New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-05-29
LIBERALISM IN MASSACHUSETTS.

THE HON. Y. W. BIRD DEFINES HIS fOhlliOAL
PosITION-wBY HE LEAVES THE GhANr
PARTY-AN INSIDE VIEW OF THE CINCIN-
MATT CONVENTION, AND HEAkIi iNDohoh-
MENT OF ITS WORK.
The Hon. F. w. Bird, Massachusetts dele
gate 10 the Cincinnati Convention, one OF the foremost
Reuublcan leaders OF the State, defined his political
views to gathering Of his fenowcitzens In East wal
pole last Friday evening, speaking as follows;
I wejcomed the call emanating from Missouri for tho
Cincinnati Convention as the indication Of an earnest
purpose part OF influential gentlemen at the west
Tor change in the Administration OF Washington. 1
fet as knew very many earnest, thoughtful Repub-
Continuation this Administration in power any longer
was dscredable and dangerous AT first the movement
greeted by my friends with sneers Are you gong 10
oin the Democratic party !" they asked well can
certainly" "Wel, are you going TO vote with the Dem
GEN Grant four years ago at Chicago and after that any
action is possible. never believed III Cen Grant
TO the Convention that nominated him. anS hs
selection being foregone conclusion joined WIN inc
delegation and voted for him told my rienuS rnTH
ing up my nat for him. don't believe in it. never pc
month Of his Hdministration has proved his unfit
ness for the place. When voted Tor HIM lDeeved tha
elected him. men of character and capacity and that ne
would carry his ADMINISTRATION In accordance win
their best Judgment Unfortunately for you ana iOr me-
hs has chosen surround himself with men In whom
and the country have no eondence anu h ht mem
OF the elcctng party.
don't wish to be understood that regard Grant as
bad he Is weak and his weakness has leI MN 10
nllOw himself controlled by bad men Doider anu
stronger than himself / had known for months what
pYihc know of diScredtabe conduct OF the al
mnstraton in the removal of Motley ana knew oi the
wretched Santo Domingo busness-0i inc ndSrd p VIZ
of in sending navy 10 the fleuuy tepup
Die of Hayt threatening war upon them II they at
tempted 10 maintain their claim TO what they honestly
believed was their territory. know, and you all know
OF the removal Of Senator Sumner from the Committee
of Foreign Affairs; confessedly the abest statesman OF
the country and the most familiar with our foreign al
fairs OF any public man, and who Tor the aIt ~ or ~
Years has had to do with them than any other an
just for the sole reason that he differed VIII
the President in the santo DonlhgG i aa,s and
the last and GROWING act OF nguSucT an" its
wrong perpetrated by the Administration was .s
ton There was the notorious fact that our Govern
had been selling large amount OF arms 10 ine
ed for long time until the whole country joined IN the
demand and fually the ackeys Of the Administration
Were compelled TO submit to it, In violation of all par
iiamentary law they EXCLUDED IRON the t9pHHItlec
mee for the purpose Of covering up the merits de-
merits Of the Transaction. Worst OF all was the atroco
of Senators Sumner and Schurz before the Committee
and attempting to can them to account for their %SIa
spoken in secret Perhaps was influenced eaI "ea d
IN action in taking tins ground as cary as ua
Sovsment by nv personal relations with Senator sum
ner beyond that feel that his treatment by Cen
of all Uamlin of Maine was such that every Massachu
sets Republican and every political 1rlend OF ChIles
bsteny with their serespect and the honor OF Massa
chuses give Gen. Grant and his followers TO know Inat
until that great outrage atoned for neither Grant
any of his friends could ever expect the support OF
the IacEeys of The President connected with the press
said TO me in Washington this Winter Grant is just
the same to-day that he was before the war Wnen
he lived near Galena; the surrounded by the
same set of in just the same society as when ne
left his wife and family suffering almost for their oay
bread and started in the morning with LOAD OF Dark
for Gaena leaving 1t uncertain whether he woIld come
back at night with the proceeds OF the load for the
benefit Of his family or drunk IN The bottom Oh MS
wagon"
met number Of gentlemen in the city the other day.
