The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-09-12
Reform or Farce.

| THERE is an evident tone of apprehen-
sion upon the part of the Greeley Democ
| racy, as if the campaign were not pro-
ceeding satisfactorily But it is not sur
| prising. The only real question from the
| beginning has been whether the country
would soon enough understand the exact
situation. That the Democratic party
| could, under the circumstances, give to
the country the indispensable sense of sta
! bll1ty and confidence would not be be-
| lleved by any man who seriously ponder.
| ed the situation; and that reform" in
any ineligible sense was to be expected
| from the coalition is simply absurd. Yet
| there is always fascination in a bold and
novel stroke. The very comedy IN the
Cincinnati action was attractive to many
persons. The idea of a "whirlwind," an
uprising" ''clean sweep" "revolu-
ton" fresh DEAL" was agreeable to
many more. There were those also who
have general theory that party which
has been dominant for some years ought
to lose power, whatever may be the alter
native. King Log, they think, must go,
even if it be only to make way for King
Stork, who will eat all his subjects. And
when to all this was added the great act
| of repentance at Baltimore, or more Justly
the Democratic tour de force of riding SIM
ultaneously two horses going in opposite
directions, there was shouting and eX-
element which seemed to be the sign of
| popular conviction and resolution.
But the truth was very sure to appear
as soon as the actual work ard argument
of the campaign began 1t was plain that
honest Republicans would then see that
they were invited merely to help Demo
cratic restoration, and to intrust the gov
eminent to its enemies and most doubtful
friends. The talk about Democratic re-
| pentance might satisfy the marines, but
not the forecastle. The attitude of the
Democratic party, the words of its chief
leaders, the necessity of the case, would
all instruct candid minds. And such has
been the result. AS for reform, those
who sincerely sought it, and who doubted
the Republicans, saw convention nom
inally of civil reformers, revenue
reformers, and friends of State sovereign
ty nominating a candidate who declared
that to the victor belong the spoils, who
was an arch protectionist, and who was
the most jealous champion of the XII
Klux law. Upon reflection, and after
seeing that Mr.. Greeley is surrounded
with gentlemen who are not eminent re-
formers of any kind, and that he is sup
ported mainly by Democrats who half
spurn the alliance which they consider
necessary to restore them to power, those
who are anxious for reform do not dis
cover lively prospect of it in the cleo
ton of Mr.. Greeley.
The utterly unreal character of the
Greeley movement among Republicans is
seen in the course of the Springfield Re
| publican, a newspaper which displays an
| apparent zeal in support of a candidate
| for the Presidency of whom its editor,
Mr.. Samuel Bowles, wrote under his own
name in the first bitterness of his disap-
pointment at Cincinnati: With his
usual perversity of temper and openness
to fattery, Mr. Greeley will probably
contrive to give his faith and attribute his
success to those who fawn upon him and
who use him, and Sunderland abuse those
Drawer and truer friends who dare to ex-
pose them to him and the world, and tell
him the truth that he needs to hear, even
if he does not like it." The Republican
| daily opposes General Grant, but it has
| been unable to say anything of him so
| bitterly contemptuous rs what its editor
| has publicly said of the candidate whom
| his paper supports. Nor can anything be
more fatal to political morality than the
advocacy for the highest office of a cam
| didate whom the advocate begins by de-
| scribing as totally unfit for the position.
| The Republican processes to desire re-
| form, and therefore supports g candidate
| whom its editor describes as perverse,
weak, and contemplate; a candidate who
will give his faith to those who fawn up
on him, and who will SANDER and abuse
| his truer friends who expose them; a can
| didate who does not like the truth, and
who is open to hattery.
When the most prominent friends of a
candidate thus describe him, and the ut
ter insincerity of their position is exposed