Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-30

Rev. DIR. Bacon of New Haven furnishes an
article for the Independent, the closing portion
of which we copy:
In common with many other outsiders, | have
been watching the attempt of the so-called Glib
eral republicans" to get up new party. The
liberal men in Missouri, where the movement
began, stood (if remember correctly for three
principles, viz. the removal of political disabli
ties from the men who had been DISTINGUISHED
for political offenses; the abolition of duties i'm
posed for other purposes than reyenue-or, at
least, of protection which does not protect"
and the reformation of The civil service. A
party contending for these principles and de-
handing that they shall be incorporated into
our national policy would be at least respect
able. But, as this movement proceeds extend
ing its plans and combinations, there is increas-
ing evidence that in-the view of its leaders, the
party which they are getting up is more i'm
portant than the principles with which they
started; in other words, that the principles are
for the party, and not the party for the princl-
pies. Every day seem to see more clearly that
the convention soon to be held at Cincinnati
will be a meeting of politicians, not in the in
terest of equal freedom for all honest indus
tries, nor in the interest of the civil service re-
formation, nor even in the interest OF amnesty;
but chiefly and engroSsingly for the purpose of
organizing new party, in which the main
force, both of attraction and cohesion, shall be
the hope of turning out all office holders, from
the president down to the gaugers and tide
walters, and putting in other men no better
than they. The objective point of the move
ment is the defeat of General Grant-the pre-
vention of his denomination or, at all hazards,
of his reelection. Reduced to simple and
straightforward terms, the invitation is: "Hoi
every one who is dissatisfied with the dstriDu-
ton of offices; no! every one that has grudge
against General Grant and desires to have some
body else, or anybody else for president; hol
every one that wants TO make party first and
ind n~inainlac ny q turn in
hither."
For some of the men who have given their in
1uence to this movement have most sincere
respect, because know them to be honest and
large-minded. Others | know only in their
public characters as politicians and it seems
to me that they have obtained the control and
are managing the movement after their kind.
However honest and well principed the so
called liberal republicanism was in its beginning
its principles now are easy TO be understood;
and, as John Randolph said in another case,
"they are seven in number-tive loaves aud two
fishes" Behold the spectacle! The revenue
reformers, whose motto was freedom for all in
dustries dckering and compromising with Mr..
Greeley, of the New York Tribune! The civil
service reformers hand in hand with Senator
Fenton! The generous proclamers of univer-
sal amnesty using all arts to conciliate Senator
Sumner, and ready to accommodate their plat
form TO his inheXibility, if he will only give his
great name TO their convention! The party
first then such Issues" as the party may agree
upon with good chance of succeSs
While the quarrel of these liberal republicans
seems to be exclusively with General Grant,
and with his friends only because of their sup
porting him, and while their only aim is to de-
feat his reelection, cannot but marvel that
the main points of their complaints against
him are matters for which not he, but the re-
publican majority in congress, is responsible.
For example, they complain of his appoint
ments to office. But everybody knows that the
senators do not passiYely confirm the nominal
lions made to them by the president. They
even insist that he shall nominate only the
men whom the republican members of
| congress nominate to him. and that they
viii reject those whom he dominates at his own
discretion. Is not he doing his best to escape
from the necessity of acting as a mere organ of
the party in his appointments And is not his
plan for the reformation of the civil service OPP
posed and denounced by republicans, as well as
democrats, in both houses of congress? So in
the matter of revenue reform. What has the
president to do with reforming the tariff ofdutes
on importsP His only business in that matter
is to see that whatever duties the legislative
powers may impose are vigorously collected.
And as for the restoration of political rights to
DISTINGUISHED citizens in the reconstructed states
what is President Grants position in relation
TO the matter? What did he say about it in his
message at the opening of congress? Has he
not more reason than any of these liberal repub-
licans have to be indignant at the defeat of that
measure in the senate? BY whose tactics and by
whose votes was it defeated? iif
If then, the proposed convention really aims
at anything else than a new distribution of
spoils; if areally means civil service reform
and revenue reform, and the removal of politi-
cal disabilities from the disiranchised, let ii
nominate Gen. Grant for the presidency, and
then let it 90 to work all over the country to put
into the capitol a congress that will operate with
him instead of battling his endeavors If they
do this, they may be sure of elccting their can.
didate at the coming election; and a few years
hence, if they will persist in well-doing, they
may hope to see not only completed amnesty
but a reformed civil service, and the final abo.
lition of all quackish interference by government
with the industry of the people.