Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-05
.sTHE son OF HIS FATHER"
A Secret Circular Opposing LincoIn's
Nomination.

Matters are beginning to take very
personal turn among the Republican can
didates for the Presidential nomination,
says Washington special to the New
York World. All the unkind things one
hears about leading Republicans come
from their party associates. Recently
number of distinguished Republicans got
together to see if some plan could not be
devised to head off Robert Lincoln, who
has become so prominent in the last few
months. The result of this conference
was a private circular, which has been
sent from time to time to delegates to the
Republican Convention as a confidential
circular.
A correspondent obtained a copy of
this circular to-day from a delegate who
did not care to observe the restriction of
secrecy. Yhe circular reads as follows:
ST it is the object and intention of the
Republican party to disregard its time
honored custom, as well as to abandon
the very principles upon which this gov
ernment stands, and thereby make a
mockerys of our free government and en-
tirely abandon American institutions, it
had better do it up at one job, and not
by halves, as some of our sentimentalists
propose.
s'For some unaccountable reason the
sentiment of the country has been running
in the direction of Robert I. Lincoln for
the nominee of the Republican party for
Vice President. In fact a few who believe
in doing things as they do sin the old
country think there is a remote pOssi-
bility of his being the nominee for Presi-
dent. We have nOught to say against
Mr.. Lincoln as man, but we beg leave
to offer few suggestions in this connec-
tion. What reason can be assigned for a
movement of this kind? Is it
because Lincoln has done great
service to his country? Is
it because he has been prominently iden-
titled with and instrumental in winning
great victories for the Republican party!
Is it because he is the originator of any
measure of Importance to the people?
What act in public or private life has he
been the father of or identified with to
make him prominent before the people?
What service has he rendered tn endear
him to his countrymen? He has made a
good Secretary of War. Further than this,
what? Can we arrive at but one conclu-
sion for this apparent outburst, and that
is that he is the son of the lamented Presi-
dent Lincoln?
lis this any reason why we Republi-
cans or the people of the country at this
time should honor him beyond what we
have already bestowed? Have we come
to a point in our history when we find it
necessary to nominate men for the highest
offices in the gift of the people simply be-
cause they are so fortunate as to be the
sons of great men? If we have, why not
nominate the sons of other illustriOus
men for either President or Vice Presi-
dent?
''We have in this list Buck Grant, a
son of one of the greatest military men
of the age. We have Stephen A. and
Bob Douglas, sons of a great statesman.
The lamented Garfeld's sons should be
brought tOpublic notice, and as prelimi-
nary given place in the next Cabinet.
For prominent sons say we nominate
Buck Grant and Bob Lincoln for Presi-
dent and Vice President. There would be
as much consistency in one as the other.
''Is it the purpose of the Republican
party to forsake the principles which un-
derlie the very foundation of the govern
ment and brush amid our greatest men
men who have battled for a quarter of a
century both in field and forum for the
principles of the Republican party? Do
you want monarchy in this country?
Is ones nativity or the blood which runs
in his veins a qualification? Have we
lost our gratitude for the grand, heroic
and noble services of our great men-men
who have led us to victory in many hard
fought battle, men who have been the
very bulwark Of our party since its or
ganizatiOn, men who have sacrificed al
most their very existence for their coun-
try's good? We think not. We cannot
believe the American people have become
Indifferent in their gratitude and praise
for the services of our great men of to-
day.
''In the name of all that is noble and
good, in the name of patriotism. pure and
simple, in the name sof America and
American institutions, in the name of
justice, common sense and practical po-
litical sagacity, we protest against a
movement so unwise, so contrary to the
fundamental principles of this govern