The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-03-26
COLUMBIA.,,Sl s. &c.
Tues 'ay Morning. March 26. 1872.
The PresidensInl Campaign.


out the entire Union. but especially to
oppressed and almost despairing South
erners. to mark the growth. soil ifcation
and appreeiably tangible and distinct
form which the anti-Grant movement is
every day more clearly exhibiting. The
meeting at Cincinnati, which was re-
garded but short while since as exceed
ingly problematioal, may now be expect
ed with certainty, and from mere mass
meeting of faotious and comparatively
uninauential liberal Republicans, as the
GRANTEES first predicted it would be. it
promises now to be powerful conven-
tion OF the ablest, most distinguished
and influential adherents Of the domi-
nant party. The schism in the Repub-
loan ranks is broad aud deep. There is.
no remedy that can re-unite it, and what
is the most cheering feature in the whole
aspect Of the matter is, that tho brains
and character, ns represented by the
leaders of the party, is on the side of the
opposition to Grant.
There are not four-no, not one
public man of the Republican persua-
sion, who can compare in point of past
reputation, intellectual power and per-
eonal integrity with Trumbull, Sumner,
Greeley aud Schurz. These men. with
host OF others equally patriotic though
less prominent, have irrevooably turned
their backs upon Grant, and will give
direction and impulse to the action of
the Cincinnati Convention. The popu-
larity of Grant with the Republican
masses at the North, as the hero of the
war, and with whom his misconduct and
utter unfitness is fondly misbelieved.
cannot at once be overthrown, even by
the detection and opposition of such
influential men as are arrayed against
him. Large masses of people do not
very readily surrender their prejudices
and prepossessions for a popular idol;
and if the liberal Republicans were de-
pendent solely for success upon the votes
OF their own party. they would inevita-
bly, experience most disastrous defeat.
They must look, then, to the conserva-
tism of the Democratic party to insure
the election of the candidates they may
put in the field against Grant. The
Democratic voters Of the country, up
war Is of 100000 in number, will act
as the balance of power, and it is now
morally certain will give their support
to tho Cincinnati nominees, il the plat
form upon which they will base their
claims to the suffrages of the people.
be not repugnant to honest Democratic
ideas.
Without some false or foolish step,
then, upoa the part of the liberal Re-
publicans, of which there is at present
no indication, there is every reason to
indulge the hope. 80 grateful to South
erner's heart, that Grant will have to
vacate the White House on the 4th of
March next. There was not man at
the North at the close of the war who
could SO readily have fred the enthusi.
asm and esteem OF our Southern people
than Gen. Grant. The fact that he was
the honored foe of our Lee, had lie e1-
hibited the least magnanimity toward
the brave though vanquished followers of
his great antagonist, would have placed
him at once firmly in the affections of
our people. But him whom we were
half inclined to think hero has shown
himself mean. grasping, stupid tyrant,
devoid Of all noble impulses; a stolid,
bull-headed, avaricious block head, with
out the first redeeming quality. His
sole object since his Inauguration seems
to have been to enrich himself and ad-
vance the fortunes of his relatives A
poor man when elected to the Presi-
dency, he is now said to be worth $7OO,
600 or 100000, gained without any
honest industry within the past four
years.
The New York Times says: ".The rate
at which this country has reduced both
its debt and it's taxation is simply incom-
prehensible TO foreipn financiara The