The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-06-19

" RosToN, May 25.-The sensatio
" among politicians in this neighbol
u hood to-day is Mr.. Birds speech q
Il Walpole last night, in which he bid
q farewell to the Republican party S
j. long rs it ties itself to General Grant
T Those who have been intimate wit
the father Of the Bird club since h
first went into the liberal movement
have known that lie would never sup
port Grant any more than Senate
Sumner will, but many of his old as
sociafes are surprised at the step II,
has taken, cherishing the hope, as the,
did, that he would come back into tllt
party traces once more. He will bt
more missed in the party than the
organs will permit their readers t.
suppose, the great function of the
Grant newspapers in Boston now
being to conceal the trne state oil
things in the party. Many will ques-
ton the prudence of his course, and
the multitude of small politician who
can never understand why a man of
courage acts courageously, are very
much puzzled to account for it. The
explanation, as believe, is the same
given the other day for Senator Sum-
ner's demonstration against the pocket
treaty. Mr.. Bird is brought to bay,
and will no longer be driven along the
path OF Submission and compromise,
which the Massachusetts Republicans
are now humbly following. Mr.. Bird
is Greeley man, but if the Democrats
fail to take mp II. G. at Baltimore he
does not expect him to be a candidate
of any strength, and the speech may
fairly be interpreted as saying to the
Massachusetts, Democrats that if they
nominate a good man of their own,
Mr.. Bird may support him.
Whatever this speech may mean, it is
certain that many of the anti Grant
Republicans, who will not vote for
Greeley, are prepared to vote for res
.pectable man nominated by the Demo-
Gratis or any considerable section of
them. The strength of the feeling
against Greeley in this class of persons
IS much more now than it was ten
days ago, when many of them were
inclining to support him. The New
York fIee-traders and other of that
connection have made stand against
Greeley in such a way as to siren CITIZEN
the anti-Greeley liberals here, and it
would not be strange if a gathering OF
these persons, such as Mr.. Robinson
suggested in his letter to Mr.. Atkinson.
were to be held soon after the Phila-
delphia Convention, and to indicate
man for whom they could cast their
votes in case the Democrats or any
section of them chose to nominate him
for the Presidency. Such move
ment has not taken definite shape, but
it is talked abont.-[Correspondcnt of
the Springfield Republican.
Mr.. Birds Walpole speech is certain
to excite general attention and call out
a wide variety of camment. Here is a |
man who can truthfully say Of himself
that he has been a great part of the |
Republican party in Massachusetts
He now notifies his neighbors and the
public at large that he no longer
belongs to this party ; that he does
not expect to act with it hereafter.
Such an announcement coming. from
q man of Mr.. Birds position and an
tecedents would be serious matter
at any time. Coming at such a time
as this, with our politics in their
present condition, it is something more
than an avent-it is sign. 1t
deserves all the attention it will re-
ceive.-[Comments of the Springfield
E5a a~G 80
No event that has for years trans
pred in the politics of the State has
excited SO profound an interest as the
frank, bold and thoroughly indepcn-
lent speech of F. w. Bird to his fei.
at East Walpole. 1t is
The expression of a man who, ripened
by tile experience and observations of
thirty years Of public life, comes for
ward at last to give the result of his
on the character of the
'wo parties between which he finds it
necessary to choose his course again
or the future. 1t is to be borne in
mind that Mr.. Bird has long been re-
'arded as the central force and main
guiding power of his party in the State;
hat he has been the admitted maker
# administrations, and the reliance of
What he created. Such speech, !
therefore,, from n man so esteemed, is 9
4 too much Importance in every res a
ect to be ignored by those whom he 4
ow openly repudiates rs political c
lilies. 1t indicates tile rapid progress v
f a revolution that cannot he stayed. I.r
his open contempt for party restraint \
ignifies that the party he abandons is a
oOmed to die of tie decay it's own S
'ilfnl career has generated.-[ Com |,
-. Al. - 4