The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-05-24
Reasons of Mr.. Greeley's Unatness.

From the New York Evening Post May
What was at one time regarded as
good joke, the nomination of Horace
Greeley for the post Of President of the
| United States, has, by the recent act of
the Cincinnati Convention, become So
Der earnest. IL gives certain air of low
comedy 10 the election in which the
country is about 10 engage; but, in
spite Of that the subject is of such a
nature, and the public interest is so
deeply concerned in it, that we are
forced to treat it seriously. We shall.
therefore. put together few reasons
that occur TO Us why the nomination
Of Mr.. Greeley is unworthy of support.
lie lacks the courage, the tirmness, and
the consistency which are required in q
Chief Magistrate Of the nation. He
showed this in remarkable manner
when. at the outbreak of the civil war.
he desired TO let the South have its way
and dissolve the Union of the States. He
was frightened, and feared TO face the
consequences OF rejecting the demands
OF the Southern politicians. The war
however, went on, and soon. though
claiming TO be a Unionist, he became
frightened again. He wanted to make
terms with the Rebel Government AT
Richmond +; he wanted to negotiate with
George Saunders and other agents of the
Rebel government who had sought ref
uge III Canada. tie was for stopping the
war and letting the South depart with
the chance OF preserving slavery. His
whole career during the war was irreso.
Lutte and cowardly, and his counsels i'm.
polite and unwise TO the last degree.
Mr.. Greeley's political associations and
lntlmacles are so bad that we can expect
nothing from him, in case, to his own
misfortune and ours, he shout be be
elected, but corrupt administration of
affairs. Everybody is aware of his close
intimacy with Mr.. Fenton Of the Sen
ate. II there is a corrupt and dishonest
politician IN the land, there j, no
man who has better claim to be so
considered than Reuben f. Fenton. His
character is well known to Mr.. Greeley;
yet is he Mr. Gleeley's bosom friend and
counselor in politics. Without a single
idea Of what public virtue or principle
means, he is most shrewd and skillful
political manager. 1t was probably |
through his IntrIgues more than through !
any other influence that Mr.. Greeley |
su ;ceeded in obtaining his nomination. !
The same facility for entering into close |
association with dishonest men has |
marked the whole of Mr.. Greeley's ca
reer. lie began his political lite as a |
disciple of Thurlow Weed, and only re-
belled against his master when he found |
that he was not TO have any of the Off |
ces for which political parties were quar-
rellng. In letter which found its way |
into print, he expressly declined to hunt |
any longer in company with that vir-
there was no proper division of the |
game. He how hunts in company with |
Fenton, who is more generous. If the |
should be elected, it is very likely that
Fenton would be the principal member
of his Cabinet, and that the other heads |
of departments would be little better.
AS for the subordinate offices, they
would probably be filled by the men
whom he makes his companions, such
as John V. Grisley, Waldo Hutchins,
Benjamin Wood, John Morrissey, and
Hank Smith, the lesser lights of Mr.
Greeley's social armament. Mr.. Greeley
has no settled political principles, with
one exception. 1t il serious objection
to any candidate for an office of high
political trust that he has no welldefined
standard of right in bis own mind by
which to try any measure or any course
of proceeding that may be proposed.
This is one of Mr.. Greeleys great de
ficiencies. Any aspect of public mea.
sure which looks plausible satisfies him,
and he drifts backward and forward
upon the shifting currents of expedi-
ency. 1t has been said of him as poll.
ician, and we believe with some truth,
hat he has been on every side of every
public question that has come up save
,ne, and that brings us to another ob.
lection TO hiru as candidate. III is
thorough going, sigoted Protectionist,
champion of one of the most arbitrary
md grinding systems of monopoly ever