Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-10-09
LOGICAL PRO OFS OF GREELEY'S
BARGAIN.


Conversion Of the Democratic Party---Falst
PretenseS Of the SO-Called Liberal Republi
cans.
A careful perus al of current politi-
cal literature furnished by the Liber'
al Republican and Democratic jour
nails must convince every candid
reader that they are attempting tC
practice a gigantic fraud on the peO-
I Die. We have been inspired by the
/ belief that there is marked differ
ence between the Republican and
Democratic parties, a difference of
principles inducing a difference in
measures. affecting the permanent
welfare of the nation. We have been
honest in the conviction that the
principles and policy of the Republi-
can party were sound and just and
wise, and have given our opponents
credit for equal candOr in the expires
sion of the belief that the adoption Of
their principles and theory of gov
ernment would best promote the pub
lie welfare.
In the pending Presidential can
vass we witness q patent effort OD the
part of the enemies of the Republican
party to cover up or to obscure these
distinctions, and to convince the peo-
pie that there is no longer any practi-
cal difference between the two great
parties, and consequently Republicans
can vote for Democratic nominees,
and Democrats for Republican candi-
dates, without a sacrifice of either
principle or consistency; that the
Presidential race is only a contest
between the friends of two REPUBLI-
CAN CANDIDATES for the Chief EX-
ecutive Office
1t may be well to examine this
hypothesis for the purpose of testing
its truthfulness.
All will admit that there 1CdS at one
time a marked difference between the
two parties a difference that was be-
lieved TO be fundamental. If there is
noaU no such existing difference when
did it disappear Not under the ad
ministration OF James Buchanan,
Abraham Lincoln, or Andrew john
son. During these twelve years the
party warfare was earnest, constant
and sometimes even virulent. All
the leading measures of Mr.. Buchan-
ans administration were sustained
by the Democracy and denounced by
the Republicans; all the leading
measures of Mr.. LiLcoln's admins
tration were sustained by The Repub-
liean party and denounced by The
Democratic party; and after Mr..
Johnson's afiliatiOn with the Democ-
racy and his denunciation of a Re
publican Congress, the Democratic
party sustained the views of the
President and the Be publican party
the views and measures adopted by
Congress. And for three years and
more of the administration of Presi
dent Grant the political warfare was
In fact, this strife between
the two great parties was not abated
in the country up to the closing hours
of the last session of Congress. 1t is
clear that this party difference con-
tinued without abatement from the
summer of 1854 to the summer of 1872,
a period of eighteen years. 1t was
to grow out of an honest
difference of opinion on important
principles controlling legislation and
administration. Was this all q sham
"a msre pretense? Were the lead
ing statesmen on either side only
of heroic proportions? But
if not, if they were candid and honest
in their professions, when and how
was this apparent radical difference
between the two parties terminated
How did this conflict of principle
DID A CONVERSION OF EITHER PARTY !
OCCUR AT CINCINNATI ?
Did this difference disappear ct
And if so, in what way /
was it manifested? Certainly II OF by |
he conversion of the Dem ocratic |
party at that time and place, for they |
had no authorized Representatives in |
that convention. And the Republi- !
can party was not converted 10 the /
faith at that time and 1
place, for their masses bad no author
zed Representatives in attendance IL
It was composed of a few hundred of
gentlemen who had
grievances to redress.
But admitting all that they claimed
or themselves, that they were relia
Die representative of the Republican
party, does not relieve the advocates
,f conversion from embarrassment,
or the convention was called as
convention, for the pur-
pose of adopting a Republican plat
orm, and nominating Republican
for President and Vice
President. And they still insist that
hey abandoned Lot one iOta of prin-
.iple. And their candidate for the
still claims that he'is as
Davzrrhlsnan aG hn . /
md his Liberal Republican supper
ers all insist that he is Republican
# the first water, and exhort all
to vote for him instead
# General Grant, on the ground that
le is better Republican than Grant.
f, then, the principles which had
previously divided the two parties
we're not a myth, if they had fOunda
ion in facts and real existence, and
we're not abandoned at Cincinnati,
nd have not since been abandoned
Y the nominees and their Liberal
supporters, when and
7heIe and how did these causes of
olitieal controversy disappear?
VAS EITHER PARTY Converted AT {
BALTISIoRE2
Surely the regular Republican par
= was not converted TO the Demo
ratio faith at the Democratic eOnven- ,
on at Baltimore. There was no :
uthorized repre- sentative of the Re- !
ublicans in that convention. And !
Ie Liberal Republicans were not ,
opposed to be in attendance. If any
took place at that time :
nd place it must have been a con- :
ersion of the Democratic party.
AS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CON-
VERIFIED AT BALTIMORE? 5
This is an important inquiry. Did /
the representatives of three millions c
Democratic voters" abandon the q
rinciples of their party and become c
If so, there is to day a
o Democratic party, and the reputed L