Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-04-12
The Cincinnati Convention.

Until within the past few days, outside
Of the substantial Missouri movement,
there were really no pracUlcal steps to give
vitality and strength to the Republican Re-
form Convention which Is to assemble in
Cincinnati on the first day Of May. In
deed, if we might judge from the position
assumed by Senator TRUNIBULL in a re-
cent speech in the Senate, to which we
have heretofore referred, his idea was
rather to bring about reforms i7a9ide Of the
rarity, and that all that would be required
Of the Philadelphia Convention to in
sure reconciliation and harmony, would
be to endorse the reforms proposed at Gin
cinnati. We also supposed that those who
would control that Convention would make
any trade Of principles in order to re-elect
GRANT and secure tie Federal patronage,
for once secured, it would require no very
great effort on their part to disregard the
terms of the contract.
Since the elections in New Hampshire
aid Connecticut, the Reform movement
has assumed very formidable proportions.
We published a day OF two since the man
ifesto of HORACE GREELEY, Judge II. r.
SELDEN, formerly of the Court of Appeals,
SIGIsMUND KAUFMAN, the great Ger
man Republican leader, and the last Re
publican candidate for Lieutenant Cover
nor, FREDERICK CONKLING, a brother of
the Senator, and sixteen others, all of
whom are among the most prominent and
E IL - Ctyy
of New York, who therein signify their APP
proval of the movement ard their deter
minatiOn to attend the Convention. They
call upon those of their party who agree
with them to join in this movement. They
say:
{" We believe that the time has come
when the political otfenses Of the past
should be pardoned that all citizens
should be protected i'll the enjoyment OF
the rights guaranteed to them by the Con-
stitutiOn that Federal taxation should be
imposed for revenue, and so adjusted as te
make the burden upon the industry OF the
country as light as possible that reform
in the Civil Service should be made which
will relieve political action from the intlu-
ence of official patronage that the right OF
local self-gOvernment, the foundation OF
American freedom, should be reasserted
and the encroachments of Federal power
checked and we also believe that at this
time a special duty rests upon the people
to do away with corruption i'll office"
In Pennsylvania it is authoritatlvely an
nounced that Ex-Governor CURTIN, a
present Minister to Russia, has resigned il
order to take part in the canvass against
GRANT. Gen. II. l.. CAKE, Hon. JAS. X
MoREHKAD, Colonel ALEXANDER Nc
CLURE, all influential leaders in Peunsyl
vania, have declared their intention to TAX
part in this Convention. And the admis
sion Of Colonel MCCLURE to his seat in tn
Senate is very significant. He was, 1t viii
be remembered, an anti-Grant candidate
for State Senator from Philadelphia. Th
President demanded his defeat The peo
pie said nay, but he was counted OW by th'
Radical election managers by sererdt hml
tired uotes. He appealed to the Senate
in which there was a Republican majority
OF one, and was admitted. Senator CAM
ERoN admits that the affair, with its lOgica
sequence, shows clearly that GRANT is il
danger in that State.
In Ohio we see the same movemen
on the part of prominent Republicans. Ex
Governor Cox, formerly of GRANTS cabi
net, Judge BRINKERHOFF and Hon
STANLY MATHEWS are leading the Reform
forces.
Hon. j. b. GRINNELL, of Iowa, TO