The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-22
MONDAY EVENING, APRIL %, 1872.
CINCINNATI CONVENTION.

The time is rapidly approaching when
this incongruous body is to meet in Cincin-
natl. The first of May is the day fixed
upon, aud, if the programme is fully carried
out, that day will witness one of the most
extraordinary political gatherings ever as
sembled on this continent. 1t will be most
extraordinary in this, that it will represent
body Of men whose hearts are so eagerly
set on reform that they cannot wait for the
Philadelphia Convention to come together
to effect it, but must hurry up to Cincinnati
to do it themselves in advance of the Phila-
delphia gathering. They are intensely ca
ger for reform-these delegates that are
bound for Cincinnati! There they propose
to effect it all by themselves, with the doors
of their Convention slammed in the face of
the Democrats, if not effectually barred
against them, and with no federal
office-holder allowed to como with
in trunpet-speaking distance of their
prominently Republican conclave. There
they are to take, without any Demo-
cratic or ofiice-holdng intrusion, earnest
and active counsel together for the purpose
of preserving the vital principles of the
Republican party" and not for any per-
sonal ends, or individual ACKNOWLEDGEMENT,
or anything else Of that sort. They are to
meet there to declare anew their devotion
to the supremacy Of the constitution, the
preservation of the Union, the constitutions
ally defined rights Of the states, the sacred
ness of Habeas Corpus, the inviolability of
enfranchisement, the universally of am
nesty, and the purity, integrity and econ
omy of government. An excellent plat
form this, as far as it goes, but embody-
ing no vital principle, distinct and separate
from what will be deinitively enunciated
at Philadelphia, if we except certain condi-
tons and reservations which wise states
manship would suggest as contingent upon
events transporting here and there, newt.
ably it may be, within the confines of the
great Republic.
This is the ostensible object of the Con
vention-the lure that is held out for de
taching Republican votes from the regular
Philadelphia movement, whatever thai
may be. This, we repeat, is the ostensible
object of this eminently Republican con
sultation in Cincinnati. But the real object
or the straightforward and practical end t.
be reached, is either to vent denuncation
and Misrepresentation enough against Gen
Grant and his administration Of the gov
eminent for the last four years to defea
his election by the people, or to enable The
disafected leaders and ambitious politicians
those more or less fallen from grace il
the Republican party-to make such ret
pies as to draw the whole Democratic vot
of the country into support of the Cincin
matt nominee.
The most bitterly disappointed and I'm
scrupulous place-hunters in the party ar
in the movement, and they have got mos
difficult role to play. They have not ma
terial enough to constitute third party
and incur the expense of securing an indie
pendent organization and running thir
ticket. 1t takes good many hundre
thousand dollars to do this, and the monte
men Of the party are not with them in thi
retrograde movement from political grac
to partisan iniquity. Their only hope
therefore, is to make the Cincinnati Conven
ton take the place of Democratic one, an
enable them, like the fox in the fable, t
slip in between the lion and the bear an
carry off the much-coveted meat of contrc
yersy. Their role is difficult in this, thu
to make direct endorsement of Demo
cratic principles is to stultify themselves
abandon their own record, and voluntaril
lapse from grace into infamy while not
do it, is to invite the Democracy to spe'
them out of its mouth, and leave them
nest Of traitors, to sting themselves
death as best they may in their bin
jealousy and impotent rage.
They can have no hope Of DRAWN
off any considerable portion of the
own party. The late canvass in Cor
necticut was especially shaped
view of the Cincinnati Convention, an
with reference to the Liberal Republica
vote in that State, but the resu
showed that both they and the Demo
Gratis leaned upon broken reed. The RI
publicans were never more thoroughly un
ted than in the contest that there ensueC
The Democratic party counted on outsid
support it did not receive. Their platforr
was word for word copy of that on whic
B. Gratz Brown was elected Governor {
Missouri in 1870, and it was purposely S
made to win Republican votes and test th
efficacy of the Cincinnati movement to
inaugurated the first of May. 1t had tn
vigorous support of two leading Republ
can journals in New York city, but tn
only effect was to keep two thousand Den
ocratic voters at home on the day of elet
ton, and give Jewell plurality over Hui
bard, the most popular war-Democrat i
the State, of nearly two thousand votes.
If this does not indicate the utter hopc
lessness of the Cincinnati movement, "
can conceive of nothing that arould ind
cate it.