New-York tribune., 1873-03-06

sands OF thnks, e sh non who arc influential lead
ers of fine Republican party Ho w's o nbonIJ
weapons for contest IN whicil wo no to entar with
dnlight and into which he psoPo9en 10 enVel W., H.
Is whole heart and soul He felt ms power anu no
new il was greatest in an aggressive war agist oo
ruDtion and incOmpetenOy, against eIhlaiiy h,,d
sIonoJ l., rho glse of pol ti0a virtue. lie looked
for great detection in the Republican ranks unuct
this potcsting banner. In tins ne dliereu irvili On
many of his personal friends who believed that 700
'LIc cnu ider co i'm GIN Grant remained IN the man
nnsb ken and that when his naino camo again pe
fore tine people all secondary eonsdeIaiions wouul m
be overlooked aud Oycrb0rnc ana tnat no Wonlu 40
tr,uunL,ntiy elected Bat Mr.. Greeley would iiRht
his battles all the same, rcgaroIess oI eois' ;e's
ouenccs and regardless OF all temporary saorloeS'
pccuniary and otherwise that ne hheT ,'I eveJ
would inevitably entail He undouptedlS oe.esen ,,s
bs was laying tho foundation TOR bI0ad aNu sue.
ces,ful Reform movement In the 1nturc, ahu tL..
the losses would be more tna1 ooinpei9'teu ~
the gains hereafter. IL was Mr. Greeley nlteilec-
tual habit to be always preparing the way .of ~ d
better future. He was man ever nnpaucnt Ior
pshed results. lie was always on the alert LOT new
positions and new Issues. IL was iaNOlite tiicvty ~
of his that frequent political changes were useluI 70
the public lie held THAI every party became coIup'
Inv beinp long in power, and that TINS corruption
was never fully probed ana never DESTROYER eAcoP'
by such changes. He cared nothing tor the pitseI-
walton of party except as agency 10 promote hieh
principles and useful measures. lie did care every
thing for principles; but if they were ignored or us-
regarded, he cared not what became oil the party
that only omptily proiessed thon'
There Is really no reason whatever to believe Mr.
Greeley anticipated any other result than that we
have Indicated in tho opposition he had now avowed.
With the people who originally proposed to meet at
Cincinnati for Civil Service and Revenue Reform
Mr. Greeley had no sympathy. Their cardinal OBJ
iect was to make head against that nrolecye pol
icy which he had long warmly supported, But Ss a
body tay9I&9l2 - 1iorU ~ general. MI GteSleS
as he himself favored. He Thought tho two classes
of reformers might act hannoniously in pursuit OF
common object. by agreeing each 70 remit IN tne
the Tariff question, to the popular constituencies oil
the Congress Districts 1t Is hart to see anything
bamabie in this but only wse preGssnnuon; sue
in the present or tho future by hars breadth Ddi
it has been made matter of reproaoh to MT Greeley
in the allegation that he thereby aDamdoned hls p"
| previous position on the subject The reprOach is
| lnmeFited since tho allegation IS wholly untrue
| He did not abandon any position ne ever ocoupiy,u
Oh the subject, aud did not propose to iore@o lt'
| discussion or even tho advocacy he had so long
practiced But Mr.. Greeley was endeayorng tt
| hsrmoBige tho elements of tho opposition ior tnt
coumon advantage. and without reference TO h!msaI
| lie wanted that Convention 10 agree on Presldei
tial candidate he could support, ana no dln np' I
conceal his preferences that that candidate should
| be Lyman 1rumbull. But he did not go TO The Con
| ventioH, and did not seek In the leash elmer pS
solicitation or combination. to influence It's action
| But in dne time tO the utter surprise OF every.
