Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-04-19
From the n. Y. Evening Post, Republican.
WAY TO VICTORY


The movement of the liberal Republi-
cans, which threatens to organize and to
take permanent form at the Cincinnati
Convention on the first of May, seems to
be gathering force rapidly. The manifesto
of the New York ''bOlters" has been quickly
followed by a manifesto from the liberal
Republicans of Wisconsin; calls for reform
conventions in Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Arkansas, Louisiana and New Jersey have
been published, and words of appreciation
have been pronounced by prominent Re
publicans in Massachusetts,, Pennsylvania
and in other States in which the Re
publican party is predominant, all look
ing towards the enforcement Of the
promises of reform which have remained
unfulfilled for four years. The character
of many of the men who have lately en-
couraged this independent movement seems
to indicate that unless the Republican lead
ers promptly reject the timid advice of the
office-hOlderS and the Senatorial ring, and
denOunce the mercenary OyerturcS Of the
monOpolistS who are besieging Congress to
postpone reforms, the nomination OF
second Republican candidate for President
is as nearly certain as that General Grant
will be renominated at Philadelphia. The
late elections in New Hampshire, Connec-
ticut and Rhode Island give strength to
this opinion, for, while the Democrats
would have accepted victory in those States
| as a precursor Of their national success,
now they accept defeat as a command to
be passive IN the national canvass, allowing
the Republicans to conduct the contest
among themselves, and supporting that
side which they judge to be the most
favorable for the country.
The responsibility for this condition of
political affairs belongs to the Republicans
IN n In
natl, which at first should have been &C
copied by all as simply an advisory meet
ing to influence the action Of the National
Republican Convention, seems likely to be
forced into All Independent position by the
| inactiOn and miSmanagement Of the lead
ers in Congress. 1t is not surprising, there
fore, that the lobby who are interested in
maintaining the present bungling civil SER
vice and that system Of special legislation
called protective tariff, should be urging
| the House of Representatives to adopt the
resolution which Senator Morton intro
| duced the first week in the session for the
final adjournment Of Congress before the
nominating conventions shall be held. The
| timidity OF the {" Presidential session > Of
| Congress has become prOverbial but the
| cOwardice of the present Congress bids fair
| to hold the SupCrlativC degree in national
| legislation. 1t began fairly one year ago
| by promising to abolish the obnoxious
| bOunties eXtOrted from the people to
maintain rich monopolies, and by
| encouraging reform in the civil ser
vice. it has ended many months
| of idle discussion by an unconditional sur
render to the rings which threaten or caiole
| the members with their influence in Con-
| gressiOnal districts and in the national can
vass. Had Congress continued as it began,
and fulfilled the pledges upon which it was
| elected, the Cincinnati movement would
have been as insignificant rs the Cleveland
movement in 1864, or it would not have
| been heard of at all. But prescription,
| monopoly, corruption and bad management
of the civil service have gone unpublished,
| and have been shielded by the feeblest in
vestigatiOns. The rings which are inter
| ested in the present unsatisfactory cOndi-
ton of things are consequently fearful even
now that Congress may take the alarm and
! go to work.
| We trust that their apprehensions will
| prove correct. There must be some wis
| dom yet left in Congress. -Four months
of this session have already passed in abso-
lutte idleness, SO far as the public business
is concerned. Amnesty, civil service re-
| form, and the repeal Of the ranking prvi-
lege have waited upon special legislation.
! The sum and substance Of the work of
! Congress thus far has been to make CAPT
| tai for an Opposition " i'll the national
canvass. Facts arc disagreeable some
| times; they are always stubborn. If Con-
| gresS wants the administration defeated
| III the coming canvass, it should adjourn
| at the command Of the lobby without DO
| ing anything if it wants the administra-
! ton sustained it will make (, right-abOut-
| face and perform works which will make
| the Cincinnati movement a supeyfiuity.