The Van Buren press., 1872-02-20
The Nsw York Tribune on the Presi.
Dental Election.

We clip the following from an editor.
ial in the Tribune, explaining its status
with regard to the Missouri Liberal Re
publicans. After speaking of the elec-
ton in Missouri, and the tremendous de.
feat incurred by McClurg, 1t proceeds
While the canvass was proceeding
President Grant was induced 10 remove
certain Federal officers who favored the
Liberal movement and appoint regulars
in their stead This interference, how.
ever well intended, only served to- add
fuel to the raging flames Between thir-
ty and forty thousand Repablicans. many
of whom had fought gallantly for the
Union, voted the Liberal ticket, and oi
these a large portion were present or rep
resented in the convention at Jefferson
city last week, which called a Mass Ma.
tional Convention Of Liberal Republicans
TO meet at Cincinnati on the 9th of May
next, and nominate candidates for Presi
dent and Vice President.
We mean to avoid prophecy, but it is
very safe to assume that this Convention
viii not renominate Gen. Grant. And
since it is morally certain that the Dem
ocrats as party intend to evince this
year that simple common sense which
they displayed in 1870 in Missouri, and
which was " conspicuous by its absence v
in their nomination and canvass of 1868,
he is very rash who undertakes now to
predict the issue of the Presidential
struggle before us, proclaiming that moth
ing but death can prevent the election oi
this or that candidate. To say the least
the political atmosphercis is hazy. and they
who would be esteemed weatherwise will
predict with caution.
"Then the Tribune is going with the
Boilers r
No; The Tribune is likely to be againsi
the tolters, since they are almost certain
to make hostility to protection, one OF
the p!anks Of their platform, and thai
THE Tribune can never abide. no matter
who may be the rival candidates for
President. Now that the emancipation
is fixed fact, impartial suffrage nearly
so, and universal amnesty inevitable,
there is no remaining national issue
which is half 80 important, in the view
oos The Tribune, as that protection VS..
free trade. We have no shadow of doubt
that the overthrow of protection would
be speedily followed (as in 1Sl6-2O. and
again in 1881, by sweeping indus.
trial collapse and commercial bankrupt.
cy. which would carry hunger and dis
tress into the homes of millions of our
countrymen 70 such calamity The
Tribune cannot contribute, even passive
ly, for any conceivable consideration.
But The Tribune's good wishes did uot,
any mere than Gen. Grants prescription
Of liberals, save the Missouri regulars
from overwhelming defeat in 1870; and
the portents ofeoming disaster are such
that it would be treason to ignore them.
While cur life. .long adyersaries appear
to be actings or preparing to act, with
wisdom and polite iiber JI"4 those who
have the running Of the re- ar Republi-
can machine seem to us bel .blindly,
madly rushing on disaster. Vi bHfstance
but two points they are blundoring sad
ly in their giggling, grudging, mean
souled dealing with the subject of amnes
ty, and in their attempts to brand every
one as anti Republican who does not ia.
vor the denomination Of Gen. Grant