The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-30
nv GREELEY WAS NoMINArED.


Id was not an unreasonable expectation
at the time Of the nominatlonlof Mr.. Gree
ley at Cincinnati that thinking and respon-
slble men Of the country should seriously
ask themselves, 'sWhat does this Greeley
movement mean? Is it wise, safe or pru-
dent"'1 A. small fraction of the Republic
can party, very generally composed of dis
appointed persons, who, either by the peo-
pie or the Administration, were thrown out
of Office, and who, having made politics
their profession, were unable to gain q
livelihood in any other way, first placed
Mr.. Greeley in nomination at Cincinnati.
Tho call Of that Convention. pretended to
be based upon tariff reform and civil SER
vice reform, notwithstanding its gnominee
was the most persistent protectionist in the
whole cotnitryan leading opponent of
the civil service reform, as the callers Of
that convention understood it and desired
practically to carry it out. 5ra 4 liG4 o
The Democratic party at q Baltimore.
made up largely from the South Of those
who hal never acted with that political
organization, and hated it worse than a
Democrat ever did Federalism, accepted
Mr.. Greeley's nomination avowedly on the
ground that his endorsement was essential
to success, or the only means, in fact, to
crush out the Republicans. This was the
highest and only motive adduced by the
H -. . r - p ~ -.
Democrats and boiling Republicans in that
convention for accepting Mr.. Greeley and
endorsing the Cincinnati platform. The
hope Of, political success was the sole inspi-
ration in that convention, and the cry of
Anybody to beat Grant," which Mr..
Schurz declared at Cincinnati would be in
itself an immortality, became the watch
dof the Baltimore demagogucs. Mr..
Schurz protested against this. demoralizmg
watch-word, and demanded better motto
in ga better man to beat Grant, But a
better man they didnot get, as Schurz HIM
self was ready TO admit after the nominal
ton was made. Greeley's entire unfitness
for the Presidential position was what Kept
Mr.. Schurz from avowing his support of
the ticket for some weeks after it was put
in the field, and, when he did accept it, it
was simply as matter ofnecessity.
Horace White, of the Chicago Tribune,
hal said that his unfitness for the executive
Office was most notorious jeremiah Black
declared that ''while he might be the
most available man.. he was certainly the
most unft,o the Springfield Repatblican
echoed the entire sentiment of the country
when it said that he was 'sweak and vain,
approachable only by those who fattered
him, and easily gulled by hypocrites ~ the
Nation declared that "his election would
inaugurate a gigantic system of jobbery
and corruption" and that :" he was noto-
riously surrounded by the worst New York
politicians :" while hundreds of other jour-
nails, now supporting him., gave equally
emphatic opinions as to his incapacity and
entire unftnoss for the position.
From the motto of &c A better man to
beat Grant, the Convention at Baltimore
descended 10 what Schurz declared would
be an s immortality and accepted the
baser motto of t" Anybody to beat Grant"
Mr.. Stephens, Of Georgia, compared Mr..
Greeley to boiled crow, which might be
swallowed, but which nobody could banker
after, and other prominent men, all over
the country, spoke more or less contempt
uously of his nomination. There never
was man nominated by any party at any
time for any prominent position in. the
country, against whose character and fit
ness there has been so wide and unanimous
testimony.
But the most absurd and stultifying
feature of the whole canvass IS this -
that there is not solitary measure
Of government of which the Democracy,
and especially the people of the South,
complain and desire to see remedied, which