The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-08


endorse the Cincinnati nominations, or should
declare the inexpediency of making any nomi.
nations at all in view of the opportunity that
appears to offer of defeating General Grant.
This is, of course, the paramount object of the
copperheads, to take their revenge upon the
General who subdued the rebellion and forced
Lee and his democratic army to surrender to
the Union forces. 1t is the merest balderdash
to pretend that democrats cannot en-
dorse or vote for Greeley because he has
been their lifelong and consistent OPP
ponent. An honest democrat would
more cheerfully support such a man than one
who had only turned against democracy be-
cause he found republicanism the more prom
ising and profitable investment. If Greeley has
been vigorous enemy, he has at least fought his
battles in manly manner, and not vindictively
and treacherously. Even his abuse has had in
tinguishes the man. In the phrase so familiar
to readers of his writings, he has always
chosen to give the lie direct rather than to
mince matters with an opponent, and the
roundness of his abuse will not detract from
his good qualities in the estimation of the hard
listed democracy. On the subject of State rights
Greeley must be acceptable even to jeff
Davis himself In the early days of secession
he denied the right of the federal government
to pin States to the Union with the bayonet,
and his famous bailing Of JEFF Davis was only
a concession to this old democratic doctrine.
He is a hard currency advocate to the back
bone and if his old whig prejudices in favor
of protection still retain their hold upon him
he will no doubt subscribe to the true demo-
cratic republican principle that the Executive
has no right to interfere with or influence the
Legislative branch Of the government, but is
bound to obey the will Of the people as repre-
sented by majority of Congress. There is no
honest reason why he should not receive the
endorsement Of the national democracy now
that the issue of abolitionism is dead
and gone. The cry OF complete and uni
yersal amnesty was first raised by Greeley, and
upon that and the question of decentralization
OF national power he is Us sound as Hendricks,
Pendleton or Seymour. 1t is, therefore, to be
AOpcu lutt tuc ucHlOCIdCy Will tCCtpI ulI no
their candidate without any wry faces and that
the issue may be distinctly made between the
soldier and the philosopher.
We have little doubt of the result. Seven
years have not sufiiced to blot out of the minds
of the people the debt Of gratitude they owe
to the successful leader of the Union armies
or to lessen their enthusiasm for the Hero of
the Wilderness. The boys in blue will rally
to the side of their old commander all the
more cheerfully when they find him threatened
by the politicians who owe their present power
to the weight and influence of his name. Besides,
General Grant civil administration has been as
a whole as straightforward and as successful
as his military rule, and his four years Of SER
vice have left the country prosperous and
united. There have been some bitches in the
reconstruction of the South, but this has been
owing to the intrigues and rascalities Of repub-
lican politicians OF the same species with those
who now cry out against Grant because they
did not enjoy the opportunity to rob and
plumber in the place of their more successful
brethren. We have confidence that the South
ern policy of the administration will be re-
formed by the President in his second
term of office The blunders of Secretary Fish
in our foreign affairs are serious I'M ury to
General Grant, and this is the reason why we
have insisted and still insist that he remodel his
Cabinet and call Mr. WasESurne into his coun-
sells. The surroundings of the White House,
although personally unexceptionable, may be
changed to political advantage, and General
Grant will not be likely to neglect the wishes
Of his friends in this direction But, on the
whole, the administration has been successful
and has won the confidence of the responsible
men of the country. Greeley is honest, popu-
lar and eccentric. There is a possibility
of great amount of enthusiasm
being raised in his behalf provided
he receives the endorsement of the
Democratic Convention and goes fairly into
the contest with chance Of success. 1t may
be that white hat clubs are about to become
as universal rs were log cabins in the days of
Harrison, and that some of the many poets
who will Of course all support Greeley, may yet
produce a refrain destined to ring out more
loudly than did the well known ''Tippecanoe
and Tyler too Of the exciting campaign of
1910. 1t is not unlikely that our farmers may
take to Uncle Horace" as kindly as they took
to "Honest Old Abe for Greeley
represents many of the characteristics
of Lincoln But behind General Grant stands
a solid strength of patriotism, practical bust
ness interests and independence which cannot
easily be overcome, and which can scarcely
fail to secure victory. 1t will be the steady
march Of the Union troops through the Will
derness to Appomattox Court House over
again The result will be rendered oil the
more certain if General Grant will Mt once
clear his ranks of all Objectionable adherents,
as he once cleared his army of hucksters and
camp followers. At all events, rs two safe and
honest candidates have been named for the
Presidency, let US have an open field
and fair fight. The Philadelphia Conven-