The Republican journal., 1872-07-11
Mr. Greeley and the Presidency.

As we write, the Convention of the
great Democratic party of the nation once
more assemblies tor the purpose of declar-
ing the principles by which it is to be
guided during the coming four years, and
OF putting in nomination candidates for the
nigh offices of Pre- sldent and Vice Pres-
dent of the United States. Although NOT
Yet made a certainty by the formal action
of that body, there is little room to doubt
that those candidates are to he Horace
Greeley, of New York, and B Gratz
Brown, of Missouri
If one who had been absent since the
beginning of the late civil war, and out
ot reach OF intelligence OF the political
currents of the day, should suddenly re-
turn, the action of the democratic party
in thus proposing tor the Presidency the
most prominent of its old time opponents,
would seem much as though, in the physi-
cal world, the attraction of @rayitation
should be reversed, on water run up hill.
1t Is "A marvel even to those who have
watched events from day to day. But to
the careful and philosophical observer OF
the history of constitutional governments,
these apparently contradictory and unac-
countahe changes resolve themselves into
harmony of action, consistent with the re
qairements of tree government and needs
of the people.
The late civil war was not the crisis of
this government, however much that con-
tlic may have threatened its territorial
integrity. The government, as such,
came out of the war stronger in the in
tegrty of its forms and purposes than it
went in. 1t was so much stronger as il
had shown the ability to resist assaults,
and perpetuate its authority over all It's
territory, even when opposed by the most
formidable attempt to divide it, The prob
lem whether it could weather such Il storm
has been solved, and fear from that source
put behind forever The real trial of the
government will be in the coming Presi-
Dental campaign. An appeal is to be
made to the people, by distorting facts
and Specious arguments, to induce them
to sanction a change in its form. The
change itself has already been made, so
far as usurpation can do it, by engratting
upon the simple plan of a republican form,
the dangerous element of military power,
and by gradual, insiduous approaches, to
undermine the whole structure No free
government was ever subverted at once
Such wrongs are never committed at a
blow, nor without some plausible pretext.
Gradual secret, steathy approaches dothe
work, and the citizen is not aware to what
extent he is bound. until he attempts to
move, and like Gulliver, finds himself
fettered down by every hair of his head
The usurpation by the President of powers
not belonging to the executive depart
ment was held to be the great danger bv
the founders of the government Wash
ington, in his farewell address, so replete
with patriots anxiety, saws
i ne necessity III ftflpfocil cheeks IN the eY-
ercise of political power, by dividing and dis
tributng into different repositories, and con-
| stituting each the Guardian of the public veal
against invasiOns of the other, has been evinced
| by experiments, ancient and modern; some of
! them In our country, and under our own eyes.
TO preserve them must be as necessary AS to
| institute them. If, in the opinion of the people,
the distribution or modification of the constitu-
tlohai powers be, in any particular, wrong, let
| u be corrected by an amendment in the way in
winch the constitution de- ignates. But let there
be no change by usurpatiOn; for though this in
one instance, may be the instrument of good, it
is the customary weapon by which free govern
ments are destroyed. The precedent must al
ways greatly Overbaance, in permanent evil .
any partial or transient benefit which the use
| can at any time yield.
The same solicitude and the same warn
ings are found in the writings of all the
fathers of the constitution, and the suc-
cssors OF the first President
1t is not wonderful then, at a time
when the long foreseen attempt to co verify
suhvert the form of our government is
beng made, when patriots are anxious
and good men alarmed, that members of
all parties who are determined to pre-
serve the government should draw to-
gether. Prominent democrats have lono
pointed out the destruction upon which
men of the Grant, Cameron and Butler
stamp we've urging the government Re-
ipublicans, who were naturally reluctant