New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-04
1ROUT CJNCINNAU,

ABOUT CINCINNATI.
Through the smoke and reek Of calumny and
denunciation with which its proposers are
assailed, it is at length clear that the Gin
cinnat Convention will be held, and Will be
strongly attended. What it will see fit to do
whether to suggest candidates, frame plat
form, appeal to the Philadelphia Convention,
or adopt some other mode of making its views
known and felt-wc neither ask nor guess. And
we decline to make room for suggestions that
the Convention shall do this or refrain from
doing that, simply because the Convention can
scarcely fail to be better qualified to judge in
the premises than any individual, and can
better judge what should be done in May than
any one could tell it in March or April. To
all who would fill our columns with their
notions of what ought and what ought not to
be done at Cincinnati, we say, "Send delegates
that will present your views to the COnven-
ton, or 60 yourself and submit them" Thus
prollered, they will doubtless receive due con-
sideratiOn.
Meantime, the unreasonable rccklessness
with which all who favor this movement
are assaled is not likely to be abated. Even
a sheet once respectable, The Boston Journal
does not hesitate to assert that
Mr Greeley himself, not long ago, publicly declared
that he must be counted of the Cincinnati movement
unless it ras FAVORABLE 10 Protection.'"
What Mr.. Greeley did say was exactly
this : mark well his precise language:
7L Tribune OF March le.
"Of course, shall ask to be counted ont IL the
majority shall decide to make Free Trade plank in
their platform. The Protection of Home Industry of
more importance in view than the Of any
party or ticket If il should be decided to make Free
Trade cornerstone Of the Cincinnati movement, we
ask only that be not insuted by the assumption that
any possible selection of candidates could reconcile
to that decision. We are quite aware that it may
be found advisable to adopt Free Trade platform,
despite repugnance thereto. If the masses want
Free Trade they ought to be ratfed matter though
at the cost of repellng this that dissenter The
Convention will, we doubt not consider thoroughly
and determine wisely this point others,
AL we ashland 1t is no more than every honest man
has right to asks plain speaking. If the Convention
decides to make Free Trade plank in its platform let
express that determination in plain unambguous Ian
guage. Such juggling phrases as Revenue Reform
should be secuted from the vocabulary Of the earnest
and the truthful.
1--WE do not seek nor desire any uerance from Cincin
natl in faror Of Protection We ask only that that freedom
10 differ Economic questions which has aloaps been
cherished By Republicans may still be conceded and main
be proposed shall be Protectioniss We only say that
should Protectionlss be virtually ruled out of the Gin
cinnati movement, hint without a kick will suffice
them"
THAT is where we have always stood since
the Republican party was formed, as our assail-
ants very well know. In signing the letter to
Col. Grosvenor, we simply indicated our appro-
val of the Cincinnati movement, not of every
phrase embodied in that letter. No such let
ter could ever be in1uentially signed at all, if
every one were to insist on having it express
bis own precise views. We are Informed that
one of the foremost Republicans of our City
Isaac Sherman) declined to sign because the
letter did not commit the signers to Free Trade.
On the other hand, DR.. KrackOwizer objected
to the letter as printed that it seemed to con-
denim Protection. If we had drafted that letter,
its language would have been different but the
Cincinnati movement will be judged by its own
acts and utterances, not by those of this or that
squad who united in calling it.
That the Convention will not rule out those
attending it who are PrOtectiOnists we are
abundantly ass ured 1t might, possibly, be
tempted to do so if it could thereby win the
votes of all FreeTraders; but this is mani
festy impossible Half the most conspicuous
and fussy Free Traders in this City are among
the most vehement of our TwO-Term men.
SO are Gerrit Smith and VIM. Lloyd Garrison,
both extreme FIee-Traders; so are many
other SUCH Since these are not to be won
by any possible uttcrance at Cincinnati, it is
plain that the Convention will not run its
head against wall by ruling out Protection
lists from its fellowship. Each supporter of
the movement will be left free to act
and vote on Economic questions precisely az
he shall see fit, as he has always been in the
Republican party. THE TRIBUNE never OPP
posed Republican candidate because of his
devotion to Free Trade; but The Evening Post,
when the Editor of this journal was the sole
Republican candidate for the present Congress
called on the electors of lis district to oppose
and defeat him because (and only because) of
his advocacy of Protection. THE ST. Louis
Democrat may have done the like in one or
two instances, but not while it was acting with
the regular Republican party, whose en-
iightened rule has always been liberation of
Economic differences. And this rule, we can
lQt doubt, will be recognized and reafirmed
by the Cincinnati Convention.
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