The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-02-20
AND STILL ANOTHER
Chief Jusfice BrInkerhaT and
The Cincinnati Contention.

Chief Justice BrInkeri,aR and
the Cincinnau Contention.
Ese Repud.ateS Graufism and In.
d0rses a Reform Movement.
MANsTIELD. o., Feb. 6.
Hon. J. B. Stallo. Cincinnati:
My DEAR SIR: | have observed with
pleasure the card of Messrs Cox, Mat
thews, Hoadley and yourself, published
in the Commercial of the 81 inst, ap-
proving the call of the late Missouri
Convention, for National Mass Con.
vention of Liberal Republicans, at Gin
cinnati, on the lst of May next. Being
with you in sentiment and opinion, /
will endeavor to be there with you in
person.
1t seems to be foregone conclusion
that Gen Grant is to be the nominee of
the Republican Convention. to be held
in Philadel phia in June next. Consid,
ering the vast official patronage pertain.
ing TO the office Of President, and the
manner in which that patronage has been
employed, this foregone conclusion is
not \ matter of wonder, although it is
to me, and doubt not to thousands Of
Others, hitherto members of the Repub-
lican party, a matter of deep regret and
dissatisfaction. AS for me, whatever
else may have heen, l have not been,
nor do l intend to become, the slave of
any political organization. Born, so to
speak, member of the old Dem ocratic
party, | continued to act with it till !
thought, and still think, it had degene,
rated into mere subesrviency to slave
holding interests and aspirations. For
this reason, and this only, and failing to
find any indications Of reformation in
this respect, I left tho party-thcreby,as
to myself, abandoning every prospect
and hope of political preferment in the
future and thenceforward I CO operated
with the Free soil party, until it was
merged, on the basis Of its own principles
in the Republican party, and with that ]
zealously acteG..until after the ihaugura-
ton of Gen. Grant, and up to the de-
velopments of his personal and political
administration, which are the foundation
of my objection to both.
Under Republican Government, at
tention to politics, in the higher and
proper sense of the word. is a personal
duty: and every citizen, if he would
work effectively in politics, must work
through the medium of parties. But
parties are made for men, not men for
parties They are instrumentalities-
not dictators. On no other ground than
this can the existence Of political parties
be justified; and the man who adheres
to a party when it has ceased, ID the
main, to represent, or has become an
Itsgonistie 10 his own convictions, as to
what is just and wise,abandons alike his
freedom and his duty, and voluntarily
assumes the position of slave.
AS to the personal administration of
Grant, do not like his acceptance, prior
to his Inauguration, Of munifcent pres
ents from men distinguished for nothing
but their wealth, and then appointing
those same men to office. | do not like
hi, shameful and shameless nepotism
his apparently intimate and continuous
associations with stock jobbers his pro-
ject for the purchase of San Domingo
his ostracism of such men as Sumner,
Hosr and Cox, and the substitution, as
his confidential advisers of men IN whose
ability and political purity discrimina-
ting public has far less confidence. do
not like his official professions in favor
of civil service reform when contrasted
with the fact that lie made the places of
the only members of his Cabinet who
seemed TO be heartily and practically in
favor of such reform too hot for them
nor do l like the revelations recently
made, through the medium of a reluct-
ant committee, as to the character of the
administration of the New York Custom
House, nor his fulsome indorsement Of
its late chief.
Nor is the Legislative policy Of those
who assume to be the special friends OF
the President more acceptable to me. /
do not like a tariff of duties on imports;
which, while it takes money from ono
mans pocket and puts it into the pocket
of another, brings little or no revenue
into the public treasury; and which,
while it ostensibly adds to the wages of
some manufacturing laborers, takes more
than that increase from all laborers by
means of the increased cost Of living Il
Nor do I like the apparent effort and
disposition toward the assumption by
the General Government of powers and
functions properly appertaining to the
States.
If there ever was a party formed with
an honest view to the realization Of
system Of just legislation and purity of
executive administration, it was the Re-
publican party; and it is grinding to the
sensibilities of those who participated
in its formation to find so many men
who had no sympathy with the priDci-
piles on which it was based, bat who
jumped aboard of it when they saw that
its voyage was likely to be successful
one, now assuming both the office of
captain and the responsible po5ition of
hclnsman. The disruption of long &C
customed political associations is always
painful, and it was not for such results
as We now see that such men as Tod and
Brough, among the dead, and Matthews
and Hoadley, and thousands of others,
among the living, stepped out of the
ranks of old affiliations and fell into
line with the cohorts Of Repablicanism.
The grand battle against slaveholding
domination and rebellion having been
fought and won, and the fruits of yicto.
ry ingrafted into the National Constltu
ton, we have leisure to consider other
questions-less vital, doubtless. but still
of immense Importance to the public in
terests; and the people of the United
States can never afford to abdicate their
own sovereignty in favor of any sort OF
self constituted leaders.
Believe me, dear sir, very truly yours,
JACOB BRINKEkHoff.