Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-20
NH. GREELEY AND THE CINCINNA.
I'll CONVENTION.

The New York Tribune of the 10th inst.
contains an article on the Cincinnati Con
vention which was evidently written by
Mr.. Greeley, and this fact gives it greater
significance. 1t is perfectly clear that the
Tribune desires the convention to act in
such manner as that Mr.. Greeley and his
friends can support the candidates it may
put forth. at will meet uncommitted to
any course of action" says the Tribune,
s'whether with regard to measures or men.
If it should see fit to construct or adopt
what is called a platform, it will do 50;
should It choose to recommend candidates
for President and Vice President, il
will also do that. But neither its
platform nor its ticket will have
any higher or other authority than their
intrinsic worth shall give them" Just so.
And con certain grave public questions
such as universal amnesty, civil service re-
form, and the propriety of rendering Pre-
sidents and other dispensers of executive
patronage ineligible to reelection while in
Office" the Tribune infers that 'there will
be no diversity of opinion" The tariff is
the question which appears to give the TTib-
VRe the most trouble. Although that paper
asks TO be "counted out if the majority
shall decide to make free trade a plank in
their platform" it is quite evident that it is
softening somewhat on this question, and
~ manifests a willingness TO meet those who
may differ from it on something like halt
way ground, or to wholly ignore this issue.
For instance, the Tribune says:
ave do not seek nor desire any utter
ancs from Cincinnati in favor of protection.
We ask only that that freedom to differ on
economic questions which has always been
cherished by Republicans may still be con-
coded and maintained. We do rot ask that
the candidates (shOuld any be prOpoSed)
shall be proteCti0nists. We only say that
should prOtectionists be virtually ruled out
Of the Cincinnati movement, a hint with
out a kick viii suffice them.
"The World discusses this topic i'm a
spirit which we have not previously le-
marked in that journal. 1t soundly be-
rates the clumsy ambiguity with which it
is treated in the latest Democratic National
Platform, and says:
"Gf Mr.. Greeley had said: "Let us remit
this question to the Congress districts, and
take it out of the Presidential canvass" his
suggestion might have been worth cOnsid-
ering. In the whole history Of our Gov
eminent, there has never been an instance
of President vetoing a tariff bill or a rev.
enue bill Of any description. The require
ment Of the Constitution that all bills for
raising revenue shall originate in the
House, puts this subject more peculiarly
within the authority of the immediate rep
resentatives of the people than any other in
the whole scope of Federal legislation and
there is accordingly no subject on which a
right-minded President would feel so much
reluctance in interposing his negative. We
accordingly find that, in the eighty
three years since the organization
Of the Government, no revenue bill
has been vetoed" and there is no
likelihood that one ever will be. If Mr.
Greeley himself were President, he would
recoil from settlngth first example of such
veto, even if Congress should send him a
Dill enacting a strictly revenue tariff.
-"s Mr.. Greeley would stand on defensi-
bic, or at least plausible ground, if he had
advised turning this question over to the
two or three hundred separate constituent
cies who elect the members Of Congress
"A grave mistake-witness John Tyler in
1S42.-Ed. ITi6.
Mr.. Greeley may pretty certainly be
counted upon as a supporter ofthe candi
dates of the Cincinnati Convention, if that
body shall make nominations.