New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-04-09
THE POLITICAL PROSPECT.

| personal ana SelnSn ends; but the means
OF disseminating knowledge are so great
IN this country, and the intelligence of the
people SO broad, that neither the selfish
ness Of bad ambition nor the charlatanry
OF the political humbug can seriously
threaten the stability of American inst:tu-
tons.
! We are not inclined to view with any
serious distrust as to the safety of Re-
publican principles the meeting Of two
national Republican conventions this
| spring and summer for the same purpose,
though, If the people so determine it, one
can do the work just as we'll But if the
Republicans of this country decide to
have two conventions in order to ascertain
the true strength Of the Republican party
and its will in regard to Presidential
candidate, who will deny them that righ
1t is true it may be said the National Re-
publican Convention that nominated Gen
eral Grant in 1868 fixed Philadelphia as
the place for holding the National Re
publican Convention in 1872. But does that
do away with the right of Republicans to
hold convention in Cincinnati, if they
think the interest Of the country, Repub-
lcan principles and the Republican party
| demand it? Without desiring to say a
! single word against the Philadelphia con-
| vention or President Grant, who, the coun-
| try understands, is already fixed upon as
the choice of the men who will be sent
there to compose that convention, we can
not shut our eyes to the glaring fact that a
very large number of very prominent and
influential Republicans throughout the
Union are in favor of holding a convention
in Cincinnati, for the purpose of testing
the popularity Of President Grants ad-
ministration and the desires of the people
in regard to its succession. If his re-elec-
ton is really desired by the people, and a
majority Of Republicans really favor his
denomination, neither he nor his most ar
dent friends should desire to stitle full and
fair expression of this feeling upon the sub
ject. And whatever may be the desire of
his seemingly ardent friends upon the sub
ject, we are satisfied tie good sense of the
President VIII lead him to conciliate,
rather than oppose the wishes of the peo-
pie in q matter Of such primary import
ance to them. To do away with any i'm
preston that might otherwise obtain with
the people that the Philadelphia conven-
ton is ''cut and dried affair the work
Of king Caucus, instead Of the people
the Republican party has got to respect
the Republican voice, both at Philadelphia
and Cincinnati, and endeavor to harmonize
it so as to insure victory for Republican
principles and their standard bearers
next fall. The Philadelphia convention
may insure the unanimous denomination
OF President Grant, but unless he can con-
ciliate and unite the Republicans all over
the country in the Presidential election,
he will be defeated; and this has got to be
done upon platform Of principles clearly
defined. He was elected in 1868 to carry
out the fixed opinions of the Republican
party at that time, and if nominated for
reelection, that nomination will be accom- |
panied by platform of principles that |
should serve as a guide for his second ad-
If the Philadelphia conven-
ton makes platform that viii be accept
able to the country, and renominates
President Grant as its chief standard |
bearer in the next Presidential election,
he will undoubtedly be reelected, for a
platform that will be acceptable will unite
the national and State Republicans.
In some Of the States Of the Union OPP
position has been arrayed against the pres
ant national administration in consequence
Of the conduct of federal officials. They
have used the patronage of the national
to subsidize and control State
and have even gone SO far as
10 hold the political convention of frac-
ton of party in the Customhouse by the
i'd Of national troops. This conduct is
I'd, to the disgrace of a Republican admin
stration, that federal officials have con-
;pired with men of opposite politics for the
purpose of revolutionizing lawful State
All men who favor self-gov-
ment will, without distinction of party,
lenounce this as fragrant wrong that
must not be permitted to pass unrebuked.
The very fact that the President has failed
to rebuke such conduct, by removing the
perpetrators of it, renders it the more nee
essary that the Republican party should
set itself right before the people in a
" platform that will reassert the SUI
premacy Of the civil over military author
ity, and proclaim the right of States to
their local affairs, etc The Re
publican party is eminently a party of
principle, and It's success depends upon
men; and its standard /
bearers must be men who respect priu-
ciple.
The time for prospecting" is now
almost at al end. Parties and politicians
have to take their stand. If the Demo-
cratic party was really content to aban-
don all further efforts to succeed and
its work in the field of politics
at an end, the mission Of the Republican
party might be considered closed, but as
the Democrats still show fight, the best
thing the Republicans can do is to unite