Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-03-27
WHY WE OPPOSE LIBERAL REPUBLI-
CANS"

4 friend asked Us the other day what
objections we would have against support
ing Charles Francis Adams, or some other
good Republican, on " Liberal Republi-
can PLATFORM such as the Cincinnati
Convention will probably adopt, The
question is one of public importance and
demands attention.
We object to the Cincinnati movement
because the reforms it seeks to effect can be
more certainly secured within the Re-
publican organization than by an indepen-
dent movement. 1t must now be appa-
rent to the most sanguine friends of that
movement, that of itself it cannot COM
mand strength enough to succeed. Its
general results must inevitably be to
strengthen the Democratic party, for
whatever of influence it exerts comes from
| the Republican party. The Democracy
and encourage the movement by fulsome
fiattery of some of its vain leaders and by
holding out to them false promises.
AS the nominee of the Republican par
| ty we would support with pleasure, Chas.
| Francis Adams. AS the result of an indie
pendent movement, the certain effect of
which will be hostile to the very reform
| it processes to desire, we could not support
him. This is not partisanism, it is patriot
| ism. Let us explain our position more at
| length.
Back of the Cincinnati Convention,
stands the Democratic party, IAN unbro-
aggressive" part in the campaign to
promote its OWE. dangerous, pur-
poses. So proclaiRs its leading
| paper, the New York World. Its promise
to the Cincinnati Convention is, go on and
make your nominations and proclaim
| your principles. II you can draw strength
enough from the Republican party to
make our success probable, we will spit
upon your platform, laugh at your folly
and through our "unbroken and disci-
plined" vote, seize the White House and
use the Federal treasury as we did the city
treasury of New York. But if your Gin
cinnati movement is not formidable enough
to divide the Republican vote, we will
support your nominees for President and
and Vice President, but keep up our State
organizations, and under cover of your ban
ners of reform, elect as many straight
Democratic Congressman and United
States Senators as possible. This is
the programme of Democracy, stripped
of all its deceitful surroundings. Suppose
then the contest should be between Adams
backed by the Democracy, and Grant al
the regular Republican nominee. Sup
pose Republicans enough should support
Adams to enable the Democrats to elect
him. He would rule from the White
1
t party to cooperate with him. Demo
, cratic Congressman would support him By
legislation only so far as he would dispense
patronage to strengthen their party
Having caused the defeat of the Repubii
2 can party by coalition with Democracy
: he could not expect Republican Senat,
3 or Republican Congress to aid him il
building up a party, by its history, policy
and spirit, hostile TO all the best Interest,
of society and government. In such a posi-
ton he would bring upon the country 8
contest with Congress as prejudicial to the
general interests of the country and the best
interests of all classes, as was the turmoil
and strife incident to Johnson's admins
tration.
Primarily, therefore, because we believ,
! Grant honest and capable, and because h,
has made US a good President, we prefer
. him TO any nominee the Cincinnati Con
vention can give US. Secondarily, we pre-
fer him because the general results to fol
low the Cincinnati movement must be Il
strengthen party, corrupt and dangerous
} to civil liberty at the expense of the Re
publican party, that rescued the govern
ment from the tolls of rebellion and estab
J lished it anew upon a firm basis I'm the in
terest Of freedom and of honesty