The New York herald., 1863-12-18
VINO Is 70 he Our Next President.


the public. to the exclusion OF all other topics
The degenerate pres, may twaddle about peace
or the negro or any such subjects of minor in
terest; but they attract no attention and are re
garded with simple indifference. The people
feel that all political, financial and national
questions are subsidiary to, and are indeed in.
cluded in, the great question Of the Presidency
The coming election will decide them all by
deciding who is to be our next President.
1t is evident, in the first place, that our next
President must be military man, Of tried ex.
perience and acknowledged capacity. This war
even if it were, we should be obliged to pre-
pare at once for other wars with England and
France, in order to induce or to compel the
former Power to make reparation for injuries
inflicted and the latter Power to withdraw
from Mexico, Under these circumstances, we
need military President. We have had quite
enough of Civilian Commander in chief during
the past four years. II Mr.. Lincoln has done
nothing else worthy Of praise, he has at least
convinced the people that civilian is not the
man for President during war times. 1t is
undeniable that all the waste, extravaganza,
blunders mistakes, bad management and i'm
becility which have characterized the present
administration are to be set down to the ac-
count Of President Lincoln. We have chosen
to ignore this fact for a long time, hoping,
almost against hope, that by and by
matters would be reformed. For this
reason, and because the exigencies of the war
required that the people should have conf
dence in the President, no matter what they
thought Of his subordinates, we have main
tanned perfect and patriotic silencs in re-
gard to the person who is really responsible
for all the gross errors Of which every one has
We now choose to keep silent no
longer. President Lincoln selected, appointed
and could at any time remove, his Cabinet an
other officials. Consequently he is responsible
if they blunder and are allowed to continue
blundering. Many of the errors of this admin
have been such as no military Presi-
dent would have allowed or could have com.
mitted For the future. therefore, until we are
at peace with all the world, we must have
In the second place, we require Presi-
dent who will be influenced by no politi-
cal or other faction, and who will
guide the nation by the chart of the constitu-
ton to tho peaceful haven of reunion The
people are disguised with political Presidents
They know what Pierce and Buchanan and Lin.
coin have accomplished by trying to serve par
ty at the expense Of the country. To go no
farther back than the present time see how Mr..
Lincoln has been bound hand and foot by the
party which he represents, and from which he
has not the moral courage to cut loose, and see
how he has been pulled this way and that way,
forced to eat his own words, compelled to shift
about like weathercock, and bullied into an
Of continual inconsistency in his for
orn and pitiable attempt to do what he con-
,idered his duty to the various clques which
nave surrounded him First he rcpudi-
sted Fremont, then he sustained him, and
hen he removed him. First he stood
,y Mcclellan, then he allowed him to
'e prosecuted, then he defended him, and then
le sent him to New Jersey. First he said he
would never interfere with slavery, and now
ne talks about issuing proclamation neking
abolition the basis OF reunion. First hS re-
moved generals for procIaimipg emancipation,
md then he issued an emancipation proclansa-
ion. At first bc called this proclamation q
'ope's bull against the comet" then the
lares that it is great military measure and
hat no will never recall it. But we have not
be space at present to enumerate all the de-
lorable instances of this grave fault, which
Gems inseparable from political President,
7hich has sadly prolonged the war, and which
yill cause it to be interminable If another sort
{ man, independent Of political factions and
rue to the constitution, be not soon placed in
he Presidents chair.
In General Grant we have all these
combined with many others
almost equally indispensable. General Grant
$ a great military leader. When he is Presi-
lent we shall have no military blunders,
,r If his subordinates make any they will be
punished and their errors as prompt
v corrected This will soon end the war, and
hen, with such soldier, Of worldwide fame
md unquestioned ability, as our President, for
,ign nations will not hesitate to do us justice
without incurring the dangers Of war General
Grant Is no politician, and is controlled by no
politicians. AS. he himself says, he knows more
,f tanning than Of politics. Consequently he
will be at liberty to select the ablest men in
the country, independent of politics, to preside
nver the various departments, aud We shall
not see an old fogy retained in place to
conciliate the republican voters Of New
England, nor rampant blockhead mis-
the army because the republi-
cans of Pennsylvania must have representa-
tive in the Cabinet. Ability, not politics, will
be the passport to high stationi and then, per.
haps, paper money will not be considered by
Secretary Of the Treasury altogether superior
to gold. For the rest, We neither know nor
care what General Grants opinions about this
subject or that subject may be. We know