The Portland daily press., 1867-06-04
From the New York Indeusndent. ,

T
The story of Judge Cartter's interview with
Gen. Grant is an extraordinary one. The Judge
is a well-knOwn Republican politician of w ash
ington, holding strong radical views. His ia
vorite candidate for the next presidency is Ben
Wade-who is one of the grandest of our pub
lie men, whether presidential candidate or
not. The object of the Judge in calling upon
the General was what? 1t was to ascertain,
first, whether Gen. Grant would be a candi-
date, and, second, if SO, oith ,chich party hs
Now, we have fixed upon no favorite, as yet,
for the next presidency. Any one of . dozen
good men whom we could name would satisfy
us thoroughly. Moreover, why should we be
troubling ourselves with selecting q man this
summer who is not to be nominated till merit
Nevertheless, it is always safe practice to
determine who shall not be presidential can
didate. We therefore announce in advance our
infiexible opposition to any and every man for
the next presidency TO whom party managers
have to put any such miserable interroeatory
as, Sir, to which party do you belongY'
The Republican party wants a Republican
candidate. A party with principles wants .
candidate with convictions. A party whose
policy is open and avowed demands candi-
date whose opinions are definite and known
A party with a moral mission disdains q cam
didate of doubtful faith.
We know nothing as to the authenticity of
the story of Judge Carttsr's interview with
Gen. Grant. The statement, however, origi-
mates with the Cincinnati Commercials Jour
nal whose editor, as we happen to know, is op-
posed to degrading journalism by publishing
sensation dispatches, containing more miss
chief than truth. But We refer to the story not
for its own intrinsic importance, but solely for
the moral which it points. That moral is, Let
the Republican party beware of seeking
presidential candidate In eny man in whom 1t
has not long ago found an open and unequtvo-
Cal advocate OF Its principles and aims.
Suppose General Grant before the opening
of the campaign in the Wilderness. had been
waited upon by Judge Cartier, with the ques-
ton, "General, under which flag do you pro-
pose to fight" The question would have
been an insult; for it would have implied q
doubt as to whether General Grant was 10y
alist or a rebel So a question to any propos-
ed presidential candidate, Sir, from which
party will you accept q nomination." Is equal
ly An insult; for it implies that the man to
whom it is addressed may be ready to join
either the political friends or the political en-
emies of his country.
We are not to be understood as rejecting
upon Gen. Grant. If either he or any other
man chooses to be without political opinions,
this is a free country, and such idiosyncrasies
are abundantly permitted. What we insist
upon is, not that Gen. Grant shall have politi-
cal opinions, but that the next Republican
presidential candidate shall have such op,n-
ions. There are many ways in which man
may honorably serve his country, without
holding, or without expressing positive and
well-defined political views. Gen. Grant has
honorably served it in one of these ways; that
10, by leading its armies. BUTT Is not possible
that a man shall honerably serve his country
as presidential candidate, and at the same
time be destitute OF strong, well-grounded, and
openly-known political convictions.
b b This country has suffered for three years un-
der a President who has been a curse to &c.
This man was the deliberate choice of the Re-
publican party. That party might have chos-
en- wh6msosver it would-picking the finest
spirit from ameDg a thousand able and honest
men Its blurlder in choosing Andrew John-
son was, that it did not stop to ask wnetner ne
had settled political convictions; OF, II ne had,
whether these were in harmony Will LIN sne set Se.
tiad po,itical convictions OF the party that
uem os,u,npp;tted its panner to his hands Andrew
Tahnsnn did not cheat the RePubhcan party;
the Republican parsy esceated itsem now
God forbid our instituting al, I"hnson,
direct OF implied, between Presiden sha
and General Grant The onesis q knave, ,tss
other an honest man. But the Republican
party cannot afford to choose either knaye
or an honest man without definite political
views. There ought to tie an amendment to
the Constitution providing that no man shall
be eligible to the presidency unless 1t can be
proved that he believes something. "By faith
We are saved" a shatFH tt H
The history of the Republican party is
ssrg history Of S tbe bnsS ga sSs ass Sesu @ s THE
to great moral principles; the shame,
its too frequent compromise and surrender of
these principles. If ever in the history of the
RepuDncan party tnefe was q time When that
party needed for its standard-bearer a man of
great devotion to moral principles that time Is
now; that time will be the next summers cam
paign; that time will be pre-eminently the
next four years Of presidential administration.
LII the Republican party-the party which Is to
elect the next President-shall deliberately
nominate q man who is known for everything
except for the one thing which should recon-
mend candidate--namely, his po itieal con-
yictons. integrity, and ability-the party will
Inevitably cheat ITSELF betray its trust, and
shame the nation. The next administrator of
fine Federal Government ought to be a man
with whom the love of Liberty has been q life
long passion; with whom the principle of JUS
tice is a sacred flame; with whom Political
Equality is a cherished ideal. He ought to be
man whose life has been Unidentified with the
great controversy oil principles which ended in
the overthrow of American Slavery; not
a man who has been indifferens all ms
life long to the greatest moral movement OF
modern times AS Abraham Lincoln was
cut short in his benign work OF uppuiiding
Freedom, and as his successor has peen the De.
trayer of the government, the nation Is Lot
entitled 10 a President whose soul Is compe-
tent TO comprehend the large proportions OF
tbs vet unfinished work, whose heartis iull OF
zeal for its accomplishment, and whose aud
has had experience in the practical work OF
statesmapship. In Gods name, Let US nave
st -, Cor the usxt President