The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-03

THE movement to defeat President Grant
is purely personal one in its character.
1t is not the platform that determines the
value of either party, but the character of
the men who stand upon it, and of those
who sustain it. If Greeley and his princi-
pal supporters had left the Republican par
ty because they differed with its leaders on
any great public question, they might have
expected to carry others with them. ..
If the Republican party had made free
trade one of its planls, then the departure
of Greeley with his =" ferocious" protection
views would have involved a principle
which would no doubt have found many
followers. Consistent protectionists in the
Republican party would have joined hands
with him, as by remaining with the party
they would give encouragement to policy
to which they were radically opposed. So
with other great public questions, involving
some definite principle on which the people
are divided; their adoption or rejection by
the Republican party might have been fol-
lowed by bolt that would seriously have
weakened its organization and rendered
the opposition formidable. But their with
drawal on purely personal grounds has
rendered them powerless to weaken the
great and noble party whose principles
they endorse and whose leading measures
they approve.
In politics as in religion, men are inf1uen-
tial only so far as their efforts go to advance
the cause. And generally their devotion
to the principles of the party N whose be-
half they labor is the measure of their
personal popularity in the party. Outside
of this boundary, or the circle of influences
it includes, they are esteemed simply as in
dividuals, with no other or greater nflu-
ence than that possessed by the most ordi-
nary person. Thousands of persons might
be found who would follow Horace Greeley
to the death in assaults upon the corrupt
Democracy, or in his defense of Repub,
lican principles, not because he was
Horace Greeley, but because he was
the recognized leader of the party
and of the cause in which they be
lieved most vital principles were at stake
But when the point of attack is to be
their own party, and the strongholds t(
be defended are nothing but Horace Gree
ley and the corrupt leaders of the Demo
cratic party, few men will be found fool
ish enough to follow. Greeley and his Lib
eral eo-workers, Trumbuil and Schur2
thought they were neglected by the AID
ministraton. Surprising they were, is neg
lect of such men a broad enough plank t
build party upon? Yet this is about a
the Greeley movement is based upon.
makes war upon General Grant and til
Republican party not because it disagree
with them in their national poIics, for Nh
Summer assures us that the platforms of til
two conventions are the same, but becaus
Greeley, Trumbull, Schurz, and few otf
ers did not have the share of patronag
which they felt their Importance demanded
For this reason, and this reason only, the
left the party, struck hands with the Den
ocracy, and sought to imperil the very e.
io'ShSS VI tbS party Oii WHICH, thSJ nav
heretofore depended for their all.
In our judgement, the movement has Il
strength in the Republican party, is veal
ness itself to the Democratic party, an
will end in disastrous failure to those VIII
inaugurated it. Whatever temporary e,
element the movement may create, the a
tempt to betray the Republican party in
the hands of the Democracy will soon ha,
reached its high-water mark, and disclose
receding tide. The world is never suddel
lystocked with fools. A kindly Provident
has limited their birth and growth to Il
same law of gradual development whit
marks all other two-legged exstences tn
either beautify or deface our much-trod
footstool.