Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-09-26
Political SOmersau:ts.

CONVERSIONS or changes which run IN
the line of personal advancement, of pop
ular sentiment, of anticipated victory may
be without faint or bias; but they will
never be regarded as evidence of superior
virtue or rare patriotism. Especially is
this true in politics. In any dubious
like the pending Presidential
if any one who has heretofore
been jealous partisan turns a somersault
with the agility of a circus performer, and
an attitude of hostility, with a
fair chance lat least, in his own opinion)
of gaining or retaining the honors and
emoluments of high official station, the
chances are that nobody will consider him
a pattern of virtue, and very general
belief will be very likely to obtain that
che has an ak to grind" or che has
sharp appetite for the loaves and fishes of
office" Certainly, even if this estimate
of him should be wrong one, all the cir
cumstances of his change of partisanship
and tactics should modestly keep him in
the background, and prevent his at
tempting leadership in his new role, with
virtuous platitudes and lofty patriotic pro-
fessions upon hislips, mingled with scath
ing denunciations of the party from
which he has fled. But, ii known to be
inflated with vanity, or selfishly ambi-
chameleon, or to regard nothing so sue
cessful as success, calculating his chances
accordingly. hewill fail to make any other
impression upon honest and intelligent
minds, no matter what garb he may as
sumo or what claims to confidence he
may urge, than that he is an interested
witness, and must be ruled out of court.
Many instances of this kind are seen in
the ranks of the so-called Liberal Re
publican party"-most liberal toward all
that has been traitorous in the land; most
illiberal toward all that is eminently loyal.
The most notable one is found in the per-
son of its principal leader, Mr.. Horace
Greeley. Prominently identified with the
Republican party from it's organization,
essaying to be its redoubtable champion
against all its adversaries, proudly hold
ing it up as the embodiment of the intel
ligence, virtue, and patriotism of the ma
ton, glorying in its brilliant record, and
cordially sustaining sometimes origina-
ting) its ably constructive and preserva-
tive measures, till within few months,
he is now its fierce assailant, doing what
in him lies to insure its disruption and
cover it with shame and disgrace. From
eulogizing President Grant for his sterling
qualities, his well-tried patriotism, his
administer the government in furtherance
of the rights ana interests of the whole
people and of all sections of the country,
without fear or favor, and strictly within
the limits of constitutional authority, and
renominating him for the Presidency as
better qualified in 1872 than in 1868, Mr..
Greeley has turned to blackening his cha
racter as one totally unfit for the station
he occupies, utterly venal in spirit and
conduct, degraded in companionship,
deficient in understanding, and military
usurper under whose iron hand the sore
ly-visited South lies crushed and bleed
ing, the prey of remorseless Northern
carpet-baggers," alike defenseless and
despairing! Through his mouthpiece, the
Tribune, he is filling the air with The vilest
aspersions of those who will not follow
his lead and echo his sentiments; brand
ing the Presidents Administration, with
out qualification, as ''THIs DAMNABLE AD-
MINIsTRATIoN" charge made in pub
lie speech by prominent Liberal Repub-
lican, and conspicuously printed in capi-
tails in the Tribune in order to give it en-
phasis
Now here is somersault so astound-
ing as to challenge the closest scrutiny.
Is there particle of evidence to show
that it has been made conscientiously, in
the service of the people, without any
personal self-seeking or hope Of supplant-
ing the President If so, it remains to
be produced. All the facts bear heavily
in an opposite direction. Last year, after
proposing the reelection of President
Grant, Mr.. Greeley had sudden change
come over ''the spirit of his dream" and,
from what motives or at whose sugges-
tion he best knows, was induced to visit
the Southern States, extending his tour to
doubly- y-rebellious and thrice-cursed
Texas-Texas, the last to yield to the
Government, the most shameless in its
career, the most detestable in history.
He spoke and lectured to the people as
opportunity presented, daubing with un,
tempered mortar, cOmplimenting and be,
ing complimented, dealing in honeyed
phrases and gushing with professional
sympathy and goodwill, protesting
against the Withholding of universal am
chasm" with Jefferson Davis and Other
leading rebels, and getting in return a
| rebel nomination for the next Presi
| dency. They took his measure as vain
and credulous man, and instinctively
| saw to what purpose he could be put in
their behalf. Returning home, inflated
with reception which was anything but
creditable to him, he began to be more
| frequent and more violent in his attacks
upon the President and his Administra
ton, until his nomination by an irrespon
sible conclave at Cincinnati, and his sub
sequent Endorsement by the Baltimore
Convention, representing whatever was
factious in spirit at the North and dis
loyal in condnct at the South during the
conspiracy for the dismemberment O.
the Republic since which time, having
ostensibly Withdrawn from the manage
ment of his paper, the Tribune has made
itself Infamous by its surprising audac
ity, its despicable method of warfare
upon the man ''better fitted to occupy the
White House in 1872 than in 1868" it,
base Grimm alton of the Republican party
as hating and depressing the whites O
the South (meaning the whites that ros,
in rebellion), and its disgusting adulatio1
of ''the Sage of Chappaqua" as the com
ing deliverer.
=" Presidency on the brain" is tn,
secret of Mr.. Greeley's hostility to Grant
No other solution of his extraordinary
conduct is even plausible. Remembe
that he has upheld the Administration
and all its leading measures, especially
Congressional action for the suppression
| of Ku-Kluxism, now so flercely denounc
ed, until within comparatively short time
Since then the President has done moth
ing to indicate that he is an altered man
or to evoke Mr.. Greeley's cepsure. Ifh'
is as corrupt and despotic as the latte
now represents him to be, he was not les
so when Mr.. Greeley extolled him for hi
integrity, and defended him against hi
Democratic and Rebel accusers. 1t il
most unfair for this Liberal rival to gC
back upon his own record, and ring thu
changes upon "nepotism," "gift-taking,
| corruption, "mal-administration, etc
etc. He must be held to his own declara
tions. He is fairly precluded from max
: Ing any filings or registering any grav'