The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-04-26
S. G.
Friday Morning. April 49, 1872.
Arc Tho Democrats Playing Postum.


meet squarely the mastery arguments OF
the liberal Republicans against the de-
fects and dangers of Grants rule, have
resorted to every base means to belittle
and thwart the reform movement-the
growing magnitude Of which is daily ex-
citing their increased alarm. The two
New York Grant-loving journals the
Times and the Herald arc crammed
with personal attacks upon Greeley,
Schurz, Trumbull, and, occasionally,
other prominent Republicans connected
with or known to favor the opposition to
Grant. To these men who but lately
were the pride and power of the Repub-
lican party, in the eyes OF these very
journals, the basest and most selfish
motives are attributed. Because their
patriotism is not provincial, because
they have hearts to feel for the oppres-
sion Of the South. because they lament
the devastation and ruin which recon
struction and hate has wrought, because
they see in genuine reconciliation be-
tween the North and South the only
hope OF prosperous and permanent
Union. because Of these noble senti-
ments, they are tainted with being
rebel sympathizers and friends of trait
ors. They are called sore-heads, Office
seekers and political gamesters, of the
most reckless and unprinoipled oharac-
ter. The thought suggests itself that if
it be possible that these things be true;
1t Lyman Trumbull, Charles Sumner and
Horace Greeley, the founders and lead
ing lights of Republicanism. be such
moral monsters, what, in the name of
God, must third rate Republicans like
Morton and Conkling, and sne mass of
Grant supporters, be? But another
equally insidious and underhaNled me-
thod of frightening honest Republicans
from joining the effort for Republican
reform, appears in their attempt to ex-
cite feeling Of distrust against the De-
mocratio party. It is alleged that the
Democrats are only playing possum;
that their passive policy is only adopted
in order to foster dissension in the Re-
publican ranks; that they have no inten-
tion OF supporting the nominees OF the
Republican party that may be made at
Cincinnati, but that when they have sue
ceeded in getting two Republican tickets
in the field, they will spring up one OF
their own and try to run it in. There is
some plausibility in this, and. doubtless,
many Republicans will be induced. by
such fear. from openly endorsing the
Cincinnati Convention, until at least the
subsequent action of the Democracy
eonvinces them that their fears are
groundless.
The position Of the Democratic party
so far has been open, manly and above
board, and such as utterly to disoounte-
nance any such base suspicious. The
liberal Republicans know precisely where
the Democrats stand, and it is o matter
left solely to their choice and discretion
whether the new movement shall be so
shaped as to command Democratic sup
port. So far we have nothing to object
to, but everything to commend, and if
the Cincinnati Convention acts in &C.
cordanoe with the spirit Of the call that
invited it's assembly, it will be as certain
OF receiving Democratic assistance at
the ballot-box as night is to follow day.
The Missouri reform mo ovement is cited
to show what the course OF the Demo
cratic party will be, but the facts are
strangely distorted. The liberal Repub-
licans in Missouri, it is true. did pre-
cisely for that State what the liberal Re-
publicans to meet at Cincinnati expect
to do for the General Government, viz:
to purify the public administration OF
affairs, and to inaugurate feeling of
friendship and reconciliation between
the people OF the States, 30 much d.
vided and antagonized by the late civil
war. It proved q SUCCESS in Missouri,
for all must acknowledge that there is
now better state of feeling, and more