, 1880-05-28

in Murphysl,oro IN tho RprinR Of 81, hnving
Rono there from Chicago OIL legal husi-
1icss md hc distinctly recolccts that roYnn DO
scribc.f tho War. which bad thon oota'ncnc01, rs
a Black Hpp.lblicttn wnr, reforrul In sighting
terms to President Lincoln. and recommended
bis hearers to fight on tho sdo OF the South. and
to havo nothing to do with tho Union nrny.
This IL tho testimony OF ono Ut tho must re-
spoctablc citizens Of this State. Il gentleman
whose 1scpuhlicnnitsn f. u,ldoubtod. whose honor
cannot 10 questioned, and wtlosc statements
cannnt hc poot,- poohoti BY tho h,anRnrs-on aud
ut,dcrlinga Ut tho Illinois " l3ose."
THE REASON FOB THE Exu1TEMENT,
Whit IL tho causu Of tho extraordinary TX
element III the Republican purity ut t',is
ttmpY
Is 1t mi excitement duo to the personal
feelings Of tnen toward tho respective cantlt-
dntes?
Is II because some persons think a is tho
most suitable man, or that Is n stronger
,llnl,, or that would maky n better Presi-
dent, or tint u would fiji tho Office witt,
more ability or dignity than either Of tho
others? Upon all these points parties have
been dIvititd Mt tic meeting Of all Co1lvcll-
tionB.
In 1850 tho Republican Convention was a,1-
usually excited; the friends Ut Seward,
Chase. Lincoln, a,sd Datcs werc stroug in tho
advocacy Ut their fnyorlt, but there was not
heard oi,e wortl ut r,urr,1,lr agnfnst the nomf-
milton OF either of these mcn because ut any
thing In tlioir past record. Tho Uitfre lse-
publican party, without a atliyfstoi', was pre-
pared to accept tho nomination and support
the candi.lute. No n,an suggested for the
nomination was met by my protest bccause
Of nny personal, or political, or legaa objec-
tlon making his candidacy offensive to tho
morn! OF traditional sentiment Ut the coun-
try. II has heretofore always been strug-
glc between tho frlen.ts Of rival candidates
rs to which 6ne Of n number OF unobicctlo1,-
able lnel should bc chosen, aud nothing
more.
Such is mt tho case now. Tho contest has
Il wider difference Of opinion. Ther1 Is d pos
ltive mud perelnptory protest from all tho He
publican States aga!ust tic nomination Of
t;eli. Grant. Tint protest Is not because Of
my personal dislike to him, but because Of n
,yell-scttled conviction that II nominated, lie
cull1,ot be elected, nnl because l,o ought not
to be elected. Tho objection that hu cannot
be elected Is sustained by the popular protest
OF tho Republicans in those Republican
States whose Electoral votes arc Imperative
~ necessary to his election. There IL no Re-
publican In Ohio who believes that Grant can
carry that State, and defeat i1l Ohio ut tie
October election will bp but tho forerunner
of Ills overwhelming and disastrous defeat
II, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Wiz
cDnsln Indiana, New Hampshire, aud New
Jersey In November. This objection that lie
cannot be elected comes with the Utmost
unanimous protests OF the Republicans OF
Ohio and Indiana, md Is sustained by tho
protests of tho Republicans Of kansas, Iowa,
Illinois, Michigan. and Wisconsin.
The only Northern Stntu that sends unan-
imous demand for Grants nomination is the
little State Of Colorado, which has but one
Congressional district and three Electoral
votes.
Tho second objection, that II nominated lie
ought not to be elected, Is Of Importance,
because 1t furnishes n sufficient reason to
tens Of thousands of Republicans for re-
fuslng to support him, II not for directly
voting ngalnst him. It Is all objection which
Ia entertained by Republicans in oyory State
] Of tho Union. II Is q Vital objection, because
1t invites ii not conpels nil those who enter
tain It to defeat hin. and in so doing defeat
tho party ut all hazards.
Gen. Grant llns been twice elected; Inns
served two terlus, md so unfortunate II not
tlisgnceful wns the second term tliat
tho Republicans, in their State Con-
yeutlous generally, anticipntcd tho action
Of the Cincinnati Convention in 1876 by do
clnring In strong terms their devotion to tho
National policy Of limiting service III the
Presidential oillce TO two terms. That IL tic