The New York herald., 1872-07-24
senstos Conkltng On sAs Political
situation-Tho Republican Meeting
NJ tho Cooper Institute.

The regular republicans held Grant and
Wilson meeting at the Cooper Institute last
night, and an account of their doings will be
found elsewhere in the HERALD to-day. New
York is not very promising field for repub-
lican politicians at any time, for the city
is largely democratic and those OF its
people who do belong to the republican
organization are not of the class accustomed
to attend political meetings Nevertheless,
General Grant has many warm admirers
among the solid business men of the metropo-
lis, and there is general desire on their part
to hear a satisfactory explanation of the policy
Of his administration on some of the points
that have been made the subject of attack by
the opposition. Unfortunately, political con-
troversies in New York have for the past
year or two assumed personality and
rancor destructive of justice and truth,
and the evil has been aggravated by
the vindictiveness of the party organs,
especially on the administration side Men of
sense have become disguised with the violence
of the politicians and partisan journals and
with their indiscriminate denunciation of every
person who fails TO agree with their particular
views. The old supporters of General Grant
in this city are satisfied with the main results
of his four years term of Office SO far as the
peace and prosperity of the country are con-
cerned, and they have no sympathy with the
attacks that have from time to time been made
upon the President for alleged gift-taking,
nepotism and the like. They care nothing
about the French arms nonsense or the Custom
House corruptions, or the alleged Naval
Department abuses, or even about the
st. Domingo job, now dead and buried
and are slow to believe that General
Grant is dishonest in his official
conduct. But neither do they believe that
Horace Greeley is a hypocrite and public
robber; that his supporters are all thieves and
corruptionists, and that there is no honesty in
the opposition to the administration. They
are dissatisfied with the cruel oppression Of the
South with the violations of the constitu-
tional rights of a number of the States of the
Union for political purposes with the whole
tone of our foreign policy with the character
of the persons chosen to represent the
government abroad, and they are anxious
to hear from President Grants supporters
what can be said in explanation of the position
of the administration on these important
points, and what pledges can be given Of
reforms demanded by the popular voice.
1t is unfortunate that Senator Conkling's
speech last night failed to meet public expec-
tation in this direction; unfortunate, because
xI,o Nax VOr 10 olo1
as the especial champion of the administration,
and because the dissensions that have torn the
republican party asunder have been in great
measure the result of quarrels in this State,
in which he has played a prominent and un-
compromising part 1t is true that his lauda-
ton of President Grant as an honest, brave and
modest man; as the gallant soldier in war and
the quiet patriot in peace; as the General who
carried the Union armies to victory, was
chivalrous and well deserved. We do not
agree with him in the opinion that but for
Grant our nationality and our cause would
have perished and the confederacy would have
triumphed, because we have confidence in the
devotion and bravery of all our Union army
and we know that nationality and a cause
that numbered Sheridan and Sherman among
its heroes could never be hopeless; yet
we applaud the enthusiasm with which
his civilian admirer pays tribute to the SER
vices of the successful General; and We are
confident that the citizens of New York will
agree with Senator Conkling in awarding to
Grant nations gratitude and benediction.
But we do not see how the cause of the ad-
ministration is to be benefited by stigmatizing
all those republicans who have thought proper
to oppose its continuance in power as ''thievss,
cormorants and drones," and as 'baffled
mousers for place or plunder." We regret
that Senator Conkling's speech should have
been confined to rhetoric of this character,
and that he should have conceived that all
that was needed in a speech made in New
York on the side of the republican candidate
was an argument to convince democrats of the
inconsistency of voting for Greeley, lifelong
opponent of their principles and party, and
criticism upon Greeleys political consistency
and honesty, in accepting the democratic
nomination. We regret it, because it implies
that he misconceives the character of our
people, and imagines thvt they look only
upon the surface of the present contest.
The citizens of New York can Judge for them
selves of the soundness of the Cincinnati plat
FORM and they care but little, as we have said
about the charges of gift-taking, nepotism and
the like brought against President Grant. 1t
was unnecessary for Senator Conkling to spend
his time in explaining how Englishmen,
4, Lc, 1ol
military heroes with gifts, or how many sons
brothers. nephews, fathers-in-law and brothers
in-law have been appointed to Office or recon-
mended for Office by Governors, Mayors,
heads of departments, Senators and Congress
men. We believe he might have done better
l.. Aa44a A. Il.