The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-05-04
GREELEYs OWN PLATFORM.
A Manly and characteristic Btterance

The nomination of Horace Greeley for Presl.
dent of the United States gives q peculiar IN
terest to the following straightforward edito-
rial from his pen, which we find 10 the New
York Tribune OF Wednesday last:
PRINCIPLES and ORGANS.
Certain journals speculate on the probabili-
ty that the Tribune would support this or that
candidaten nominated at Cincinnati. They
have no data aud no warrant for saying that
we should object to any Of the persons named.
We have said that, If the convention should
see ht to place its candidates on q platform
hostile to the protection Of home industry, 1t
would thereby preclude our supporting them;
wisely do what would constraln us to oppose
their candidates. It majority Of the Ameri-
can people want free trade, they ought to
have 1t, no matter though this cr that indi-
vldual be displeased thereat. In that case,
candidates who respond to the general asplra-
ton can d. Without the support of this or that
newspaper. We have only urged the conyen-
ton to use language that unequlvocally eX.
presses its meaning; If that meaning be free
trade, let there be no mistake and no dispute
about 1t.
We shall in no case dissemble or qualify our
conviction that protection has strengthened
and enriched our country-that 1t has saved
us from q commercial collapse and crash con.
Hequent on The close of our civil war-and
that 1t now gives work at good prices to hun
dreds OF thousands, who, under free trade.
would be wandering In quest of employment,
glad to accept half the wages they now earn.
But whether the Cincinnati Convention shall
enable us to approve or oolige us to condemn
its action, our resolve nevermore to deserve
the name of q party organ will stand. ~
We tried to indicate this in q speech on our
return last summer from q visit to Texas. In
that speech we offered to pass receipts with
the Republican party, ofsetting debt against
credit and considering the account balanced.
We annoyed many Republicans by exposing
and d~enounclng the carpet-baG villsnies which
have heaped mountains OF debt and taxation
upon the prostrale, devastated South; We at
the same time offended the Democrats by JUS
flying the antl-Ku-Klu1 legislation OF Con-
gress as essential to the projection and secu-
rity of thousands of the inofenslve and indus
trious Southern blacks. We praised tie
Northern.born teachers of Southern blacks,
well knowing that they are unpopular with q
large majority of the Southern whites; and We
declared that we had, In q brief address on q
steamboat deck at Vicksburg, ''hoped the
time would come when Americans North, as
we'll as Americans South, would feel just pride
character of Lee and Stonewall Jackson" AL
this, we knew then as well as we know now,
ls inconsistent with the role of az organist,
which we we're trying hard to repel and throw
of. Yet Journalists and other retail politi-
clans, who have already read us out Of the
party at least thrice, are from day to day
doing 1t again as gravely as though this were
a novelty. Is 1t not a waste OF breath
A party organ ia regarded by Its supporters
as hired and paid by them to whltewash their
leaders, Legislators and ~tunctlonarles, while
black-balllng those Of the opposite party. 1t
Ia not e~xpected-in fact, Is not allowed-to
have any conscience, nor to avow convictions
which do not conduce to It's party's success.
II the organlst should ever dare to have q
mind Of his OVID, be Is promptly and cogently
reminded that he is ''bought with a price,
Hle-leaders will write him that he IL ''golDg
counter to public sentlment"-Ihat Is, to their
conception Of what the party interest and
a%scendancy demand. 10 their view, he Is q
top to be whipped into spinning, spinning
ever, for their advantage and dedication.
Whatever the future may have In store for us.
whoever may be nominated at Cincinnati,
Philadelphia or elsewhere, we have resolved
that this journal, at least 30 long as its pres
sent editor shall conduct 1t, will not be a party
organ. We shall do our best to make 1t @
good newspaper, giving all that happens
which seems to us Of general interest, and
commenting thereon with absolute freedom,
though this should c0nStrain us 70 praise TO-
day the party or the men whom we had reason
to censure yesterday.
OF course, this will cost. Some who have
hitherto taken the Tribune will take 1t nc
more. That Is their right, which we shall
never call 10 question. Others will, In time,
be educated into according TO Journalists 9
liberty to praise or blame AS may seem to them
Just, which is freely accorded to every one
else. There will always be organs enough fol
those who enjoy their music, and we presume
there will be adequate support for a Journal
that chooses to print all the truth rather thar
to cut and carve 1t to suit the exlgencies o.
any party. So, In this wide, wide world, we
shall all probably be enabled to get on.