The Portland daily press., 1872-07-08

of new deal in politics brings to the surface
the old worn out politicians of a past age,
who had fretted their little hour and disap-
peared, wholly aforementioned either for any
evil they had done or any good they had left
undone. t .r ts...f NIB ....t.fs
THE GREELEY MOVEMENT
especially, being a conglomeraton of the odds
and ends of all parties into one common flu
sion with the laudable purpose of beating
Grant, is well calculated to warm into life
the memories of by-gone times. And so
these restless ghosts are daily airing them
selves-they haven't even the grace to per-
form their visitations by night, according to the
established precedents. They exhibit them
selves not upon parapets or house tops, but in
the newspapers. 1t is not long ago since Cash
Clay of Kentucky, who once did success
full business on the slender capital of his sur
name and a profession of anti-slaveryism, re-
appeared with flaming pronunciamento
against the administration. He was dread
fully outspOken. He didn't stop at the "gen-
erality' of corruption but accused the Prcsi-
dent of downright dishonesty. He raved
like-well nothing so much as like Cash
Clay. For to Cash Clay Train is pigmy in
invective and Upton the incarnation OF all
| Christian gentleness and charity. "ai +
Next came Ashley of Ohio, who died hard
and is struggling hard to come to life again.
Repudiated by his constituents he managed
by button-holing two fellow Congressman to
obtain a territorial Office. His subsequent
removal from that post convinced him that
the only way to preserve the liberties of this
country was to overthrow this dreadful adj
ministration. You may be sure Ashley is
quite serious about it. He hasn't particle
of faith in any government which doesn't
employ Ashley. a.a .stae.
-.. GRANNY wELLEs. .--t
But the funniest elimination of the period
thus far is that of old Gid. Welles. You re-
member when Lincoln appointed him Secre-
tary of the Navy eleven years ago, how en-
ergetically the wags disputed the point wheth-
er he derived his nautical education from the
voyage of Noah, the popular impression OBJ
tanning that he was contemporary with that
distinguished navigator. He exhibited his
skill as an able seaman by always sailing with
the Withdrawing as often as that did-and
thus keeping his place through two Presidential
terms, under as widely different chiefs as it
is possible to conceive Of With the advent
of Grant everybody supposed this venerable
specimen of antiquity, remarkable only for
his extreme longevity, had finally disappeared
from public view. Net so. Every once in
while he has been giving little gasp of life
through the monthly magazines, and now nc
comes to the surface, not to babbe good
naturally of 'green fields" but to utter
prolongued growl at everything and every
body. He denounces Greeley as Disagree
able" and Objectionable candidate But
that is nothing to what he has to say of
Grant He is a ''mad dog" is Cunning"
Selfish" avaricious," has ''no comprehen-
sion of our government SYSTEM knows
nothing of constitutional restraints, &C., &C.
ENow we all know what Gideons' idea is of
President. Andrew johnson was his mod
ell. There's craftsmanship for you. If you
want constitutional government, sectional
peace, fraternal bliss, and all the blessing of
millennium, restore johnson to power, with
Welles in the cabinet, and the thing is done /!
But since Gideon despairs of attaining per-
lection at one bound-since the people have
evidently not grown to that exaltation of
wisdom, which will persuade them to recall
the banished johnson, he accepts Greeley in
preference to Grant Greeley is not johnson
by any means but he comes nearer to that
lofty standard than Grant does
Can there be any doubt that this cogent |
and affecting appeal will strike to the hearts
and consciences of the North? See how near
weare to complete obliteration of all the
hateful memories of the late "unpleas-
antness". We have but to dismiss
Grant, blot out Decoration Day from
our calendar, conceal from view the fact that |
any of our kindred made war upon their
Southern brethren and JEFF. Davis, Forrest,
Quantrel, Semmes, Andy johnson. Beaure-
gard, yea perhaps even Stephens and Toombs
will magnanimously overlook the wrongs they |
have suffered in their heroic struggle for in
dependence, and extend forgiveness to such |
of us as heartily repent the butcheries of |
Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas and Far |
ragut Can human nature resist such a |
tempting opportunity to ''clasp hands over
the bloody chasm." There may lie a few
fanatical people who cannot quite forget so
soon the brave dead whose blood purchased |
the peace we enjoy, and who are unwilling
any of the originators of rebellion, should be-
come rulers of the Republic; but their voices
must be drowned in the grand chorus which
is to be sung at the nuptials of Democracy
with Liberal Republicanism.
GREELEY AND TAMMANY.
notice the Springfield Republican express
ses doubt of the correctness of the allegation
of the N. Y. Times that Greeley is in ALI
ance with Tammany. l am not surprised at
that. The charge is too serious an one to
be readily accepted as well founded. And
yet, it cannot be denied that the Republican
General Committee over which Mr.. Greeley
presided during the year 1871 was essentially
Tammany Concern, supported by Tam
many patronage, men in the interest of
Tweed, and deriving its consequence and vi
tality from the "Ring." Neither can it be
denied that reform of the abuses in our mu-
nicipal government has been thus far hinder
ed, prevented by the combined efforts of
Greeley Republicans and Tammany demo-
Gratis.
That they are in cordial alliance is entirely
beyond dispute. Tweed was to Tammany
precisely what "Hank' Smith has always
been to his wing of the Republicans. These
two were confederated as supervisors as long
ago as 1861, and originated the schemes of
plumber by which the taxes of the city have
been SO fearfuly augmented and themselves
stupendously enriched. To make these rob-
berries feasible it was necessary each should
have political following. With Tweed this
was easy, for he had democrats to deal with,
and they have always been, to a great extent
oblivious of, or Indifferent to official pecua-
ton. But with Smith it required more man
agement, for the honest Republicans would
not consort with or tolerate him. So he had
to get up Committee ofhis own. 1t would
not do to avow Its object, therefore he claim
ed that it was Regular This is an old trick
OF local politicians. Regularity wasn't the