The Semi Weekly Republican

A High Tribute.

ARCHBISHOP PURCELL

ON

THE

NOMINATION

OF HORACE GREELEY.

From the Catholic Telegraph, edited by the Very Rev. Edward Purcell.

The nomination of Horace Greeley to the Presidency by the Cincinnati Convention, in spite of the political maneuvers to confer that honor upon some ambitious aspirant less worthy, more pliant, and more easily managed, is a strong indication of a more healthy change in the political life of the nation. The bare nomination, even if it be not followed by an election of the chosen candidates, will strike all who watched the plans and plottings of sectional cliques to force their favorite for selfish purposes upon the people as not only a staggering rebuke to political jobbery the great curse of the country, but a cheering sign that the reactionary movement against political corruption and disgrace will have victorious force and enduring influence.

It is rumored that the German vote will be withdrawn from him on account of his views on the temperance question. We do not credit this. As a body we think that the Germans are too sensible, and are too deeply interested in the prosperity of this country to be led astray by empty howlings of the Grant party on a matter of minor, or rather of no importance in this political contest. If they submit to the sophistry of the corruptionist, which is already making itself heard and appealing to them for indorsement, they will be guilty of the greatest folly they could possibly commit. If defeat comes the guilt be justly charged to them, and be it at their doors. Equally foolish and calamitous will any separate action of the Democratic party. The only wise course open to it will be to unite under the leadership of Greeley in relieving the country from the horrors of a repetition of four years more of misrule. There are strong signs on the political horizon, daily growing more clear and distinct, that the coalition will be cemented. Such an event will at once dispel all fear of defeat, and give us political redemption.

On no tenable grounds can those who sincerely desire reform refuse to support the man who during the course of a long life has shown, even in the errors of his judgment upon some political issues, a constant, enthusiastic and disinterested devotion to the welfare of the whole country. By industry, truthfulness and disloyalty to principle, that no selfish interest has ever been able to shake, he has risen from obscurity to honorable fame. He has never espoused a cause which had nothing to recommend it but the pressure of false public opinion; and he has never refused to champion a movement that he believed would be beneficial to society, because the political party to which he was attached, opposed it. He had never worn the collar of political slavery to enrich himself or secure office. Rather he has cast away the brightest prospect of preferment, and estranged himself from those who would have conferred honors upon him, because he indignantly refused to purchase them at the expense of his integrity. He has always been the open-handed and free-tongued friend of the emigrant, and the outspoken enemy of every institution incompatible with the widest civil and religious liberty.

It will be a refreshing change when honesty, sobriety and old-fashioned republican simplicity expel bribery, drunkenness and awkward, uncouth mimicry of royal dignity from the Presidential mansion. This change hangs upon the fusion of the best elements of all parties to elect Horace Greeley.