The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-06-01


sstsrdsy-Ths Nations Gratitude %
Orant.
Since even tbs radical 1ri5sms has been
forced to relinquish its recent attacks upon
Grant, and to join In the call for the meeting
In his homer on Saturday next, we have every
reason to suppose that this great gathering
will include nsn Of all parties and factions.
General Grant IL . man Of the people He
has labored so gloriously and trismphantly for
the sake Of the whole country, not to advance
the private interests Of any particular political
clique. Talk to him OF politics, and be is deaf.
or anxiously endeavors to turn the converse
zion upon tanning. AK him what office be do
sires, and he replies that he wants to be Mayor
Of Galena, in order to repair the wooden side
walks Of that little Western city. This is the
man around whom the masses may rally, dis
regarding party politics as patrioticaly a. he
does. This Is the man Of whom It may be
truly said that the Presidency seeks him,
instead Of his seeking the Presidency
To listen to the rawlings Of the adherents Of
certain Presidential candidates ono would sup
pose that the coming election is to be mere
ordinary old fashioned, routine affair. The CAB
BILE about parties, apd personal claims" and
'the interests" of this candidate and that can
didate is incessant. We can almost imagine
ourselves back to those good old times when
the Presidential elections were the quadren-
NAL excitements, and nothing ever happened
to break the peaceful monotony of the
long intervals between them. Those were
the times when personal claims were
considered, and when personal interests were
weighed against party interests Those were
the times when the machines ran smoothly and
ground out oflceholders regularly. Those
were the times when people busted themselves
about party politics because there was nothing
else to occupy the attention and exercise the
brain. But now we are q century ahead Of
that period. Events crowd upon US more
rapidly than we can comprehend and record
them. Each day has it's tremendous excitement
Party politics have been swallowed up in the
vast problems we are now solving, and which
are to determine the politics of the world We
live in gigantic, titanic times, and must drop all
these plsythings Of the past and rise to the dig
nifty Of our situation.
The current balderdash about the "cIaims"
and ''interests" of particular candidates falls
as absurdly upon the ears Of the true, intelli-
gent, patriotic men of this generation as the
silly language that mothers talk to babes.
Claims? No man has any claims upon the
country unless he has served her best. Per-
sonal interests? He must be bold who con-
siders them for moment in comparison with
the interests OF the nation. The conventions Of
1852, 1856 and 1860! They are forgotten. Peo-
pie do not remember them. They are ghostly.
An oblivion called war has swept them away.
Their issues and the questions decided in them
are almost as completely lost as the memories
of the motives and causes of childish quarrels.
We have grown Of age suddenly, and have
other things to. think about. Perhaps history
could tell us all about past politics;
but we have no leisure to read his
tory now. We are terribly busy making
history. When politicians at Cleveland, or Bal
timore, or Chicago advocate the claims of this
or that candidate on the ground of past political
defeats, or Of past services to party, they seem
to utter stale nonsense. Tho man who has
gained US the most victories in the feld-the
man who has done the nation the greatest SER
vices-the msn who will best guard and direct
the interests OF the county-is the popular
candidate for the Presidency. Without doubt
this man is Lieutenant General Grant, and
therefore We wish to zee him nominated by the
unanimous voice Of the people at Union square
next Saturday.
There has been, In certain quarters, great
deal Of nice speculation as to whether or not
General Grant will run against Lincoln. OF
what the politicians say in regard to this We do
net believe one single word. Those who de-
clare that they would 60 for Grant II hs would
only run, but that unfortunately, be has signed
some pledge or hes promised so-and-eo to some
body, are all Lincoln men at heart Their wish
Ia father to the thought Of the pledge or the
promise. They will be only too happy If
their mysterious innuendoes shall prevent
Grants nomination. They know very we'll
that General Grant win never press himself,
nor allow his friends 70 press him, as Prcsi.
Dental candidate upsa any political conven-
tion. But If the people want to know whether
or not Grant will run against Lincoln, let them
nominate him and see the result. Ne sensible
person can expect him either to decline or
accept until he has been asked. A modest
man is like coy maiden in this respect; but
most politicians are like old maids, and take
advantage Of the fact that the Presidential
canvass always comes in leap year to rush
about and propose themselves to everybody.
General Grants rule OF life is to do his duty;
and We believe that it y his duty to accept the
next Presidency, II !; be offered him, regardless
of oil bis personal wishes and prejudices, because
the nation needs him in her highest Office. Let
the Union square meeting nominate him, and
We shall soon see the result
TrIrE nIr rrr, Coz