Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-05-13

THIS policy on the part OF the Democratic
party. he says, would be suicidal He
then says that no change Of front at Phil
adelphia, in June, will dissolve the Lib
real organization, or bring about the with
drawal of its ticket. He names the as
sumptions upon which he bases this be-
lief, and adds,
For these and kindred reasons We are
morally certain that the Liberal Republi.
cans will maintain and extend their Or
ganization, uphold their banner, and sup |
port their candidates to the end, unless
the democrats shall see fit to drive them
of the course, which they are not likely
to do.
Now, all this is nothing more than q
threat to the democratic party. 1t says as
plainly as Saxon speech can express ones
meaning, that Mr.. Greeley and the gentle
men enlisted with him in this movement
are willing to break down its policies,
and pave the way for complete demo-
cratic restoration, if the last-named party
will elevate them to power. This is the
price for the betrayal, and nothing else will
satisfy them. Their object is not so much
the defeat Of Grant as the attainment of
place. If the democrats do not choose to
make them the instruments of their re-
venge they are willing that Grant shall be
reelected and hint that they will work to
} that end
/ We would be glad. for Mr.. Greeley's
sake, to be able to put some other con-
struction upon yesterdays utterance of the
Tribune, but the view we take is irresisti
BILE. We never expected such confess
ion from this source, but here is the plain
est Of language.
As for the democratic party adopting
what Mr.. Greeley calls suicidal policy,
the opposition in it to him as a candidate
grows in strength every day. He has. it is
true, been consistent in his mild friendship
for the South, but he cannot be put for
ward as a representative of that party
of the re-actionary elements which con-
troll its leadership and compose its votes.
He never believed, as the whole democrat
ic party of Pennsylvania did two years
ago, that the fifteenth amendment was
foul, wicked, and not binding He
never believed in the species Of wild
justice which organized midnight gangs
Of murderers to harrass and prosecute the
loyal blacks of the South. He has all
his life long branded the democratic par
ty with the deepest odium, denounced its
principles as the rankest heresies, and
stigmatized its statesmen as demagogues
and traitors, and no words Of his, either in
direst threatenings or sweetest persuasion,
can at this day win these men over to his
support. Such a contradiction of lifelong
records, such clash of opposite ideas,
and so utter qualification as the adoption
of Horace Greeley as the Democratic can
didate for President would be, is unknown
in political history.
We say this without any fear of the con-
sequences Of such suicidal policy
Mr.. Greeley could no moro secure the solid
support of the democratic party than he
can their confidence. He is politically
lovable to thousands of republicans. The
mass of those who fought against the flag,
and of those whose treason found not SO
bold an expression, could not be dragooned
into voting for him by score of Demo-
cratic conventions and thousand August
Belmonts."