Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-04
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS
IL. The Grant Greeley Race of 1872.
- BY FREDERIC j. HASKIN -

WASHINGTON, ID. C.-The presi-
Dental campaign of 1872 resulted in
q tragedy--the insanity and death Of
Horace Greeley. 1t took the organization
Of the Republican party out of the hands
of the men who had founded IL and
turned 1t over to another group of Re
publicans, In whose control 1t remained
until after the rise Of Roosevelt. 1t
added to the lexicon of Democratic party
historians the phrase. "the Greeley
fasco." And, more important than all,
/ 1t marked the beginning of the end of
the political party organ newspaper, and
was responsible for an Independent
| press.
The Liberal Republican movement OF
1S71-72 was the most considerable defec-
| ton the Republican party had suffered
| since its organization. Its affect on the
! party was not disastrous, but IL carried
| into the Democratic party many of the
| men who We're most prominent in the
early days OF Republicanism. 1t ia a re-
markable fact that more than two thirds
OF the men prominent in the Republican
conventions Of 1856 and 1860 died Demo-
Gratis, or Independents
Even more remarkable is the fact that
this great detection from Republican
ranks was the result of a movement
headed by Clement Vallandigham Of Ohio.
Vallandigham was the arch Copperhead
OF the whole North, was arrested by Cen
erai Burnside and banished to the Con-
federate States of America, and was ex-
ecrated by every loyalist north OF the
Mason and Dixon's line Yet 1t was this
same Vallandigham who, In 1871, In the
famous Dayton platform, declared for
the uniacatton OF ali elements opposed TO
Grant on the basis Of complete acceptance
| Of the results Of the war, the reconstruc.
! tfbn policy, the amendment to the Con-
stitution, and so on. So radically did
this policy differ from that formerly held
ny Northern Democrats that the Val
lendigham movement was called THE
New Departure"
FOUR GREAT EDITORS
TAKE A HAND.
The Democratic press, headed by the
Missouri Republican. afterward the St.
! Louis Republic and the louisville
Courier-J ournal, broke away from con-
/ Yentional mornings and hailed the New
Departure as the political salvation of
the land. The Vallandlgham origin OF
the movement was lost sight OF and
Edior~ Grosvenor OF st. Louis and Editor
WattersOn OF Louisville became the
leaders IN the Democratic ranks.
Meanwhile General Grants admins
| tratton was alternating old-time Repub.
lican leaders by the score. General
| Grant was a great soldier, but his most
ardent admirers can not commend his
Judgment in selecting men 10 assist him
in civil administration. Scandals with
out number were continually arising
The Secretary OF War, william w Bel
KNAPP and the Secretary OF the Navy
George NJ. Robson, we're accused OF all
kinds OF graft. The New York Sun, then
edited By Charles A. Dana, every day
| Numbered against the Robbers at
Washington" Meantime General Grant
was blind TO many things; was too
trustful Of some OF bis advisers and
was attempting to run the whole ad-
ministrRtion on a military plan.
Horace Greeley raised the flag OF re-
volt in the Tribune. Charles Sumner.
another chieftain Of the anti slavery agi-
tators Joined In. Cassius NJ. Clay or
Kentucky and Hinton r. Halper of
North Carolina, the premier southern
abolItionists and Republicans. followed
tho "new departure" The movement
was crystallized by the merging OF party
lines in Missouri IN an effort to gain
complete amnesty for Confederate sol
diers In that State. The Missouri lead
ers issued a call for 8 national conven-
ton 10 meet ht Cincinnati.
NATIONS MOST FAMOUS MEN
GATHER IN CONVENTION.
When the Liberal Republican" ia
tionaI convention met at Cincinnati on