The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-12-12
Gen. Sickles' Speech.

Dy Oe0efaI CICkLES, TO the great
GRANT meeting, held in New York,
on the evening of the 4th inst. 1t
VIII be found on our second page.
We have already alluded to the char
acter and standing of the men who in
augurated the movement and COM
posed the crowd which filed the
Cooper Institute. Some of the New
York papers have asserted that the
movement IS for. the purpose of
breaking up all the present political
organizations. That the nomination
and election of General GRANT will
be the restoration Of the era of good
feeling which was apparent in the
second election.of President MONROE.
These papers claim that the move
ment comes from the people, who in
tend to cut loose from politicians, and
have the affairs Of the government so
administered that economy and justice
will prevail n ali its departments.
1t is somewhat amusing to read these
efusions, found daily in such papers
as the New York Herald and Times.
as though two of the most pestiferous
and unreliable politicians in the
country did not preside over their
editorials and dictate the sentiments
to which they were giving utterance.
The talk about discarding politicians
and parties is twaddle, upon which
to feed political babes and Stockings.
The American people recognize the
fact that so long as their Government
exists, there must be parties and poll
ticians, aud that it is no discredit to a
man to be politician and belong to
party. In order to do this, it
is not necessary that he should
abnegate his manhood or sacri-
fee his independence Of thought and
action. What we affirm is, that the
man in this country who has no
party, and has never had-who enter
tains no political opinions, and don't
want any-is not the man to place in
the responsible positions of the Gov
eminent. General GRANT is by no
means such man, however fault
may be found with him for not OBJ
truding his peculiar views upon the
country at inopportune times and on
uncalled for occasions.
General SICKLEs, in his speech,
demonstrates that General GRANT
thinks positively and acts wisely in
civil, as in military, affairs. From
the time IN which he. made 2 the tour
of the 'rebellious States, to his last
act as Secretary of War, he has been at
issue with the policy ofthe5P resident.
Mr.. JOHNSON refused to carry out
the wise and statesmanlike recon-
mendations Of the General in Chief,
after he had carefully surveyed the
whole ground and submitted written
opinion General GRANT .dissented
from the policy that would restore
what remained of the Feoels. in the
rebel States, to power. He never has
been willing to abandon the loyal peo-
pie in the South to the mercies of the
men who got up the rebellion.
The, Constitutional AmendmeHy
which was denounced by the Presi-
dent, was indorsed by Gen. GRANT. who
advised the Southern States to accept
it. But they refused Congress next
passed the reconstruction measures,
which have never lacked the steady
and faithful support of the General
in-Chief. a this connection, Gen.
SIcKLEs alludes to che fidelity with
which he was sustained by the Gen
eral, and the efforts made by the
latter to retain Gen. SHERIDAN in
command at New Orleans, and the
remonstrance he wrote against his
suspension. -@ii
But we have not space to allude to
ali the points touched upon by Gen.
SICKLEs in the progress of his speech. |
He closed his eloquent remarks by
recommending Gen. GRANT, not as
trimmer who. craven-like, would con-
ceal his opinions. but because of all
men living he is the truest embodi- |