention
| will be precluded from or be indisposet
to, give just consideration TO the claims of othe
prominent Repnbicans. We all recognize tn
right of every good and eminent Republican tt
benamed for the highest offices of the nation
/ The Philadelphia Convention will not meet witt
a foregone determination against any man
| Neither General Grant himself, nor any of hi.
I friends nor any true Republican, pretends tina
he alone Of all the great men of the party, has 9
right to the nomination. The Convention
1 man, even Gen. Grant. Its nomination
| will be made in the interest OF cur cause and in
that interest alone. believe that the great con.
| sideration,-W Wot Is best for tie pdrtys and
| coantrys goodwill secure the choice OF the
| Convention to Gen, Grant and, if SO, and on
| that ground, he be nominated, no man will have
right to complain. Those who refuse to sub
init their aspirations to the Convention, and
| bolt the Republican organization, are seeking
some other end than the good of the cause;
| and, therefore, they will be repudiated by
| the pasty. The popularity of General Grant Is
no reason why any Republican should hold
aloof frcm the Convention. 1t is the very rea-
son why he should be nominated; and if any Ro-
publicans refuse to go into the Convention be-
cause of the certainty of General Grants nom
nation, they refuse because his claims to the
honor are, with reference TO the good of the
cause, transcendantly superior to theirs.
1t is charged that General Grant uses his pa
tronage to secure 3 Fictitious strength at Philer
delphia ; and that the Convention will be packed
by ofIice-holders. But every man knows that
DatrOnlvp VVpakpnS ra thAr than bp1 an,
aspirant for the Presidency. Andrew Johnson had
more patronage, by far, than Gen. Grant. He
used It very diligently for his own nomination;
and what was his fate? With all his patronage
he. was the weakest man in the weakest of
national conventions. SO would Gen. Grant be
weak, despite of all his patronage, if he were no
better man than Andrew Johnson. He is strong
with the people, and he will be Overwhelmingly
strong in the Philadelphia Convention, not by
reason OF his patronage, Which has
cost him many friends, and the enmity
of such men as Fenton, Trumbull, Schurz; but
in virtue of his success as President--as marked
as his success as General, by his honesty, his
Eerve, his services to the country, and the love
and respect entertained for him by the people OF
the country. 1t is his character, his qualities,
his success, which have given him his popular
strength; and which will secure his nomination
and election. If for these reasons he shall go
into the Philadelphia Convention, stronger than
any other man. he ought to be nominated; he is.
the man we want; and they will furnish the
very best reason in the world why the claims of
But, instead of all aspiring men in the Repub
lican party, eonsenting TO these views and biding
their time; what do we see We see distin-
guished men OF the party refusing to go to Phila-
delphia, on the ground tnat Gen. Grant is over
whelmingly strong, and their own present pros
poets eclipsed. We see them conducting bitter
campaigns OF philppcs and Investigations against
Gen. Grant, who, they concede, is to receive the
Republican nomination. We see them splitting
away from the Republican party, making war
upon its organization, and its prospective
a
and, in the approaching Cincinnati Convention;
to call muSter-roU Of deserters II, the
centre Of the Democratic camp. II is impossible
to reconcile their conduct with any true ideas of
fidelity to the Republican cause, and patriotic
concern for the public good.
There is much OF the pretense, but none of the
Cincinnati gathering of companyQ q. 1t has all
the appearance of the spiteful freak of
spolt politicians, and none of the characteristics
of q sober, solid movement of the people II is |
an exfoliation, secession; and it will turn out
as other secession movements have done in our
day. This sort of movement is no new thing
In the crisis OF the campaign OF 1864 a similar
eDteute was gotten up within the Republican |
party sgainst the denomination of President |
Lincoln. 1t was formidably led by Senator
Wade, Gen Fremont, MIR. Cochran, of New
York, Winter Davis, and other strong men, A 7
was called aud held at Cleveland, and
4 presidential ticket put in the field But what |
came of it Did it prevail against the popular |
ity of the President, or against the strength of I
carried the day and the secession movement of
1854 persisted miserably.
Then came the canvass of 1868. Andrew John
SON had seeded from the Republican organiza-
tion, just as Senator Wade and Mr.. Davis had [
done before. Judpe Chase lent his great Influence
to johnson. Frank Blair, all the Blairs, includ-
ing probably Gratz Brown, who is a Blair went
oh with johnson and Chase went over fiat /
into the ensmy's camp. But did Chase and /
Johnson and the Blairs break up the Republican I
party? No. far from it. The cause and the or
friumnheA and the affa xx,aft ~,
the wall--trumphcd as it had done in 1854 and /
rs it will. do in 1879. They We're movements Of |
mere politicians. The people stood to the good
Republican cause; and the treason, like grub
worm thrown out upon the bot pavement. /
squirfned and died, The Republican edifce /
stood intact and erect. The winds blew, the
hoods came, the rains fell and beat upon that
house; but il stood for it was founded upon Il
Rock
We have now repetition of the same thing.
Over-ambitious men never profit by each others /
experience History continually repeats itself in |
the follies of such man. We have seen that the /
Fremont movement of 1864 broke down. The |
people remained true; the politicians came to
grief. Wehave seen that Andrew Johnson's and /
] Judge Chase's detection in 1868 failed defec-
tion headed by a President with his patronage |
and directed by the talents of Mr. Lincoln's |
financial secretary, become CHER Justice OF /
the United States. Not all their patronage and |
prestige could prevail against the sturdy strength
of the Republican organization.
We have now q third movement of the same |
this time to measure lances with the Republican.
party; aided by the Blairs and by Senators
Sehurz and Trumbull. 1t is not TO be denied
that there is weight In these names IN the Re-
publican organization these men were pot1er |
indeed. 1t remains to be seen whether, out of /
the organization they shall be shorn of their
power
But am sure there is one thing about This Sc.
cession movement of 1872 which win canker and |
kill. There is that about it which will
make the sterling people of the Union
refuse TO touch It Its character may be e1-
pressed in words which may be counted on the |
fingers of one hand-TRADIEa DEMOCRATS USING |
TRAITOR REPUBLIcAgs. Democrats who have no |
political principles using Republicans who are
false TO theirs Depend upon 1t that the people |
of the United States will never be found ready |
to escort into the White House with IN usic and I
banners, a ooALIrI ON OF FRAUD WITH III REAeHEkY /:
even at the instigation Of Mr. Greeley and the
Tribune. &laft, D. tl5sE1 i.fN ~. |
The explanation Of General Grants great |
popularity is very easily given. s as !
There is no mystery in the case. The secret |
OF his popular strength is simply thlss 1Hecoua.