Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-05-09
Who Divide the Republican Party!

ONE VI the DlOSI tAtIdOIulHdTN dSSeT-
tions of the supporters of the Cincinnati
movement is that the President is thrust
ing himself upon the Republican party
for a denomination, and that if he would
withdraw his name there would be no
trouble, and, therefore, that if the Repub-
lican cause should be ruined, the Presi-
dent will be justly held responsible.
This remarkable allegation is constantly
made, and it is evidently believed by some
sincere persons. Still further it is stated
very emphatically that even those who
favor his denomination do so under pro-
test; that distinguished party leaders
vino publicly support it privately deplore
it, and that it is incredible that any stanch
and steady old radical Republican can
really think the denomination of the
President desirable. These remarks are
made in various forms but they all tend
to represent the President as terrible
Old Man of the Sea who has seated him.
self immovably upon the neck of the Re-
publican party, and who is bent upon
riding it to destruction.
We assert, on the other hand, that the
great mass of the Republican voters of
the United States who do not hold office,
nor expect to hold office, who have their
own vie of public policy, who read the
newspapers and keep themselves Informed
of the course of public events, and of
the character of public men, and of the
probable motives that influence political
conduct, are just as much resolved upon
the denomination and reelection of Gen.
eral Grant as they were upon those of MIR.
Lincoln in 1864. The only manner
in which such an opinion can be ver-
flied is, of course, by some cleo
ton which may be fairly Interpreted to
turn upon the question of the popularity
of the President; and such was the elec-
ton in New Hampshire. Last year the
Republicans in that State were defeated.
This year, when the probability of the re-
nomination of the President was evident,
yet when a certain hostility to it was al
ready declared, and when it was fully un-
derstood that Republican victory would
be interpreted as an approval of the Pres
ident, the recovery of the State by the
Republicans could have but one meaning.
That this was perfectly understood is
evident from another fact. The Legisla-
ture to be elected would choose United
States Senator. Senator Patterson, who
we hope will be returned, has always been
reckoned one of the most independent as
we'll as one of the most honorable of Sen
ators. He went to the State Convention
which made the nominations, and declar-
ed that if there were any New England
Senators opposed to the President, they
were not the Senators from New Hamp-
shire. What did this mean? 1t meant
that, in Senator Patterson's judgment, the
Republicans OF New Hampshire support
ed the President, and that the Legislature
elected by them would elect no man SEN
ator who was not friendly to him. This
is the only fair Interpretation of the Sem
ator's speech The President was really
the Republican platform in New Hamp-
shire, and upon it the State was recov-
cred Will anybody seriously say
that it was a victory of the bread
and-butter brigade? And if there had
been any grave disaffection in the party,
is it not plain that the dissatisfied Repub-
licans would have taken care that the
very first election of the Presidential year
should not have been of the utmost serv
ice to the prospects of the denomination?
Again, if it be true that distinguished
party leaders publicly favor the renomi-
nation and privately groan over its inevi-
liability, what does the fact show but that
they clearly see the popular preference for
the President? Those of us who favored
the denomination of Mr.. Lincoln, at a
time when we were bitterly reproached
for supporting trivial and obscene Jest
er, who had no real anti-slavery convic.
tions, and was letting everything drift,
used to reply that the people would take
care of him, and that the politicians would
certainly fall into line We were not de-
ceived; and it is as true now as it was
then, that the strength of the President is
with the people. The personal assaults
upon him having recoiled with shame
and ridicule upon those who made them,
he remains the representative of policy
which the people approve, and of this
stability which they feel to be indispensa-
BILE.
1t is not he who thrusts himself upon
them for renomination-it is they who
are resolved to renominate him. BY
what right, therefore, do the Republicans
who are opposed to him, and who refuse
to countenance the Convention of their
party because of their conviction that the
great majority of Republicans desire his
denomination, charge the President with
dividing the party, and those who favor
his denomination with abetting his fatal
action Even the New York World.
patroniZing the Cincinnati Convention,
and exhorting its leader, to be bold"
saws of them: "If they rise TO the
height of the occasion, they will be sup
ported by one-third of the Republican
party" This is the most fanciful and
fantastic estimate that even irresponsible
advocacy claims for the schism. We
venture to think that the Cincinnati lead
ers themselves smile at its exaggeration.
The same paper in the same article adds
that in Connecticut, in November, 1.-THE
Democracy will bring out their full vote,
and the liberal Republicans will support
the same candidates." and that the liberal