Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-07-31
WILMINGTON, DEL.
Wednesday Afternoon, July 81.
GRANT A DEMOCRAT AND GREELEY a
REPUBLICAN ~

The Sussex journal objects to the definition
of its position as rected in the COMMERCIAL,
last week, and in a lengthy reply seeks to jus
tify the course which it has set out to pursue.
To the journal, its reply may be satisfactory,
but to our judgment, it contains absurdities and
incongruities some of which we will endeayor
to point out.
A justification OF ts endorsement Of and sur
render to Greeley is sought in the nomination
and election OF Gen Grant, by the Republicans,
when Grant was an original Democrat We re-
ply, the cases are not parallel Admitting that
General Grant was Democrat, before and until
the breaking out of the war, he abandoned the
party when it sympatlized with the assault
upon the Union, and became an earnest worker
in the Republican ranks-not in words only, but
in that truest test Of fidelity to principle, upon
the hattle-felds of the Republic. From the mo-
ment when the flag vas openly menaced, his
associations and affiliations have been with
Union men and Republicans his sympathies
have been enlisted in their behalf his labors
have been bestowed in the establishment of
their principles, and his whole life has been de-
voted to the advancement Of their cause. lie
tie Presidency, as if he had been the founder
Of the party, aud relying upon the sincerity of
his convictions, the party chose him az its rep
ressntative and exponent. The wisdom of that
choice has been fully den onstrated in the idel-
it, with which he has adhered to the Republican
policy.
Mr., Greeleys apostscy from the principles to
which he had given lifetime of devotion. and
his conversion to the Democratic faith, IT, in
deed, such conversion has been made, was OF a
very different character, and is established upon
no higher convictions than his unfortunate do
sire for political preferment. The change Was
too sudden-the alleged motives too transparent
TO convince the masses Of his sincerity His
political views veered to the opposite side of the
compass as rapidly the weather-cock changes
its position in tickle March, at a time, too, when
the identical principles for which he had all
along contended were being practically applied
to the government, and were about to be sub
mited to the people for re-approval. IL the
one case We have prosenteda change Of political
frohJ, inspired by patriotism iu the other a
change which is mercenGry and disgusting
Again, the Republican party abandoned no
principles to enlist the support OF General Grant
He planted himself squarey upon its platform
On the other hand the Democratic party suu-
dered its ties and forsook its oid-tme princi
ples to accept Greeley. Hence, it will be seen
the cases are wholly dssimilar.
But, says the journal, the Democratic party
has had a new birth -" has arisen to a higher
plane" The results of the war, it says, have
been passed upon by the people aud approved"
AMI it inquiries il it shall stultfy itself By
hanging on to exploded theories now T" By no
means. Let it advance let 1t conform its policy
anl principles to vital, living issues .et il
become the defender and exponent of those
views which it has all along opposed If it will but
let it do so honestly and conscieutiousy II It be.
lieyes in the justice Of those principles and really
accepts them, let it not denounce them Az embod-
iments of an absolute military despotism. with
the lingering form aud show OF election" as
changes of the organic law" and mutiatons
of the constitution Let it not still nsinuate a
desire for return to the exploded theories -
which it processes to have deserted Such out
groupings as these but intimate All iusincertv of
purpose studied concealment OF the real in-
ten.ions Of the J3Tndl, 1t remjuds us very
forcbly Of the man i'll tn. fable, who, impressed
with the belief that he was nearing his end, aud
feeling the forgiveness of an GU TRACED friend
necessary to his eternal peace ,humby asked hi,
pardon, adding it get well this all goes roi
nothing" If the Journal is ready to accept the
reaults of the war as accomplished facts in good
faith, we are ready, nay, anxious, to join hands
with it, and will do our u most, with 1t. to insure
heir full realization.