Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-02-19
THE CINCINNATI CONVENTION.

The convention of those who call them
selves the Liberal Republicans of Mis-
souri,, and their call for national con-
vention of all who sympathize with them,
to meet at Cincinnati on the 9th of May.
is the most significant of recent political
events. The call does not propose any
action for the convention But as the
resolutions denounce 1.-THE growing en-
croachments of the Executive power"
and are plainly pointed at certain meas
ures of Republican policy and at the
President, and demand that class which
the resolutions describe be swept from
power. there can be no doubt whatever
that the call to Cincinnati is a warning
served upon the Philadelphia convention,
and that the Cincinnati assembly will be
an army of observation. It is probably
assumed that by the lst of May the re-
suits of the Philadelphia convention can
be foreseen. The action at Cincinnati
can then be positive without being con-
elusive. Probably no nomination will
be made, but the convention, having dis
played the strength upon which it can
rely, will state its demands and expec-
tations, and adjoun to await the action
at Philadelphia. It would then be an
army of menace as we'll as of observa-
ton.
The Republican leaders of this move
ment undoubtedly incur very great re-
sponsibility. The convention at Cincin-
natl must make distinct declarations
IF they are not adopted in substance by
the regular Republican convention, the
Cincinnati assembly must either surren-
der or bolt. That it will surrender can
hardly be supposed. If it bolts and
dominates a separate ticket, with a fair
prospect Of seriousl y dividing the Repub-
lican vote in the country, the Democrats
will probably nominate an unconditional
Democrat with a good chance of success.
If, on the other hand, there is no prom
Use of large secession from the regular.
Republican camp, the Democrats will in
cline to ''passivity' and silent coali-
ton with Cincinnati. If the result were
the defeat of the regular Republican
nomination, the Democrats, whether the
coalition candidate were previously
known as a Republican or not, would re-
turn to power. In any view, therefore,
the Missouri movement is full of danger
for the Republican party, and conse-
quently for the country.
There are unquestionably Republicans
who deplore much that Congress has
done, and who are seriously opposed to
the denomination of the President. The
natural course for them would seem to
be to carry the National Convention,
that they might dictate the platform and
nominate the candidates. But to sum-
mon an earlier convention is to declare
that they do not believe themselves to
be majority, or that they fear the Phil
adelphia convention will not honestly
represent the party. If the former sup
position be correct, they are merely fac
tious. If the latter they assume what
they can not possibly prove, and what is
most improbable. But if, notwithstand-
ing the improbability, such was confess
edly the result, it would be time enough
when the fact appeared to protest, and
to withdraw from the convention. Ger
tainly government by party can not be
carried on if the will of the majority of
the party may not determine its general
policy and its Presidential candidates
No man, indeed, is bound to be mere
partisan, nor to surrender his indepen-
dence, his principles, or his views Of a
just and wise national policy. But eve
ry man must decide in politics when he
values certain measures more than the
dominance of a party which is not, in
deed, hostile to those measures, but
which estimates their vital Importance
differently In other words, he mnst de.
eide when he thinks the time has come
for the dissolution or defeat of the par.
ty. For if the friends of the Cincinnati
convention claim that they only mean tt
suggest, not to threaten, they must alsc
say whether they mean to acquiesct
should their suggestions not be adopted
If the intention is to propose terms upor
which they will support the Philadel
phia nominations, what are they but /;
minority aiming to control majority by
the threat of detection They are un
questionably as sincere as others, anC
their attitude shows plainly that they
are disposed to think the adoption o
their views more important than the con
tinued ascendency of the party.
But can they sincerely expect tina
any of the evils which their resolutions
at Jefferson City denounce will be NOR
surely remedied by the Democratic par
ty, or by any party in which the Demo
cratic element is empowering? Fo
what could a Cincinnati candidate b.
but figure head? If, as the Chicag
Times declares, nine-tenths of the Dem
ocrats in the country expect to vote TO
: a Republican candidate for President
would that candidate, if elected, expec
that the Democrats who had supportet
him would renounce their political opin
ions and traditions Would they b
any the less Democrats Is the Chica
60 Times newspaper which such a can
didate could regard as an expositor Q
his opinions and purposes? The Llbe
E raj Republicans, we are told, carrie'
Missouri. But their victory placed tn
author of the Brodhead letter in the Sen
ate of the United States. In the sam
, way they might carry the country, bu
it would give the government to th
Democrats. Do the minority of the Re
publican party-and if they are not tn
minority, why do they not mould tn
Philadelphia convention to their will ?
insist that the majority shall accept thei
terms or submit to the return of tn
; Democrats to power? And if SO, ar
f these the gentlemen who tell us tina
they are not permitted to hold and ex
, press their opinions and preferences?
If, indeed, they think that the tim