and they asked il going TO Cincinnati ana leaVe
the Republican party said: Gentlemen, II You woua
say honestly and bravey TO the pnDhc What you Say
vaely 10 me- you would not dare to ask openly whether
would against Grant or not TheFe rs hot a UnT OF OF
Grant who does entertain for him the same IeeIng
OF and dislike and, excuse me- contempt that
DO" Yet these men are t9uay sions ID ri9g these
supporters of Gen. Grant confess 10 kn0Wlng these
ton any longer it having become test Of member
ship OF the RPuDneaa parry can hU Well When
went Cincinnati that left all my political friends so
far as potca associations concerned. won't say
burned the bridges the trouble of II that the bridges
that conducted TO the Republican party rOIed away
both on general ana special reasons Since jackson no
has been reelected in this country 1or tne econd
u in tine of war when Lincoln was SO teeeet t
but that could not have been done except Tor the
tb as prncpe but DO MT care anything about
It, have no fears OF acting with the Democrats OF
nsrtv ever since have thought for myself in public af
fairs In 1876 elected to the Legislature as MHg
and i'm that session and the next found myself acting
with the minority upon all questions OF lneotpoEdtlons
for business purposes except on railroad CORPORATIONS
crat hard money ana free trade so far as the e
lions OF domestic policy, with the single exception OF
slavery I believe have been ready far as the
iRS' and has always governed it since the days
of Jeei son Now that the Slavery Issue all settled,
first principles; and confess am ready as an advocate
OF the equality Of rights Of all men to find myself IN
that party which is 10 restore the country 10 It's original
purity se am RTe ea T Of gT asn sRG with fS the the
whom we used 10 cab Locofoeos.
With these views went to Cincinnati. don't think
could be called sorehead because really have had my
full share OF the honors and emoiuments OF tne party
which l have left Since the HepuDhcan pyry wa, was
organized under Gov Andrew on platform upon winch
1 could stand have held Office three-iOuftbs OF bne
cine by the of the people and OF the LEGISLATURE
md could have done so the remainder OF the tne ~
lad not refused Office offered by the Executive At I'm
cinnat found very much 10 my surprise tousanls OF
thoughtful earnest men, who had come with serious,
grave and solemn purpose, united unseshly Tor what
they conceived 10 be the good OF the county teIe
were Jockeys there and soldiers Of fOrunetheTe always
But have attended all the conventions since lS4O
and never saw one more orderly or more crave anu
earnest persons brought together with one slngle
purpose Of accomplishing what would De pest
devised for the public welfare. reacneu Cln-
cpuat on Monday morning, and OH Tuesday and every
law iheresftpr the hotels thrODged with wide
awake excited men, who bore their own expenses. 10
he snre there were about thousand bummers from
Illinois prepared 10 work for Judge DAVIS, but when
the choice delegates came they chose AZ men 70 10 te
men rom Ohio who wished 10 assist Mr. Trumbuli but
othing In Justify the saving that the Convention
dsOrdery mob. The purpose was 10 select one oul
OF three four men whose name had Deeh prominently
before the public as candidate whose hae snoua 10
a synonym for private purity and publc lnteg-
rity and capacity. There was no seli-seekng or
individual preference among the DELEGATES me
noisy work OF the session was for Judge DAVIS Inc
regular work Of the Convention for Adams. III me
Massachusetts, delegation had been unanimous Tor MN,
have been nominated. Trumbull was defeated by the
division OF the Illinois delegation between him ana
DAVIS Then came the Blair and Brown bargain OF
which much saId admit that the matter might
look suspicious, but there was never the sghest I0u
datOn Tor that insinuatOD, as very well know Ihen
Brown found that he could not be candidate Tor Pres
NHoVn IA Hl lIll ma linn nT an