Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-04-25
IIBERALs ann 1NpEpENpENrs.

AMI I'm
The experiment of the Greeley cam
psign has opened the eyes of the Demo.
cratic organs and leaders who decline al
proffers Of coalition with political sore.
heads and independents. The Ypsilanti
Sentinel, an old-line Democratic organ
of high standing, gives the go by tothese
political mongrels:
They 1.-THE Independent partly we're
listened to in 1872, and the disaster that
followed is well remembered. Let that
be the last time. Let the Democracy now
90 on in firm reliance on its own princi-
Piles, and pay no attention to outside per
turbations, to these outside satellites Of
parties, which seek to absorb their pri-
maries into themselves. If the indie
pendents' want a party let them make it.
They have leaders enough if that is the
only requisite. Let them beat up for
recruits, and see what strength they can
show"
While the Memphis LEDGER, the most
influential and widely -circulated Demo-
cratic paper in the Southwestern States,
says:
THE Cincinnati platform contained,
however, the stimulation of sound doc
trine, but the object was SO apparent that
it deceived nobody but the Baltimore
Convention, which killed off Greeley by
nominating him. Effective political re-
forms are usually accomplished BY we'll
defined organizations. The experience
of the past eight years has, let US hope,
taught the Democratic masses something
which will be crystalized into an express
sion Of sound and tenable public policy
at St. Louis. But that Convention will
not be likely to call itself Republican
or assume the colors of that party any
more than the Cincinnati Convention
will declare itself Democratic to the
core"
From the tone of these Democratic Or
gaus Greeley Liberal Republicans will
perceive that their votes and influence
are moi sought for by the Democratic
leaders in November. This is a polite
hint for that class of men to return to
their former political allegiance which
has alreacy been adopted By the great
mass Of them.
We copy the above from the
Allegan (Mich.) Journal, not SO
much for the overdrawn estimate
Of the LEDGER's influence as to re-
ply to the last paragraph. The
Greeley Republicans made a move
~ostenSibly in the interest of reform
and honest administration of the
government, yet when they failed
to get into power they went back
to the ranks of the old Republican
party, and some Of them have been
doing penance ever since. Even
the exposures Of gross frauds and
corruptions failed to startle them.
The inference is irresistible that
the leaders at least were insincere
in their pretensions. Their ma
tional executive committee thought
it incumbent on them not long ago
to formally announce the disband-
ment of the organization. There
are many earnest reformers in the
country who will vote with what
ever party they think will be likely
to inauguratean honest and faithful
administration. Some Of these have
been in the habit Of voting the Re-
publican ticket. Others have stood
aloof from parties and voted indie
pendently,if they yotedat all. These
elements are much larger than gen.
orally supposed, and the Democratic
party will do well to merit and Sc
cure their cooperation in the CON-
ing campaign. The LEDGER, while
a Democratic organ in a sense, is at
the same time Independent and
outspoken, and represents the Con.
servative masses, perhaps, as faith.
fully as any Democratic paper il
fhe State or South. We believe
that if a sound platform is adopted
and a strong ticket nominated a
st. Louis it will command the sup
port of nearly all the Conserya
tiyes, many of the Independent
and some Liberal Republicans, a
foreshadowed by Harper's Weekly
and that it will sweep the country