Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-08
The Liberal" Address.

1872 invite the attention of the people of Mas
sachusetts to the present condition of public
affairs in its relation to the principles of the re-
publican party.
Twelve years ago that party was for the first
time successful in national canvass, and chose
Abraham Lincoln president. Four years later
it won its second victory in the reelection of
Mr.. Lincoln. The party was, up to that time,
united and intact -Four years later still, when
the treachery of Andrew Johnson had threat.
ened, but failed to accomplish its division, the
military career of General Grant attracted the
attention of the country, and induced the favor
able mention of his name in connection with
the republican nomination for the presidency.
General Grants political status was not in the
beginning clearly defined; his qualifications to
enter upon career in which Statesmanlike
qualities were indispensable to success were also
doubtful; but he was deemed by the majority of
the republicans the most available candidate
for the presidency.
General Grant was nominated and elected by
the republican voters to that office. From the
time he entered upon the duties he has failed to
appreciate the dignity and responsibility of his
position. His repuhlicanism has been that of
the narrowest partisanshp; and, having APP
parently satisfied his mind that in stamping his
administration with this he had fulfilled his
duty to his party, he has proceeded to use his
office otherwise to promote his personal ends.
The leading republicans in public life--those
their service to the country, and who had, most
of all, its conldence-have been ignored. In
place OF them the president has taken, as his
advisers, some of the most Objectionable of
those whom personal intrigue had fortuitOusly
given high position, whose Sycophancy had
minisered TO his personal qualification, or whom
the tide of success had foated into the party.
The influence of these men has been such as to
commit him, to Il great extent, to their own
factious purpose. The result was division and
embodiment in more than one state, with the
president openly taking sides with one of the
Contending factions, and that the worst one.
Some of the ablest men of the party thus be-
came alienated from the adminiStra ton.
The San Domingo controversy, and the cir
cumStanccs that attended upon the warfare
made upon the Massachusetts senator, Charles
Sumner, are fresh in the minds of all. Mr..
Sumner opposed the scheme of the president for
the annexation of that region, as ii was his
right as an independent senator, and his duty
as an enlightened statesman, to do. Time and
the arguments that have been ELECTED have so
fully vindicated his position that few now pre-
sumo to question its wisdom. For taking this
course and refusing TO bow to the presidents
fiat, open and unrelenting warfare was made
upon him. Disregarding his commanding pc
Sition before the country, his eminent services
to the republican party, and his unequalled fit
ness for the post in the senate which he had so
long and honorably occupied as the head Of the
committee on foreign affairs it was determined
at the white house that he should be punished
by deposition from this craftsmanship. The
decree went out. 1t was executed by an UNI
willing senate; some Of the senators who took
part in it openly protesting their disaSte for
what was required of them, and their convic-
ton of its injustice and impolicy. A double
blow was thus struck by the president, at the
abest republican leader and the staunchest re-
publican state, because the former had pre-
sumed to oppose him upon measure, not one
of partizanihip in any sense, but of a character
where it was not only admissible, but highly
important in the interest of the nation, that in
dependence of judgment should be allowed free
action.
While such were the men of whom the presi-
dent refused to take counsel, and upon whom
he made warfare, his closest contidantS were
few military men whose whole training palpa-
bly, untitled them to advise the executive of the
nation on questions of craftsmanship. Those
men formed the first of the rings that collected
about the president. The Porters, the Bah
cocks, the Dents, the Leets and the Stockings
were specimens of the class that composed it.
The second is made up of office-holders, who
have been placed under personal obligation by
their appointment, and have been given to I'M
derstand that personal service is required in the
discharge thereof, like the late Collector Murphy
and the present Collector Casey, to say nothing
of some that might be named nearer home. All
are expected TO prove a bOdysguard of service
for the president. And to these still third
ring must be added, which may be called the
senatorial ring, composed of members of the U.
5. senate who have ingratiated themselves with
the president, and have made themselves accept
able TO him by their thick and-thin defence of
his administration in that body. These, partly
with view to the control Of the patronage in
their state, aud partly to the end of gratifying
their personal animosities, have taken posi-
ton in which, while protesting friendship to the
administration, they have really made it the
tool for their own selfish ends. AS the result
of their action, the ablest and the purest men
of the senate-such as Sumner, Trumbull and
Schurz-are ostrazised, while in the places they
should occupy we behold Cameron, Chandler
Morton, Carpenter, Conkling, Nye and Pome-
roy, some of them men Of VIGOROUSLY tainted
reputation, and Others having record that has
deprived them of that public confidence which
is so eminently enjoyed by those whom they
have displaced. 1t is this last class who have
opposed the efforts at reform made under the
lead of Mr.. Trumbull in the present congress-
and who justify the president in his conierment
Of Office upon his wide circle Of relations and
the persons from whom he has received gifts
as well as in his general round of pleasure-seek-
ing to the neglect Of the business of the nation
and his want of dignity in the choice of personal
associates and in his personal appearance be-
fore the people.
The republican party, in its Philadelphia plat
form, admits the necessity Of a reform in the
civil service, and pretends to favor claws which
shall abolish the evils Of patronage The
necessary and only keystone of such laws Is that
the magistrate who is the source of patronage
shall not be able to use it to prolong his own
power. The party shows its contempt of this
and proves its sincerity by proceeding to reDom-
mate president who has VIGOROUSLY used his
patronage to promote his own interests and pro-
long his power. The sincere advocates of civil
service reform, both at Cincinnati and Balti-
more, added to their statement Of the great po-
ltica necessity Iof the day this emphatic and
practical sentence: "rO this end it is impera-
lively required that no president shall be can
ddate for reelection" and proceeded TO nom-
nate candidate educated and pledged TO this
principle
Here is vital issue, and only those who do
not wish to see the civil service reformed. or
who are incapable Of learning anything from
history or experience, will fail to recognize il as
most potent reason for voting the liberal
ticket.
If the political history Of the United States
has proved anything, it is that the eligibility OF
the president TO succeed himself makes his bat.
ronagc equivalent to corruption fund Of some
millions Of dollars, wherewth he can thwart the
popular will If so disposed, The possibility of
securing second term by y duo MANIPULATION
Of the subordinate Offices is nearly sure to ruin
the first, Till this possibility is slut Off, EEK.
aiming boards" will be worse than farce
Shutting it out rcsOlutely aud forever will ami
hilate the greatest danger to popular govern
ment which now exists. Tho people, as against
the politicians Of whatever party have a right
to and will have the 0ne-ternl principle estab-
lished. And now is their time
The reasons thus rapidly recited have led n
large number Of the republicans in this and
other states 10 feel the necessity of separating
from an organization, which, despite the
suppressed disgust Of the majority of its
voters, IL yet 80 committed 10 tho gVppQrt
of the president that there is no hope of reform
while continuing in its ranks. In the candidate
nominated by the liberal convention nj Cincn-
natl, and endorsed by the democratic conyen-
ton at Baltimore, they ind q man who, unlike
the regular republican candidate, has both an
intelligent conceplionIof republican principles,
and sincere desire that they shall be incorpor-
ated, not in their narrowncss, but in their
breadth, into The policy Of the nation. On this
point we refer with confidence % the record Of
the two candidates, Horace Greeley has been
imbued with anti.slayery ideas for the whole
period Of his public life. He began 10 advocate
them In the wing party among tho earliest, and
never, for more than thirty years down to the
present era, has he been even charged with