Year: 1872

The End OF tho Anti-Greeley Free


Trade Fiasco-A Funny Ticket In the


Field.


That the men of one idea of the Free
Trade League worked like beavers to get up
the Cincinnati Convention, in view of o new
departure and a new party for this Presidential
contest, all the world well knows; that their one
idea was Presidential contest on free trade
they were industrious in proclaiming in
advance; that they were outrageously Knocked
and insulted with the CincinINti nomination
Of Horace Greeley, the fercest Of protection
lists, nobody can deny, and that they should
attempt what they did undertake against him,
a diversion in behalf of some other man for
the approaching democratic convention, was
perfectly natural. But, if they were shocked
by the nomination Of Greeley by the Cincinnati
liberals, what must have been their feelings to
see him exalted as the man for the crisis by
the confidential conference called to pronounce
against him?


The Conference assembled, and after num-
Der of men had delivered their opinions-some
for Greeley and some against him-and after it
had become apparent that the anti-Greeley
free traders-a few voices in the corner-would
not be reconciled to the Chappaqua wood
chopper, it was ''resolved that this Conference
do now adjourn sine die, without any
further expressions Of opinion beyond those
had from the individual members )" and
so they adjourned. But after the Conference
had dispersed Judge Stallo, of Ohio, called
meeting for the next day yesterday Of those
said Conference And so it was that yester-
day there was another Fifth Avenue Hotel
Conference of the dissatisfied anti-Greeley
free traders, and this time ''all by themselves /"
We give an account Of their proceedings in
another part Of this paper, from which it ap-
pears that Judge Groesbeck, of Ohio is the
proper man, in their Judgment, for the Pres-
dency in this contest against General Grant,
and that they cannot rally for Greeley anyhow
They are also of opinion that Mr.. Frederick
Law Olmstead will be better man for Vice
President than either Brown or Wilson, and
stead to their mast. We ought probably to
say that they nail them at halfmast as a
token of respect for the departed hopes
of the Fifth Avenue Conference. This
leaves these parties precisely as they stood
before, with some advantages gained in favor
Of Mr.. Greeley-namely, the advantage Of the
support Of Senators Schurz and Trumbull,
which before was doubtful; the advantage Of a
handsome victory over the implacable free
traders in game of their own contriving, and
the advantage Of an open road and no more
drawbridges or toll gates all the way to Balti.
more.


There it is now morally certain Mr. Greeley
will be nominated by two-thirds vote, and
more, on the first ballot as the democratic
candidate for the White House against Gen.
eral Grant. Now, we call this not only a new
departure but n new revolution. Well, as
poor Ophelia says, 1--WE know what we are,
but we know not what we may be-" Martin
Van Buren, in ls40 was the President and the
Presidential candidate Of the Southern
shareholders and the champion Of slavery;
but in 1Sis be was the Presidential
standard bearer Of the Northern abolition.
lists. Fillmore in 1913 was run as m
anti-slavery man on the ticket with General
Taylor, but in 1856 he was run as defender
Of slavery And without referring to the
change Of base on the part Of John Tyler and OF
Andrew Johnson. We cannot omit the impor
tant precedent Of Chief Justice Chase. who wa.