Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-03-22
philadelphia and Cincinnati.

Philadelphia and Cincinnati.
In his speech defining his political po.
sitlon Senator Trumbull quoted the plat
form of the Missouri Convention which
summoned that at Cincinnati, and asked
whether 1t is not substantially Republi-
can. TO this question there are two very
obvious answers, The first is that there
are Il great many propositions and de-
mands in it which are common to all party
platforms, while its strongest resolutions
are aimed directly at the Republican Ad.
ministration and at the Republican policy
in the Southern States, and have been
adopted without change by the Democratic
Convention in Connecticut. Those resolu-
tions do not, indeed, expressly declare
that the President is guilty of "shame
less abuse of Government patronage for
the control of conventions and elections, :"
but they unquestionably intend to strike
him, and they were so understood, and
therefore approved, by the Connecticut
Democracy. So, also, when the resolu-
tions declare that sit is time to stop.
or resort to unconstitutional laws to cure
the Ku-Klux disorder" they mean to stig-
Matte laws passed by Republican Con
gress and approved by the Republican
party. The Missouri platform can not,
therefore, be called substantially Repub.
lican, although it is ingeniously contriv-
ed to stab with smile. Had it been in
any proper sense Republican, it would
certainly not have been adopted by Dem
ocrats.
But there is another reply to this ques-
ton, and of another kind. Many of the
gentlemen who sympathize with this Mis-
souri, declaration had taken part in the
movement which sent General Blair to
the Senate. If they were, in the ordinary
party sense, Republicans, were they like
ly to summon national convention just
a month before the assembling of the reg
is undoubtedly the right of any
citizen to cali any convention and
join any movement which he con-
scientiously believes will promote
the public welfare. But when
we speak of Republicans we speak of
members of party-that is, of those
who believe that the public advantage
will be most surely promoted by certain
party action. But the significance of the
Missouri and Cincinnati movement is that
certain gentlemen will decline to act with
the Republican party unless they can con-
troll its action. We repeat that they have
a clear right to do in this matter what
they choose; but if every other member
of the party should say that the condition
of his support was the formation of the
platform and the nomination of the can
didates, there would be no party, as that
word is generally understood
In this view, therefore, the Missouri
movement is not Republican. 1t is made
up by certain gentlemen who have form
erly acted with the Republicans, and who
will nominate at Cincinnati former Re-
publican to be supported by Democrats,
or who will either sustain the Philadel-
phia or the Democratic nominations. If
the Missouri gentlemen nominate Re
publican to be supported against the regu-
lar candidate of the Republican party, the
result might be the defeat of the latter by
Democratic votes given to the Cincn-
natl candidate. This would be, under
whatever name, the return of the Dem
ocratic party to power, and the inevitable
result of the action would properly be
considered its intention. If, in the sec
ond place, the Missouri gentlemen should
sustain Democratic candidate they
would hardly be called Republicans even
by Senator Trumbull. And if, thirdly,
they should sustain the Philadelphia
nominations, they would have decided
that Republican success even with Gen
eral Grant is better than victory of the
Ku-Klux.
One thing certainly is evident. The
great body of the Republican party is not
going to.Cincinnati, but to Philadelphia.
And they are sorely mistaken who think
that the Democrats are going all the way
to Cincinnati to disband their party.
Democratic support of Republican, even
if it were conceivable, would be a mere
trick to recover power. The purpose,
and character, and traditions of the party
would not change. However the pros
pect may be regarded, therefore, howev-
er sincere many of the Missouri gentle
men may be, however adroitly Senator
Trumbull may show that the Gin
cinnati call is or ought to be considered
wholly Republican, the result is always
the same simple alternative-the election
of the Philadelphia candidate or the sue
cess of the Democratic party. The Gin
cinnati movement, plus sufficient num-
Der of Democrats, is surely no more Re
publican than the regular Republican call
to Philadelphia. If the nomination at
Philadelphia be foregone conclusion,
that is the strongest evidence that it is
precisely the one which ought to be made,
because it is the spontaneous desire of
the party. The ingenious assaults, the
desponding criticisms, the foreboding
shakings of the head, the regrets that this
and that are not otherwise, do not prevail
against the conviction of the great mass
Of the Republican party that neither the
honor nor the prosperity of the country
has suffered under the administration of
an honest and patriotic man, whom the
most ingenious and elaborate detraction
has not even stained, and from whom,
therefore, the country, which wishes and
requires honorable repose has not with
drawn its confldence.-Harpey's Weekly.