The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-29

west ana Soutns
Although the political ebb tide from the
great upheaval, "the tidal wave' of our late
Presidential contest has gone down to dead
low water-although all our approaching an
nual State elections, with an interruption only
here and there to I'LL q Congressional vacancy
will be directly contested upon local candidates
and issues, there are yet, East, West and South.
certain party movements afoot which, from
their bearings upon the Presidential success
sion, are entitled to passing notice. Con-
spicuous among these movements are the let
tiers from W. s. Groesbeck, of Ohio. on the
forlorn situation and political necessities
of the democratic party, the impending State
Convention of the Ohio liberal republicans,
the awakened fears and indignation of the re-
publican Puritans of Massachusetts, against
the irrepressible General Butler as q candidate
for Governor over them, and some passing
changes from recent shahngs Of the Southern
kaleidoscope.
MIR. Groesbeck, within few years past has
become one OF the recognized apostles and
authoritative expounders of the democratic
faith, and since the decisive defeat Of the old
line democracy, under Seymour and Blair, in
1868, he has been democratic favorits among
their probabilities on q new departure. With
others among the chief of his party he was
cast aside in 1872 for the bold joint stock
adventure under Greeley and Brown but
from the fearful collapse Of that glittering
balloon he survives, and stronger than before,
as democratic oracle His opinions, there
fore, touching the past misfortunes and pres
ent necessities of his party challenge our re-
spectful attention. He says that the demo-
cratic party, 'blundering constantly during
the last ten years and shattered by many
defeats, surrendered finally at the last Presi-
Dental election'' that this surrender cannot
be recalled, and that sit will be wise TO lay
aside the old organization and enter into
new one" And this new organization he pro-
poses to call the liberal democracy, blending
of part Of the title of each of the high con-
tracing parties of the Cincinnati and Balti-
more coalition. And he would frankly accept
the fixed facts resulting from the late war
for the Union, and in the platform Of this new
opposition party he would oppose all forms
Of monopoly and Capitalization; and he would
hold fast to the reservations of State rights,
local elf-governm ents and strict construc-
ton of the constitution, and he would lift
high and without equivocation the broad en-
sign of free trade, and carry the war into
Africa against prohibitory tariff.
This is Mr.. Groesbecks diagnosis of and
prescription for the marasmus of the demo-
cratic party. 1t is the Cincinnati platform
over again, with this important difference
the Cincinnati ritual in ignoring the issue of
free trade, was the transformation of an origi-
nal free trade movement into the play of 'Ham-
let with the melancholy Dane omitted, in
order to save Pennsylvania and to secure Mr.
Greeley. Now, Mr.. Groesbeck thinks, the
time has come to bring in the melancholy
Dane" when the democracy, abandoning their
lifelong policy of temporizing and compromis-
ing upon the tariff question, should face it
without hedging upon the ultimatum of free
trade. But the experiment has been al
ready tried this season, and the re-
sponses from the democratic press have
been so heavily against the desperate adven-
ture that it may be considered as definitely
rejected. The old party which achieved one
of the greatest national victories under the
not yet prepared to march under the shib-
boleth Of "direct taxes as a substitute for
custom houses;'' for this is the meaning of
unequivocal free trade.
Diminishing Mr.. Groesbeck, then, as failing
to provide a universal psnacea for the compli-
Gated aiings of the democratic party, some
healing specific and some diplomatic half
way house of rest may, perhaps be provided
for both the interested parties in the Liberal
Republican Ohio State Convention, which
is to meet at Columbus tomorrow. The two
parties concerned, however, appear to be
rather in the way to final quarrel and sepa-
ration than in the mood for q new marriage
and a new honeymoon. Still, as it is under
stood that Mr.. Brinkerhoff and his liberals
hold balance Of power indispensable to
democratic success, the counsels of Mr.
Groesbeck may lead to another trial of the
Cincinnati coalition; and if SO, in Ohio, we
may have from this beginning the shaping of
the opposition elements for the Presidential
succession. Thus leaving Ohio, for the
present, we will turn moment to the political
uproar in Massachusetts,.
When General Grant, in his mastery report
of the operations Of the Army of the Potomac
in that grand and decisive campaign of 1865,
referred to General Butler and his column at
Bermuda Hundreds as being as utterly help
less there las if tightly corked up in bot
tie" he little dreamed that in support of his
political programme in the administration of
the national government General Butler would
some day become his right hand man in the
stanch old Puritan Commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts But SO it appears to be. The
excavator Of Dutch Gap was for o time disposed
IN he ndepepdent lint hayin O. learns al wisdom,