Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-06-18
THE PoLITIoAL OUTDOOR.


If the indications were that "Honest"
Horace Greeley would so split the Republi>
cans in sufficient plumber ofthe St,tes that,
by combining his vote with that of the entire
Democracy, the electoral ticket in those States
would be carried against Grant, we should
feel much better recoIciled the nomination
of Greeley by the Baltimore Convention, to
assemble on the 9th of July next.
But from all we can observe. if Greeley
ever gets into the White House. it will be by
Democratic strength, withou. any material aid
from the Republicans. When we reflect that
one Thos. Murphy, and the Custom House
difficulty ct New York, were the principal
causes of contention between Grant and Gree
ley, it is little surprising that, as between
two men who agree so entirely upon all the
great principles of their party. the one with
least brains to fill the Executive chair should
be so much the most popular with that party
So, however, it seems to be. The great mass
of Republicans are SO we'll satisfied with the
manner in which Grant has carried ont the
nefarious legislation, demanded by Greeley,
that, forgetting the obligation they are under
to him for urging the very acts they approve
so much in Grant, they seem indisposed to
give Greeley the reward due to him for his
life long fidelity to their party. Greeley has
been life long Republican-an abolitionist,
the panegyrist of John Brown, Free Soier,
Free Trader, consolidationist-and has
never yet, that we can see "gone back on" his
ante bellum, his belluna and his post 5e1um
record. Grant only became Republican
when, by so doing, he could increase his chances
for the presidency. Yet such is the ingrati-
tude of politicians, and political parties, that,
many Republicans who, before the Cincinnati
Convention. felt that they would vote for any
other Republican in the United States in
preference to Grant, for some reason or another
seem to find it impossible to support one of
the Apostles Of their party. But while, Gu
riously enough, the action of the Cincinnati
Convention seems to have had the unfortunate
effect, so far as we can observe from our ex.
changes, of rather uniting than separating the
two wings of the Republican party, the most
direful effect of the action of that Convention
is the dissention it has created among the
Democracy. When we see some true Demo.
Gratis, whose fidelity to principle can not be
questioned, bitterly denounced by others
equally true, perhaps, for no other reason
than that, the former are afraid that, by voting
for Greeley, they may seem to give at least an
implied sanction to the most ubiquitous acts
OF the present administration. and therefore
failing to see any great difference between the
political principles of the two candidates.
lind it difficult to bring themselves to the idea
of voting at all (; while others go so far as t.,
say that, there being no difference between the
political principles of the two candidates. thew
will vote for Grant in preference to Greeley.
1t is easy to understand that the Democratic
party is far from being united. But the fol-
lowing, if carried out, will prove the reritable
apple of discord itself:
"A number of prominent Democrats. about
twenty five in number representing Virginia.
Texas. Indiana, Kentucky. Illinois. Arkansas
and New York, held secret meeting last
evening at the Owen House, and resolved tina,
in the event of the Baltimore Convention en-
dnrsing the nominees of the Cincinnati Con.
Ventfon Immediate steps be taken to call an
other Convention for the purpose of nomina-
ting Democratic candidates for the Presidency
and Vice Presidency Their headquarters
are at indianapolis, with COL Grew as their
chairman"
We will vote for anybody to beat Grant,
but we don't believe Honest" Horace can
do it.