New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-04
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1872.
THE LIBERAL REPUBLICAN AND DEMO
CRATIC ALLIANCE, ITS ORIGIN
OBJECTS AND RESULT.

OBJECTS AND RESULT.
TROUBLES IN THE soUTH-KU-KLUx ouTRAGEs-
VIGOROUS ACTION BY THE GOVERNMENT
THE LIBERAL REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT
ELECTORAL RESULT - IMPoR-
rANr LEGISLATIVE AND AD-
MINIsrRArIvE WORK
The Presidential campaign OF 1877 was one OF
the most remarkable, in many respects In the
| history Of the Republic. An upright, patriotic.
! high-minded man. General Grant, aided BY the
Republican majority in Congress. had given the
country an Administration singularly successful
in many respects The public credi; had been
tremendously strengthened and the puohc deos
had been reduced nearly $1oOWoWp year
Progress had been made toward specie payments
Tn. doctrine Of Great Britain and other Euro
pean Powers Of "Once subject, always sub
ject." had been by American influence dehh'eV
abandoned The long controversy with Great
Britain over aid given by that Power 10 the
Southern confederacy had been settled brilliant
ly President Grant had taken the hrs' step
ever recorded to the credit Of any Chief Masis.
trate looking toward . dim!nut!on OF the evils :"
political patronage, and he had actually UNDER
taken the practical work Of Civil Service reform
The revenues had been collected BY his Admins
tra,ion with a phenomenally small percentage
| Of loss by thefts and entertainments. ard IN
faithful public servants had been prosecuted WIN
ytgor and punished But General Grant was un
fortunate in finally having won the antagohs"
| of number Of the ablest members OF the Repuo-
lican party in Congress and OF the most bri'!ians
| leaders OF thought in Republican Journalism
The President had met with great difficulty IN
preserving order in the Southern states HS
| Army training had led him instinctiveiy TO De-
pend upon mitarism rather than an appear !"
reason in crushing out the new rebellion IN tne
South He retained many detachments Of the
Regular Army in that section and employed them
| % renress disorder His energetic and possibly
! too drastic methods. coupled with the hagrant
corruption OF some Southern Republican state
Governments which the reconstruction acts
aided 10 maintain in power. led to Intense oppo'
stion by the Democrats in the North 10 the
operations Of those State governments and 70
the use Of troops and Federal supervision OF
| elections
Many Republicans as eminent as Charles Sum.
ner, Lyman Trumbull. David DAVIS. Cha1'0
Francis Adams, Salmon P. Chase, Horace Gree
ley, Samuel Bowles Murat Ha!stead Joseph
Medll and Chauncey NJ. Depew came in time
pose the methods OF the Administration Cen
eral Grant also accused OF appointing
number Of relatives to subordinate places In
the Federal Government, and OF selecting for
his Cabinet men Of commonplace abilities who
were his personal friends. Horace Greeley hnA'
| ly announced in The Tribune that true Repuo'
licans have resolved that he shall be their eadef
no longer" Liberal Republican party was or
ganized in the North by the followers OF tne
anti-Grant leaders. and they held Nation~
Convention at Cincinnati in May, which uneA'
pectedly nominated Horace Greeley for the Pres'
idency, with B. Gratz Brown, OF Missouri -
| candidate for the vice-Presidency. Hoping 70
secure the Endorsement Of the DemocEa.ie parry
for this ticket the Liberal Republicans Aiop'S
a platform which RENTED the tariH Gsss'''" "
Congress. Democratic State conventions were
held during the ,oring and early sunhe''
which, one after another. often half dozen -
q time Endorsed the nomination OF Creole! Ahs
! Brown and when. in July. the Democrats ~
tional Convention WIS held in Baltimore 'ns'
Convention also ratified the Cincinnati nomnS
lions and platform and the issue for the CAM
paign was thus finally joined.
Then was presented the remarkable spectack
OF the party OF free trade dsunion disorder ana
opposition to every moral movement sippoFuns
for the Presidency one OF its most able un'
ninchinc and hated enemies. as against the sss'
lar Republican nominee. whose election ne nss
originally labored for with all the eloluenes'
ardor and disinterestedness for which he wss
famous.
The campaign conducted by the Liberal pasV
was a brilliant one. But distrust OF the pSmos
racy could not be overcome. and confidence
General Grants own personal honesty and punv
fea~V>