The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-06-13
The Checker Board Gathering.

We present in this issue u report Of the
proceedings had at th" Grant Convention
in Philadel pha, \ peru7tl thereof will
amuSc, il it does not instruct. The most
striking feature is the curious comming
limo of cplurS First there was Il speech
from u white man, next one from 4 color
ed man, then Il white man a@ain-:nd so
on until the dtclanatory chetkrr-board
upon which the radical game is TO he
played, was complete. Ii was the most
thoroughly cut-tnd-,lried aft lr of the
kind that ever tfanspiret in the country.
From the seven foot negro Texas delegate,
to the picture of Grant on horseback dis
played from the stage, all was stlted,
theatrical clap-rrap. There was no heart
in it. 1t brought to mind one of Louis
Nlpoleon'S desrents upon the coast of
France, when IN eagle that had been
trained to eat beef from the top OF his hat,
the country, and hover as harbinger
above his head. We think hat the French
adventurer's e4gle did not prove to be so
well trained as the PHILADELPHIA birds,
that responded with alacrity to the smell
OF meat, and verified the proverb "where
the carcasses be, there will the eagles
gather"
The platform is full of deceptive path
ways to the promised land of national
prosperity, bat which are promises only.
as they always have been. The radical
resolutions are never falling illustrations
of Pope's linc-''Man never is, but is
always to be bIest." They have a rare
felicity OF promise, but a wretched poverty
Of performance. The people are told
that ''the public revenues have been care
fully collected and honestly applied"
when theft and plumber have run riot all
through the government service. The
resolvers talk of Grants reduction of the
debt, as though he had personally paid
the money, instead Of wringing it from
the people by the most burdensome tax
alton; and Of foreign difficulties honor
able composed, when Spain has bullied
and England badgered the country.
The resolutions, as we have said, are
but slight variations of the same old tune.
Two or three new matters are introduced,
but in the most muddled and incoherent
style. Take, for instance, the resolution
which processes to recognize women's
rights and what is it? 1t says
The republican party is mindful of its oblga-
lions to the loyal women of America for the
noble devotion to the cause of freedom their
admission to wider fields Of usefulness is view
ed with satisfaction and the honest demands of
any class of citizens for additional rights, should
be treated with respectful consideration.
1t is not recorded that on the reading
of this resolution, the ghost of Mrs. Sur
raft arose, whom the radical leader, Ben
Butler, declares to have been uniustly
hanged, and therefore loyal. Is this one
of the obligations of which radcalism is
mindful? The "wider fields of usefulness"
to which "loyal women" are to be admit
ted should have been defined, if the
resolve is not intended to be a cheat, as it
doubtless is. Any demands may be treat
ed with "respcctful consideration" and
the demandants be no nearer their wishes
for all that.
The resolution which aludes to capital
and labor is kindred to the above. 1t
twaddles of ''the amplest fields" and ''the
largest opportunities, but has neither
point nor meaning.
If this is the buckler and shield behind
which radicalism enters upon the contest,
it might as well hold up blank sheet of
paper.