The Portland daily press., 1879-02-26
THE CLIFFORD MOVEMENT.
Old Line Greenbackers Disguised With
Waiker-They Suspect They are being
sold Ont by Interruptions Leaders.

The license men and those who are opposed
to the cut and dried committee of 7O'' and
their machine nominations, do not seem to be
inclined to drop Col. Clifford for Col. Walker,
any more than the intelligent Greenbscker is
inclined to exchange Col. Turner'S New Era
for Col Kings Leader, and the old line
Greenbackers, if we may be allowed to use the
t4rm 10 this connection, do not take kindly to
the substitution of the Leader office for the
regular Greeub ack headquarters, and it GER
tainly must unpleasantly remind Col. Turner,
and the prohibition Greenbackers, that they
have ceased to be even an important, much
less, leading element in the ranks of their
own party The Greenbackers of the ex.
Republican order must feel that they have
been sold out. To be sure, an ex-Republiean
or two has been put on the Greenback ticket,
but they could hardly bs called Greenbackers.
Col john E. DoDnel for instance was more
or less earnest Republican, till the nomination
of the Hon. Thomas B. Reed for Congress,
when he "bolted" and voted for Mr. Burleigh.
Col. Donnell then remained for time sort of
uncertain political spirit, not quite fallen till
he voted, then having commenced to fall, the
way to the Greenback party was an easy and
open one. OF such is the Greenback party
composed. But the original Greebackers have
been ignored, and will vote for Col Clifford as
protest against the ring management of the
committee of 20.
The Greenback party here have sold out, or
rather the leaders have, and it is fair to say,
that the consideration has been paid BY the
Democratic purchasers. Common report says
this, and Col Drinkwater in this case the i'm.
mediate authority of the PRESS, does the same
Still we suppose that the re was DO special
warranty Of title from the vendors to the
vendee, and from the nature of the transaction
the vendors not having possession of the pro-
perty there would be no implied warranty,
and Col. Walker must have taken it, subject
to the great rule Of the law of sales cayeat
emptor.
Could Col. Walker get the solid Greenback
and Democratic vote, we have no idea that he
could bs elected, but by no possibility can he
do that. The respectable Greenbackers will
not vote for him, the original Greenb ,ckers
will not consent to sacrifice principle for
chance of q very limited share Of power, and
the same class will not vote for a man, who,
like Col. Walker, believes in "hard'' money,
aud tries to conceal his belief, in order TO catch
the votes of the "soft" money men. The PRESS
doubts if Col. Todd himself will be found vot-
ing for Col. Walker, and from the above named
classes Col. Clifford will receive a respectable
vote. The license men will generally vote for
Col. Clifford, as protest against the prohibit.
DRY law, while the nomn alton of a straight,
honest money candidate for Mayor, by the Be-
pubicans, will cause May Of the hard money
Democrats to leave their ranks for the Repub-
lcan camp. Hatred of ring and machine man.
agement, and dstrust of the honest intentions
of their leaders, will all tend to make the vote
to be cast for Col. Clifford large one, and the
defeat of Col Walker is simply an assured
thing. The Clifford movem ent will not end
with he city election, but is likely to BIZ an
element in our Safe politics for years to come.
His lends credit him with much of Batler's
persistence. and claim that he represents what
is yet to be e winning cause. 1t is evident that
the Clifford movement, the Argus to the con-
trary notwithstanding, Is "booming,' and will
be no uuimportant element ia the fight next
Monday.