New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-07-10
UNION.


full observers of the temper of the Southern
people since the beginning of the Liberal
movement than the delight with which they
welcome the opportunity to cultivate cordial
relations with the North. 1t may suit the pur-
poses of the Administration newspapers to
treat the new alliance as mere partnership
OF vulgar aspirants for the plumber OF, Office !;
but they know, and their readers know, that
ii is not the professional place-hunters who
have struck hands over the Cincinnati resOlu-
tons, but the honest multitudes on both sides
of the line, who rejoice in the burial OF old
differences, and the be ginning of new era of
brotherly good feeling. 1t is seven years since
the war closed, and all that time we have
treated the South as a conquered enemy, to be
guarded with bayOnets, repressed by disability
laws, ruled by carpet-bag satraps, and plum
dered by Northern adventures or the most
ignorant and disreputable of her own citizens.
1t is no wonder then, that the anlmosi-
ties of the war have been kept alive,
and that the two sections of our country were
further from a genuine union at the beginning
of the present year than when Lee surren-
dercd his army at AppOmattox Court House.
The change Of feeling, therefore, which has
manifested itself since the Cincinnati Conyen-
ton, is q fact of deep significance. careful
and keen correspondent whom we sent INTO
the South few weeks ago has described the
temper of the people in the capital OF Virginia.
81 doubt he writes " whether our friends in
"the North fully appreciate the meaning Of
"this wonderful uprising in favor of the LIB
"eral cause. 1t means that a sincere
longing for peace, for brotherhood, and for
"union with the North begins to fill the South
Germ heart. These people long for national
city; they want to feel once more that they
"have a country to love, and that they
"make a part of the life of the nation. Here
"upon the battle ground of the Rebellion the
"people seem more willing to forget the past
" than in States that suffered less from the
"war, and more DESTROYS of clasping hands
with the true men of the North over the
"grave Of former animOsities. The NHglnlans
care eminently a conservative and sensible
"people; and when they embraced the prof
" fered alliance of the Liberal Republicans
"with almost perfect unanimity, and without
"waitng for advice from their politicians and
newspapers, it was from no impulslve gush
"of sentiment, but from convictions well set
tied in advance"
Precisely the same thing was conspicuous
Yesterday at Baltimore, only the cordial SEN
timent which our correspondent noticed
chiefly in Virginia was there equally dis
plaved by delegates from all sections of the
South. One and all testified the same salts
faction in accepting the overtures of friend
ship so wisely held out at Cincinnati, and OBJ
literating the line of separation which has so
long divided our country. The nomination OF
an old-time Republican by the Democratic
marty is far less significant of the passing
away of old quarrels than the simple fact
that North and South, after their long
estrangement, came together at last IN this
Convention as brethren In spirit no less
than in name. They are not mere
allies who have laid aside their differences for
time. IN order to work together for one par
ticular object; but they have met with an
honest eagerness on both sides for a close,
permanent union. Here we see something
far higher than campaign tactics and the
schemes of the professional politician. We
have the beginning of popular movement,
which is to remove the greatest danger of our
country, sweep away the reproach Of genera
tions. and open for the United States a nobler
career of prosperity, happiness, and power
than the most sanguine of us have yet
discerned. We are content to hear our cause
maligned by oflce-holders, and ndiculed by
the Administration organs We are not dis
heartened by their predictions of impossible
defeat We are not embarrassed by their
cries of party discipline. We know that
already our victory is won. Even if in the
face of this movement Grant could be re-
elected President of the United States, the
great problem of our day, the reunion of
North and South, is already effected in the
Liberal party, and the progress of that party
/. hcnceforfh irresistible.