Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-10-11
General Grants Political Opinions.

= Many people have looked upon General
Grant as they would upon a civilian and
politician. and even Il candidate for civil Of
flee. They would seem to demand that he
should make known his political views on the
hastings and through the newspapers with
all the arts of the common demagogue.
The public had no more right To expect Gen
eral Grant to speak out than they had to ex-
pect Northumberland sherman, General
Meade. General Sheridan General Thomas
to make public their political views. The
General was not i'll the habit OF proclaiming
himself to the world by words. but like
wise man, had always made hi> record
through his acts. Though not speaking for
the public, no man was more frank in expires
sing his views on all public matters lie
was raised in the whig school OF politics.
His venerable father, well known in tale
ma was always active and influential mem
Der of the old whig party, and. after ii went
out of existence. Of the Republican party.
:. The General was always whig. - lar
as he was a politician at ALL and never be
longed to or had any sympathy at all with
the sO-called democratic party. lie stated
this as fact. Had Gen. Grant been a mem
Der of the democratic party he would have
been in the same position he now il. and
the same as all the most loval and patriotic
men who were in that party now occupy.
Though not voter, in Illinois. in 1850. yet
alter Mr.. Lincoln administration commence
ed and after the firing upon SumpteT there
was no man who gave more earnest support
to that administration. Gen. Grant was
anong the first to comprehend the results that
would grow of the rebellion, and the country
will not forget that early as 1868 he wrote
a letter saving that anxious as he was for
peace. he did not wish to see il established
until slavery was wiped out. In 1864 he
was profoundly anxious for the reelection of
Mr.. Lincoln, and no man more fully cOmpre-
hended the great fact that upon his reelection
hinged the success of our cause and the sup
preston Of the rebellion. He so far departed
from his usual course in such matters as to
write and permit the publication of letter
in which he briefly and emphatically sum
med up the whole question. The letter was
published by hundreds of thousands by the
Republican Congressional Committee. and
exerted great influence in the country.
! He was openly and strongly for both the
Constitutional amendments, and he hailed
the reconstruction act of the Thirty-ninth
/ Congress as the solution of our difficulties,
and he entered upon the discharge his du-
ties under that act with zeal, vigilance and
fidelity. Sympathizing with Congress in it,
action. and approaching the importance OF
its being in session, he urged and advised
if necessary. When that session came he
expressed the most serious fears Of the effect
of long adjournment, and with a farreach-
ing sagacity anticipating the precise state OF
| things that has occurred, he used all his in
fiucncc with senators to have them adopt the
! House provision Of the amended bill requir-
ing the assent of the Senate to the removal
of the district commanders. Favoring the
reconstruction acts, no effort of his has been
wanting to secure their enforcement in the
letter and spirit, to the end that the Union
might be speedily and fully restored. He
believes there is protection safety to
the colored people and the loyal white peo-
pie in the rebel states, except through i'm
partial suffrage.
The Reconstruction acts having recog-
missed the entire equality of all American
citizens in the states lately in rebellion he
believes that consistency, well as impair
/ tial Justice, demands that there should be nc
discrimination against any class of persons in
any of the states. His sympathies, his con-
victions and his hopes are now, as they al
ways have been, with the great patriotic and
loyal people that carried the country through
the war. He is in favor of upholding the
honor and credit of the national government
and holds that all our obligations must be
discharged in conformity to the terms on
which they contracted. He thinks
there should be exercised by Congress and
by all departments of the government a more
rigid and searching economy in the expendi-
lures of the public money, and wherever he
has had control he has struck off every use
less expense and reformed every abuse.
General Grant occupies at the present
time the position of Secretary of War al IN
term, in the Cabinet of Mr.. johnson. His
action in accepting that position has been
the subject of great dell of comment, and
excited the fears of many good and loyal
men. 1t invoked the denunciation of enc
mics and brought forth the excuses of friends.
He accepted that position, not, as has been
alleged, in obedience to the commands OF a
superior officer, but from the stern sense Of
duty to his country The President had de-
termined to remove the Secretary of War at
all hazards, and without excuse justifca-
ton. The President thought to relieve him