The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-02-29
If Grant Should Not be Nominated.

III Grant Should Not be Nominated.
Suppose the Philadelphia convention should
not nominate Grant-what would become OF the
passive policy then? Suppose that after the
| Democratic party had in some authoritative
way announced its determination not to make
| Presidential nomination in such way as to
preclude it from reconsidering the subject the
Philadelphia convention should nominate some
other man than President Grant, would not
this demolish the entire passive programme
and leave the Democracy in very helpless ano
ludicrous attitude? Would not its withdrawal
from the presidential field in contemplation OF
contingency that never occurred, and in favor
of an ally who never came to its place, demor-
alize and disorganize it forever?"
These are questions asked by some Demo-
Gratis who object to the Missouri proposition,
and others who, while viewing it favorably,
fear the imagined hazards which they think lie
in its way. The Mobile Register even suggests
the possibility that the Philadelphia conven-
ton may nominate Trumbull, of Illinois, and
thereby "reunite the Republican party, inclu-
ding Gratz Brown, Carl Schurz, Cassius NJ.
Clay and the Republicans putative allies" and,
in such an event, says:
"Where is the Republican coalition? The
whole passive programme is smashed at blow,
and if the Democratic party should agree to
trust the weight of its fortunes upon that single,
fragile reed the party would also be smashed by
the same blow"
In reply to these suggestions and objections,
we repeat what We have more than once de-
clared, that the proposed abstentation OF the
Democratic party from Presidential nomlna-
tion is not based on the mere probability OF the
nomination of President Grant, overwhelming
as that probability is it is based on the all but
absolute certainty of a schism in the dominant
party which would naturally and inevitably
follow the announcement of abstentation.-
That schism, already embryotic, and needing
only the safe opportunity which Democratic
withdrawal would afford, to become complete
and irreparable, is not simply an anti-G Grant
movement, to be arrested and placated by the
nomination of some other candidate than Grant
by the Republican convention. Personal
opposition to the President is not the measure
Of it, nor the cause of it; it means opposition
not only to the President, but to the Admin
istration, its Southern and financial policy, its
appointments, its corruptions and its violent In
reference with matters that it has no Legitimate
concern with. In fact, as all these measures
have been, and still are either openly or tacitly
ment is and must continue to be revolt against
that party. 1t is scarcely conceivable that the
PHILADELPHIA convention will nominate such a
man as Senator Trumbull but even if it should,
it would be on q platform rejecting the policy
and the measures of the Republican Congress
sional majority; and, in that case, not even the
high character and the incOnclusive liberalism
of the nominee would save him from the for
midable opposition begun at Jefferson City
against the dominant party and whomever 1t
NAV select as its candidate. The only inter-
probation of the Liberal movement that is yet
within our reach is the platform adopted by the
Missouri Liberals and eagerly endorsed by their
friends all over the country. That platform is
not simple opposition to Grant; his name is
not once mentioned in it. 1t is opposition to
the dominant party-and so extreme an oppo-
sition to that party as to be Democratic In Its
spirit, texture and words. Had it been adopted
by Democrats, it would have attracted no at
tention but adopted by Republicans, it excites
universal interest, and creates unconcealed
alarm in the camp of the dominant party.
The Liberal movement is in the hands OF
bold and able men, who will certainly make it
formidable revolt, if the Democracy will so
far favor it as to yield to it the ground to fight
on. Its fate is not in the hands of Mr.. Trum-
bull, nor any other distinguished Republican
who is supposed to stand halfway between 1T
and the regular party. So far from il, it may
be said that the fate of Mr. Trumbull and other
eminent Republicans is in its hands-provided
the Democracy will afford it the opportunity
for development, which, alone, it needs, It is
to be noted that the movement is not bolt OF
mal-contents from the regular Republican Con-
vention it is bold, defiant declaration of war
against that convention, in advance, and, for
this reason, more formidable and stern than
bolt would be. 1t means nothing short of a
brilliant Presidential campaign against the
dominant party and whomever the Philadel-
phia convention may nominate-a campaign
which it rests with the Democracy to say shall
be successful, or be failure.-Misouri Repu6-
Hcan.