New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-06-27

Boiling from the Boilers.


black man in the power of his old master.
Boiling from the Boilers.
Perhaps the class u Republicans known as
Revenue Refomers who assembled on the
first of May at Cincinnati, were, of all others
who made up that convention, the most free
from personal motives, and the most national
in their convictions and objects. Most of
this class were old time free traders, and had
been driven for space into the Republican
party by the bad attitude of the Democratic
party in respect to slavery and the late slave
holding rebellion. When the war was over,
slavery abolished, Grant elected, and the
rebel States reconstructed, these gentlemen
began to revive their old free trade theories,
and to look about for means by which to give
those long cherished theories force and effect
in the politics Of the country. General Grant
had been but few months in the Presidential
chair, when meetings were held in many
places in favor of Revenue Reform, this being
the new name for free trade. Prominent Re-
publicans were invited to participate in these
reputed bipartisan public meetings. Some
who did so had no idea that they were pre-
pairing wedge with which to split the Re-
publican party, and in fact, to build up new
one upon its ruins, but that was the logical
meaning Of the movement. The men en-
gagged in it very naturally hailed the Cincin.
natl Convention as a fortunate means of Civ
ing effect to their free trade convictions, and
went there with confidence and hope of real
izing their object.
Our readers know the rest. The Revenue
Refomers were most bitterly disappointed.
They had been captured, used, cheated.
They had asked for an egg and had been given
a stone, a fish, and found in their hands a
twirling serpent. The Cincinnati platform
refused to commit itself to the very conyic-
ton that mainly carried these men to Cincin-
natl, and thus deprived them of the only
decent apology for their attending the Gin
cinnati Convention, while the candidate put
in nomination there, turned out to be a
" ferocious protectionist," a lifelong opponent
of free trade. Some of these honest free
traders are said to have been indignant, even
to tears, when they found themselves caught,
held, and firmly bound to the fortunes of a
pestilent protectionist. Even Mr.. Schurz, a
man not given to tears, seems to have played
the woman while attempting TO divert his
disappointed soul from the overwhelming
calamity, by evoking the soothing tones of q
piano. The Springfield Republican, the Eeea-
ing Post, the Chicago Tribune, and other free
trade Revenue Reformers, relieved their pent
editorials. A more unenviable position than
that occupied by this branch of the Cincinnati
people cannot well be imagined.
1t is not strange therefore that they have
made an effort to extricatc themselves. This
was done last week at the Fifth Avenue
bolt from the Cincinnati boilers and the NOM
nation of VIM. S. GrOes beck for President,
and Frederick Law Olmstead for Vice Presi-
dent. This step, though less wise OH their
part than would have been an open declara-
ton OF a purpose to return to the old Repub-
lican party from which they went out,
is certainly vindication of the sincerity of
their devotion to what they consider sound
principle.
But the end was not yet. The Fifth
Avenue Convention of boilers also had its
boilers, and naturally enough Mr.. Schurz was
among the foremost of them. He bOltcd to
Cincinnati, bolted from Cincinnati TO Fifth
Avenue, and now from necessity" Ga hard
mastery he has bolted back to Cincinnati
again! The Overwhelming waves" of pop
ular sentiment have brought him, like
another Jonah, to preach the gospel of
Greeley against all his inclinings and against
his Revenue Reform convictions. Ifany party
can hereafter cOnfide in the Judgment and in
tegrity Of Mr.. Schurz as party man, he must
be miracle Of confidence. Mr.. Trumbull is in
the same boat with Schurz. He has waded
SO far into the rapids of liberalism that he cam
not return, and though he deems the Cincin-
natl nomination one mot fit to be made" he
will support it from necessity. Thus have
these gentlemen ambitious Of organizing a
new party become the slaves of their own
offspring, the humble and reluctant followers
Of an army they meant to lead, and whose
victory can bring them no gloiy, even if
victory were possible.