Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-17
GOV. PALMER, OF ILLINOIS.

1t was announced several weeks ago that
Gov. Palmer, of Illinois, approved of the
movement of the Liberal Republicans in
favor of a convention at Cincinnati, and
shortly afterwards it was stated very posi-
lively, and apparently "by authority" that
he favored the reelection of Grant. There
has been no contradiction of this last state
ment, but it appears that it will not save
Gov. Palmer. He has himself become con-
WINGED of this fact, and the Carlinville Dem
ocrat, published in the county in which
Gov. Palmer resides, contains this brief an
nouncement in its issue of April Is:
"Gov. Palmer authorizes us to state that
he is no longer candidate for the nomina-
ton for Governor before the Republican
State Convention, to be held on the 22d of
Nay next"
The Chicago Times embraces the oeca-
sion of the publication Of this announce
ment to say that "this is the conclusion to
which it has been foreseen that Gov. Pal
mer would Gomez" that ''the Republican
State Convention (of nlinois) to be held on
the 22d of May, is called in the interest OF
the military repressive' President" that at
is called, among other purposes, to appoint
delegates to the OfIice-holders' Convention
at Philadelphia; persons to assist in the
| pre-arranged ceremony of ratifying the
nomination of the the Military President
| for his own succession;" that sit is to be 4
gathering controlled by the Federal office
holders and their minions; not an assem-
blage representing the average opinions of
free Republicans in other words, that it
is TO be a convention of "Grant Republi-
cans" and that ''it is simply an impOssi-
biliLy that John NJ. Palmer can have any
sympathy or opinions in common with such
a body. To forLify this position, the Times
says of Gov. Palmer:
"His whole life; bis every public and pri-
vate act and expression; every speech he
ever made; every message or public or
private letter he ever wrote; his entire po-
| litical education and the very structure Of
! his mind, commit him to principles and pO-
/ litical policies the exact opposite Of those
! Of which the military repressive' system OF
government inaugurated and practiced at
! Washington is the expression. Every man
who knows John NJ. Palmer, or Eho has
studied his public career, knows that to
/ stand as the candidate of Grant Republl-
! cans would be to give the lie to his whole
! life; would be to stand in a false attitude,
seeming that which he cannot tie; would be
| to invite the contempt Of living men, and
! the scorn Of history. Those who best
| know John NJ. Palmer have never, for a
single moment, believed that he would COM
nit SO great blunder."
If the Times correctly represents Gov.
Palmer, he should long since have repudl-
ated the position which has been assigned
him by "Grant Republicans" Of favoring
the re election Of Grant. 1t was hard fOr
these who had read his earnest aud ele-
quent protests against the military usurpa-
/ ton in Chicago, which Grant approved if he
did not ordsr, to believe that Gov. Palmer
would so abase himself as to favor the re,
election of Grant; that he would lick the
hand that smote him, and it will require
something more than his declensiOn to be Z
candidate before the "Grant Republican
Convention for the nomination for Gov
ernor to satisfy them that he has not fallen
! from bis high estate.