The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-06-27
The Cou,ier and the Baltimore Con-
ventfon.

ttsiSt ent" course, that Lne balLlInore Oou-
! yention should content itself with recon-
mending "the (CincinnatD platform and
ssnominees to the cordial support OF the
Democracy OF the country" Yet it an
nouuces that it is not "wefded to this opin-
siop,," and asks, 'Why, t'en, should we
"wrangle over subject whose decision
s.does not in the least de.end upon our
'taction7"
If there has been any wrangling we DO
not know it; and we beg to remind our con-
temporary that the actual nomination OF
Mr.. Greeley at Baltimore is not beyond
doubt. A large majority OF the delegato'
already chosen are either instr""'S1 u 'o'e
for b;s nomination, .cr 70 vote against the
;not;or-sya d Democratic candidate, the
lo,1ser class far outnumbering the former.
A five. sixths vote, we firmly believe, could
be had for the direct nomination of Mr..
Greeley; but the Convention will have to de-
eide whether the direct nomination is not
omen to objections, from which an earnest
recommendation to the Democracy to sup
port MFR. Greeley would be altogether free.
To appreciate the effect OF direct nomina-
ton it is only necessary to digest the signi.
ficant utterance OF President Grant, who re-
Gently told o correspondent that in case the
Baltimore Convention nominated Mr.. Gree
lev the Radicals would know who they were
fighting. SaidMr. Grant: "k 'cM be an open
"Republican and Democratic battle, and
epreter that sort of a .tgat." Indeed, upon
that point we cannot do better than quote
the opinion OF the Missouri Republican, the
first and strongest advocate OF Liberal Re-
publicanism and Democratic Passvism.
That paper says
ssThe strong and increasing favor which the
Cincinnati ticket meets with from the Demo-
cratic masses has naturally led to the desire.
-~.."-...-~y -e---.-->'e o'~t" oon
ventions, that the Baltimore Conventloi shall
renominate or adopt 1t. Let it be remem'
bered, however, that this is what the Grant
party desire, as Grant himself Inadvertently
admits. That they desire 1t is conclusive
reason why 1t ought not to be done. 1t Is not
our business to come on the particular ground
which the enemy wishes us to occupy, and
upon which oil his guns are trained. That
position, which he has selected for us, ls one
which we ought carefully to avoid. When'
therefore, President Grant admits that IAN
open Republican and Democratic battle is
the sort OF fight he prefers, 1t is our msni-
fest duty, as it clearly is in our power. to force
on him some other sort of battle. We might
beat him on his own ground; Horace Greeley,
even encumbered with Democratic nomina-
tlon, or endorsement, would probably have
good show to defeat him. But Horace Gree
lev. not encountered with such a nomination,
would assuredly defeat him; for Horace Cree
lev. unendorsed, will receive all the Democra-
Tic votes that an endorsement would bring
him, and, perhaps, great many Republican
votes that Democratic endorsement would
repel from him. wise commander never
takes risk that he can as we'll avoid, and the
Democracy may prudently follow: the same
rule in this campaign. There Is no necessity
for a denomination or endorsement Of Greeley
at Baltimore, and it might prove hazardous
by provoking to the contest elements which
do not now appear, aud which are better kept
out of it. We want no reawakenIng of the
slumbering loyalty of the North in this can
vass; and we know of no better way of avoid
ing such thing than to leave Greeley and
Brown free ana unincumbered, to the strength
of their own names, and to the Liberal move.
ment that brought them FORTH
Surely these are sound reasons why the
Courier should adhere to its original opinion
that it is s'most wise and consistent" to ab-
stain from nominating Mr.. Greeley. The
decision OF the question depends on the
action of the press and OF the delegates,
and, in both respects, our contemporary is
able to exercise considerable influence, un
less, indeed, it is prepared to surrender it's
opinion merely because the Alabama Con-
vention desires that the Liberal nomina-
tions be ratified, and because an Augusta
newspaper treats the nomination as fore.
gone conclusion. We have not heard or
seen solitary strong reason why direct
nomination should take place, and nothing
less than the deliberate decision OF the
National Convention will cause this paper
to refrain from expressing its belief that the
nomination Of Mr. Greeley would be impoli-
tic and'hazardous in the extreme.