The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-05-23
RICHMOND, VA. THURSD EVENING, MAY %, 1872

AMONG the opinions expressed by Eng
lish papers on Mr.. Greeley's nomination,
there are none so full of point and sense
as those of the Economist-a paper widely
and generally known here. 1t is journal
which always takes the plain common
sense view Of public affairs. In discussing
Gen. Grants position it says:
He has not lowered the national flag in
any way, has not been visibly defeated in
any enterprise, has not proposed to do any
thing very much disliked by the masses of
the people. No reason plain folk can see
exists for voting against him now, which
did not exist for voting against him four
years ago, when he was elected by clear
majority of 100000 votes. Among that
enormous silent mass of voters which does
not appear at meetings, or read many
papers, or think very much of politics,
there will be a great indispostion to vote
HIM down for the sake of electing either q
popular editor like Mr.. Greeley, or an un-
popular aristocrat like Mr.. Adams. The
prevailing idea of those who dislike him
will, we conceive, be rather to stay away
than to vote for any one else, while the
temptation to those who like him to take
trouble to vote is very great indeed.n
And of the Cincinnati "bolters;"
"But it is said the dominant or Repub-
lican party does not possess majority,
SO many Of its followers having 'bolted'
to follow the Cincinnati Convention and
It's nominee, Mr.. Greeley. We do not
feel at all confident of that. The expert
ence of political men is that while Caves
may be very formidable and embarrassing in
a Parliament other or other representa-
tive assembly, they are very seldom for
mldable at the polling places, more es-
peclally IN countries governed by uniyer-
sal suffrage. Unless the issue raised is
very great indeed, such as a war, the
plain people do not understand the object |
OF quitting their old party habits, ties and
grooves OF action. In the present in
stance the issue raised is one which, to
most Americans seems infinitely small,
They have been taught for century to be-
lieve all men qualified for office, and now
they are asked to vote against favorite
General because he thinks so, and is not
eager, therefore, to secure civil service re-
form. That is the only substantial issue
raised at Cincinnati, for free trade has been
lett an open question, and the general am
nesty to the defeated party in the late war
can be given by either side. We cannot be-
ieve any cry of the kind will attract the
masses, who are for the most part indif1er.
ent to politics. who are intent on culti-
sating their fields, and who think General
5rant, on the whole, very creditable
President, who is very much honored and
cared abroad, particularly in England
We must not forget the gigantic scale of
he field on which electioneering operations
ire carried on-a field in which few thou
'and well-informed men, or few score
thousand newspaper readers, or even a
hundred thousand or two of Germans or
irish, make no perceptible difference what
'ver:: Nobody is ever very hearty in put
ing himself off from chance of office,
md that is all the temptation offered by
he Cincinnati Convention to the average
Republican, who is quite convinced that he
tit for anything he can get, but will get
'othlnlg if he votes against the govern
nent."