body. and especially OF Mr Greeley himself IL dlo
As much of the rePrOach heaped upon Sir Gree!ey
because he became the candidate OF the opposition
we should like 10 ask just here, wnaS was pit; otec
lev TO do III these ClrculnstanceSf Ilo certainty WA
| not to blame for his nomination. DE had not con-
trited is; he had not anticipated It, Inc result was
| spontaneous Judgment OF the majority at Cihclh
nati that he was the most it man % bo n0iEin
| Was he to repel this judgment! was he to wlth
| draw and say he would not runf 1t Is none toe
mach 20 say that he could with proprcty do neither
| OF all mon in the moyement II was NOS Tor hil
to blk at the first step OF the C0nyehtoh, ana thus
intepOSe an obstacle TO It's success by dscredlngis
Judgment. Mr.. Greeley, then, was IN no sense re-
spo1sibie for his own nomination, and thus deserves
no reproach forit. lie had Vt thrust upon nm, ano
he could not escape its consequences NO conditions
| vcre attached to it, and no promises eXacted lie
! was taken on a position he had long before marked
out for himself, when he originally resolved on
lighting the battle in the ranks, III bchali oil VINO
| ever might lead.
| HIS POSITION CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT
Neither because the Democrats subsequently
thought it cor their interest to confirm the nomna-
ton and to accept Mr. Greeley for their candidate,
is it to be imputed to him for crime. IIe was but the
passlye recipient of unexpected honors from his old
| adversaries Their action did not change his own
sef-ch0sen position, or swerye ham hair from his
| principles He did not become Democrat or n rep
| resentative of Democracy by accepting the nomna-
| tion. He was tho same Horace tireeIey ana the
! same Republican aS before, and would have so re-
manned had the fatcs been pro9ltions and placed nm
i'm the Presidential chair. 1t was his Own lofty and
independent position, his daring declarations OF de
| termined freedom from party shackles when they
| would bind him to support what he abhoIred and
| execrated. that extorted the admiration of his old
foes and won the support of such of them as could
be moved by sentiments of magnanjmlty toward 80 70
| noble and fearless leader. Unhapply these did
| not comprise the whole Of the Democratic party.
There were numerous Democrats III every state, VINO
in the zeal Of their craftsmanship opposed hm to me me
hands of Gen. Grants friends, They at
least believed Gen. Grant to be better
Gyaeisy had s never belonged to the Democratic party
had never joined it, had never qualified his hostility
to its views in every issue t had ever raised with the
Republican party in the past and for these reasons
refused their support to his nomination. 1t was
| these Democrats who would not go over to Dir.
Greeleys position, and yield him their support, who
to the sacrifice that the Baltimore Convention of the
representatives of the party were willing TO make,
and did make, the declaration OF principles they
| adopted amply attests. Mr. Greeley himself stood
firm in his own place, that OF consistent, pro-
| nounced. distinctive but liberal and non-partisan
Republican. This is not left to conjecture or asser-
| tion. His writings and his speeches, from hrst to
| last at once luminous and copOus, all show 1t, and
| are au everlasting testimony 10 his truth his
sistency, and his unswerying fidelity to bis prin-
No friend of his is perplexed as to his motives OF
in doubt to his Inspirations or questions the per-
he'd bedae TO- conceal @ ID devoa, and abyrnhne s Wsy
| His road was clear and open and plain to all who do
notchOOse to be blinded by the fOgs OF shallow par
tsanshp Ii Is at once an insult to his memory and
an nsult to the personal friends who supported him
through the Presidential contest, either to charge
or to intimate that his reputation and his honor
| best conserved by throwing vail over the most
prominent facts and circumstances OF his whole po-
| iitlcal life His friends say, No! Uncover every
| thing. Let all be told. Conceal nothing. We chal-
lenge the sharpest scrutiny. But why say this
| There is nothing to scrutHZe that the brood light of
| open day does not already shine upon and reveal
! and the impartial biographer and historian of the
future when he shall review Mr.. Greeey's life and
| character, will find flaw therein and will be COM
PEELED to pronounce the inevitable verdict Well
done, good and faithful servant"
| Yours JAMES S. PIKE
| Charleston. s. o., Feb. a. 1873.
| POLITICAL BICKERINGS.
rur unI LOW TRICR IN APOII 10 HALL