The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-04

They be Endorsed by the Democracy!
The Liberal Republican Convention at Gin
cinnati has completed its work and placed its
platform and candidates before the people.
Horace Greeley of New York, has received its
nomination for the Presidency of the United
States and b. Gratz Brown, of Missouri, for
the Vice Presidency. The liberal republican
movement has been q singular one, and the
success of the candidates it has put into the
field would be one of the most remarkable
events in the history of politics 1t originated
with the soreheads of the regular republican
party-with the men who desired to hold or
control offices under the federal government,
which We're denied them by the administra-
ton. There was nothing patriotic or
praiseworthy in this political rebellion. 1t
was melted by personal malice alone, and not
by any consideration for the public good The
disappointed oflice-seekers, led in this State
by Governor Fenton, and in other States by
politicians of similar calibre, turned against
President Grant simply because he refused to
place the federal patronage in their hands
They had no higher motive for their detection
than this If at any moment the President
would have reversed his action and placed at
their disposal the custom houses, post Offices
and internal revenue appointments, they
would have been as fervent in their
| praise as they are now loud in denuncia-
ton of his administration. AS it was, they
entered upon a bitter, but narrow minded,
crusade against him, and initiated such i'll
advised attacks as the Custom House inves-
tigation in this city and the French arms
inquiry at Washington. If the opposition to
Grant had been confined to these selfish
political hacks it would have been too insig
nifcant to require any notice or to excite any
alarm; but, unfortunately, there were other
and graver causes of complaint against the
administration than arose from the man
ner in which the federal patronage
was distributed. The oficc-hoiders, by their
inconsiderate and arbitrary conduct, began to
disgust persons who did not seek or desire
any share in the spoils, and the President, in
his ignorance of politics and simple honesty
Of purpose, was induced to approve their acts,
and thus to make their faults his own. The
administration party in Congress tempered
with the question of complete, universal
amnesty, and offended and discouraged the
South Superserviceable knaves obtained
power in the Southern States through
the influence of the President and
abused it for their own interests The
Cabinet Numbered in its financial
policy, and in its foreign policy it
disappointed the wishes of the people in re-
gard to Cuba and Mexico. 1t frittered away
it's strength on the ST. Domingo scheme,
played fast and loose with Spain, and finally
involved itself in humiliating complication
with England, from which it now seeks to
escape by a sacrifice of the national honor.
Thousands of responsible and respectable
citizens, who deplored the errors of the adj
ministration, while still honoring and trusting
General Grant, joined the movement that had
been naugurated by the sore-headed Office
seekers and gave it more serious and alarm
| ing character. What had been at first
a mere rebellion of handful of dissatisfied
adventurous grew to the dimensions of great
political revolution, and the result has been
the powerful gathering at Cincinnati, the
adoption Of a popular platform and the nomi-
nation of strong independent ticket for the
campaign.
The liberal republicans have acted with
wisdom and prudence, and have done the
best they could to promote the success
of their ticket. If they should persist in
going with it to the polls their plat
form is concise and popular. There is in
it, Of course, the usual amount of rhetoric but
it declares for the complete and absolute blot
ting out of all the memories of the rebellion by
the removal of all disabilities and the declara-
ton of universal amnesty. 1t upholds self
government for the States and constitutional
limitations of power for the nation. 1t advo-
Gates real civil service reform and speedy re-
turn to specie payments. It opposes all land
grants, demands change in our foreign
policy and pays the stereotyped COM
pliment to the patriotism and sacrifices
of our soldiers and sailors. Upon the vexed
question of the tariff the platform is as non
committal as usual, but the significant vote of
the Convention on Thursday evening showed
that the sense of two-thirds Of the Convention
favored the reference of that question to the
Congressional districts, to which it properly
belongs. 1t may be questioned whether a
resolution that declares in favor of appoint
ing only honest and capable men to Office
without regard to political considerations
means much in the mouths of disappointed
offcc-seekers but it would certainly
mean no more if emanating from
convention of holders. SO the platform,
on the whole may be regarded as a good
enough declaration Of principles for the pur-
poses of the campaign, and the candidates are
the best that could have been selected by such
body.
Horace Greeley is plain, honest man, who
will be likely to excite some enthusiasm in the
country. and will be sure to run well among