New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-07-11
Greeley ON Presidential Aspira-
lions. L.

Mr.. Greeley made speech in Montreal in
1868, soon after Grants election, in which he
thus referred to the fatal influence of the
Presidential fever upon public men:
she (Mr. Webster) had the elements of
moral greatness, and he had faults as well.
He failed only in one respect, and in this
respect differ from him-he wanted to be
President and do not. But for that one
misfortune he would have been the greatest
man America ever produced. 1 have seen
men who died of it at very-old age. No
one ever escapes the clutches of the disease.
He Tires and dies IN the delusion. Being a
reader and an observer at very early age,
saw how it poisoned and po,aiyzed the very
heart Of our public men, and l have care
fully avoided it. 1t was easy then to speak
the truth! =. We at least in our day
have President elect soho did not try to be
President" .. .-... -.---..-
In a speech made to the New York Repub-
lican Association upon being elected its presi-
dent not much more than year ago, after
Gen. Grant had been tried two years, Mr..
Greeley renominated him for President in
these terms ., $50 ..l..4-.. $3.50 10
"While asserting the right Of every Repub-
lican to his untrammeled choice Of candi-
date for next President until nomination is
made, renture to suggest that General Grant
ieiH be far better qualified for that D,omentous
trust IN 1872 than he acas IN 1868. -,
Last fall-l87l-Mr. Greeley addressed
the Republicans of Trumbull county, Ohio,
upon the political issues before the country,
in which he expressed the following sensible
opinion, and his reasons for it: Iii .a..
'If the Democratic party were called upon
to decide between Grant and myself, know
that their regard for what they must call
principle ,routd induce nine-tenths Of them 10
rote against me. Why? 1 an, a decided enemy
Of that party, ecen III its most respectable as
pcss." I. --,.'. ,.'s'f'.. d. ,-"'--... 80 - -
Having thus declared that he was not and
could not be candidate without the danger
of running his character and the necessity ei
sacrificing truth, and stated why he could not
be elected if he were to become a candidate,
he thus predicts the election Of Gen. Grant
eve are led by him who first taught our
armies to conquer in the West, and subse-
quently in the East also. Richmond would
not come to US until we sent Grant after it,
and then it had to come. He has ncrer vel
been defeated and nerer ciU be. He iCiH be as
great and successful on the field of politics as on
that Of arms" .,... as. =....-...,-.-.. ss
Since Mr.. Greeley SO graphically described
the poisonous and paralyzing effect of the
Presidential fever in Montreal; since he so
frankly declared his belief that if the Demo
Gratis were compelled to decide baween him
and Grant nme-tenths Of them rould rote against
him ; and since he renomiamed President Grant,
wonderful change has come over him, and
he is now the rebel Democratic candidate
for President The Democracy have there
fore forced upon them the necessity Of choos-
ing between him and Grant, and the ques-
ton will soon be tested whether his opinion
is correct that as large proportion of them
as nine-tenths ,oiH cote against him. We shall
be content If even one-ninth of them refuse
to swallow the nauseous pill, but can elect
Grant without any aid from our opponents.
Greeley won't draw off Republicans enough
to lose US a single State, for two Democrats
will remain ut home for every boiling Repub-
lican. But General Grant will receive a
very large Democratic vote, whether he needs
II or not