New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-04-04
A Timely Political Esetssiuiscence-
A Lesson and ~ Warning for
MaIcORtents.

The Detroit (Mich.) Post has rendered Re-
publicans who had forgotten the details of the
Observation-Disclosures" insurrection of 1866, a
good service by recalling to their minds that
scrap of political history. The Post had stated
before, as we have frequently stated, what
every one knows to be true, that the Republic
can party which had only laughed at the defec-
tons of SEWARD, and CHASE, and JOHNSON
with his whole cabinet, and "swarm of
small suckers" like CowAN, DooLITTLE.
DIXON, VAN WINKLE, NORTON, and Fow-
LER, will not be alarmed, or its power af.
fected by the apostacy of such men as SCHURz,
TRUMBULL, and Upton. These men, and
all the Republican opponents of Gen. G RANT
combined, have not, as the Post declares, a
hundredth part of the political influence,
brains, and experience possessed by SEW
ARD, leader of unmatched shrewdness, or
CHASE, who as political manager was more
than match for legion of the boilers at
the bottom of the Cincinnati movement.
And yet the nation has not ceased to
laugh with scorn at the bare mention of the
Bread-and-Butter Party, and its operations.
Their failure was absolute, and covered all
its actors with ridicule and contempt, though
their desertion left the party with no leaders to
be compared with them. But the Republican
party was so strong in the virtue of its prin-
ciples, its honesty, and its record, that it did
not need political adroitness, nor vast pat
ronage, nor highly influential names, nor
anything more than a just cause and the I'M
SHAKEN confidence of the people-which the
New Hampshire and Connecticut elections
prove that it still retains--to grind into dust
all the organized and vast power, patronage,
old and illustrious regulations, great expe-
rience and unequaled political skill and
adroitness opposed to it.
That conspiracy, though led by men so in
finitely superior in ability, tact, and expert
ence to the present sorehead combination,
bears wonderful resemblance to it. Indeed,
the Post is right in declaring that the ''Bread-
and-Butter Party was not only the origin
and parent, but the model, of this Cincinnati
farce. SEIZURE and GREELEY borrowed their
universal amnesty performance mainly from
the Observation-Disclosures Party" platform.
Universal amnesty was one Of the main
planks of the Philadelphia Convention. The
ridiculous dramatic spectacle of Southern
rebels and Northern Observation-Disclosures"
men marching around the hall arm-in- arm, to
the tune of the Star-spangled Banner, was the
real origin of the amnesty performance by
which CARL SEIZURE betrayed the State of
Missouri into the power of the secession De-
mocracy, and so elected FRANK BLAIR to
the United States Senate. And it was the
pattern which he and HORACE GREELEY now
seek to have copied all over the South. The
Philadelphia Convention, too, like the pro-
posed Cincinnati concern, was to break up
and regenerate the Democratic party, to in
augurate reform Of all kinds, to produce gen.
eral conciliation and reconciliation, and other
wise to carry out almost the programme now
laid down by the disconnected" Republi-
cans.
The parallel ceases, here, however. The
objects of the two movements are the same.
But the difference between them is wide and
broad that between strength and weakness.
The Bread-and-Butter party" was we'll
organized power. 1t had as its hackers and
managers the National Administration with
all Its vast patronage. 1t had for its secret
managers, SEWARD and Chief Justice CHASE.
Mr.. SEWARD, in public letter, Endorsed and
urged it upon the people. So did Mr..
WELLEs, Secretary of the Navy. Attorney
General SPEED, of Kentucky, approved of
many principles Of the cali. Mr.. STANBER-
Ry, Of Ohio, Senators RANDALL, and Doo-
LITTLE, c. n. BROWNING, EDGAR CowAN,
CHAs. KNAPP, SAMUEL FOWLER and many
others, engaged In the movement.
When the convention met, every State and
Territory in the Union, except Arizona, Mon