The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-05-13
GteGEtelIi9e
Mr.. Church and the Liberal llOVe-
ment,

Mr.. Church and the Liberal Move.
ment.
Elsewhere we print letter from Mr.. N
Q. G. CHURCH, who was Chairman Of tht
West Virginia delegation in the Clncin
natl Convention, correcting and rebuking
the lNTELLIGENcER, and defining the
status oI tho Liberal movement Wehavt
little disposition to engage In any contro'
versy with Mr.. CHURCH, either about bis
own position or the movement wherewith
he has identified himself.
Mr.. CHURCH's call for the Charleston
Convention, as II came 10 US by telegraph
and as 1t was commented on, was scarcely
intclliglblc. 1t began "Liberal Reform
Convention resolved that the Chairman Of
the West Virginia delegation to the Gin.
Cinnati Liberal Convention be empowered
and instructed" &c. We knew, Of course,
that the Cincinnati Convention had passed
no such resolution; there was nothing to
show that 1t was passed by the West Vir'
ginia delegation; and we were in doubt
from the wording Of the dispatch whether
It might not be the resolve Of some private
little gathering Of Mr.. CHURcu's at Park.
crsburg, like the famous CHASE Conven.
ton, which consisted, we believe, OF Mr..
CHURCH. Mr.. WnALEY and MIR. X. B.
STEPHENSON. We were therefore not
clear as to the exact nature OF Mr..
CHuncH'S authority to call Convention.
1t appears now that the resolution was
one adopted by the West Virginia delega.
tion, so Of course Mr.. CHuRoH's action
was entirely within his authority.
Upon some other points let US say brief.
ly: We have not assumed to represent"
the new party oi which Mr.. CHURCH Is 80
distinguished and influential leader. We
have said at least three times in as many
months that we expected to support the
nominees of the Philadelphia Convention.
We have tried top print the news about the
Cincinnati movement; we have spoken
kindly Of Mr.. GREELEY because we
have felt kindly towards him; and we
have sympathized with what we were
lead to believe was the real, underlying
purpose of the movement, viz: to con.
strain the Philadelphia Convention to
forego its original purpose of forcing a re-
nomination Of President GRANT. Later
signs, Mr. CuuRcH's call and letter among
them, indicate that whatever may have
been the original design, the Cincinnati
movement now has different aim.
1t now looks to the formation Of a new
party, without reference to what may be
done at Philadelphia, by on open fusion
of Republicans and Democrats. This Is
the purpose as now unequivocally declar.
ed 10y Mr. CHURCH, who It must be ad.
mitted is in a position to speak by author.
ity, In turtherance oil this programme,
the overture made to the Democracy for
their cooperation In the formation Of
electoral and State tickets Is the legiti,
mate and proper thing to do from Mr..
CHURcH's standpoint. From ours, as
previously explained, 1t was not.
Mr.. CHURCH submits now to the people
of the State an open, unequivocal propo'
sal for a coalition. Those who want to
join in making now party can come to
the front. For our part, We have not
contemplated and are not yet ready for
such step. We entertain the hope that
the Philadelphia Convention will have
the wisdom to give the Republican party
new lease of life by tho choice Of o
standard.bearer, whose name while it will
harmonic the party, will, at the same
time be guaranty to the country Of a
thorough clearing out Of rings and re-
form Of abuses, without the interposition
OF new party; and we shall not despair
Of such result till that Convention has
met md adopted a different course.
We feel tempted to add that II the Gin.
natl Convention had been a strictly Re.
publican movement, as we supposed, and
had Mr.. CHURCH been at all scrupulous
Of the proprieties, he might have felt
some deltcacy about participatlon-or at
least such prominent participation-in Its
deliberations, out OF some doubt as to his
own party status. In 1868 Mr.. CHASE
was In full communion with tue Demo.
cratic party, and sought nomination at
It's hands for the Presidency. he has Ger.
tainly never since recanted, but Is still
considered Democrat In good standing.
For two or three years Mr. CHURCH has
been laboring actively to promote Mr.,
CHAsE's aspirations to the White House
and when a man works as zeaIously as
ar CHURCH has done to promote the
election oia Democrat to the Presidency
his right to call himself Republican OIL
Liberal Republican" might be open tc
faint suspicion. ltnot being Republican
movement, however, from MIR. CHURcu'e
point OF view, this improperly disappears
and all Is serene.
; WE are sorry that our friend Of the
r9tNeLsouFG JournG! cannot take a Joke
as freely as he gives one, or that he should