The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-01-11
The Alleged Wilkes Coalition.

A noted New York Republican,
GEORGE WILKES, PUBLISHES u history
of the alleged coalition between the
anti-GRANT Republicans and the
Democrats, in which he intimates, as
his programme, that the opposition to
GRANT is TO be based on the one term
plank. He says he saw many promi-
nent Republicans, especially editors,
and that they are in favor of it. He
then adds, the question being settled
by the Republican leaders, as if any
limited number of leaders can direct
the general action of party, it be-
came proper that the chiefs of the
Democratic party whose just hostility
to GRANT would necessarily cooperate
in any measure united to depose him,
should be frankly informed of the
course which the Reform Republicans
intended to take. 1t was to meet this
exigency that he went to Washington
on Monday last, and put himself in
communication with some of the
principal Democratic members of
both houses, with the following result,
as recited in his publication
This visit resulted in a meeting at
my rooms at the Arlington, on Tues
day evening, of u large number of the
most prominent Democratic members
of the House and Senate. Twas the
sole Republican present, and ! opened
the business of the occasion by stating
that my purpose in desiring to see
them was to communicate some in
tentions entertained by prominent
members of the Republican party on
the subject of the next Presidential
election. IL was not my object to seek
an expression OF their views upon that
theme or to project q coalition, but
simply to lay before them in frank,
good faith the course which tho gen
tlemcn with whom | was associated
intended to pursue in the coming
campaign, believing that the spOnta-
neois action which would follow on
their part would be better than any
which could be formed. That,
in fact, anything in the shape of
or coalition would, in my
opinion, be very injudicious aud not
by any means promote the object to
he gained.
/ then recited what had been de-
tailed before, along with some expla-
nations and conclusions which would
be premature if given now. ] next
the pream bic and resolution
which have been given above. Some
discussion and consultation cnsucd in
which my views seemed to he ap-
proved.
My opinions were then asked upon
several points of interest to which J
replied, that ! felt great delicacy in Of
fering an opinion of any sort US to the
policy of the Democratic party to gen
tlemen 50 experienced as those pres
ent, but now that they had given me
the privilege to express myself in that
way, I would ask them to bear in
mind that the logical candidate for
the Republican opposition to adopt
would be one who would be most
likely to be unwelcome to the Demo-
Gratis; that any attempt to select a
candidate partially agreeable to the
or to yield them the Vice
President ON fusion ticket, would
prevent us from being able to handle
our forces, and leave the immense
Hood of the Republican majority to
roll back and settle at the feet OF
GRANT.
All these views seem to be ap- |
received and the company |
dissolved as free as it went in, but at
The same time with an intelligent UNI
lerstanding which will probably have
more moral binding force than any
treaty that could have been made. l
nav add that it is very probable that
the Democratic party will hold
of some sort between now
and February, in which it will enun-
ciate the one term principle along
with the Refom Republicans, who
will soon be ready to develop their
detailed line of battle. All the while
turing this fierce contest, the Democ-
racy will bear an attitude of a,lstere
observation operating mainly as an
armed reserve, free from all coalitions
but prepared to act with wisdom and
with vigOr.