The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-12-11
GEN. Grant.

annoy our c9temp eraTJes who see fit
to descant on the Trjbune'S hostility
TO Gen Grant, " hatred of Grant,"
Sc, when we say that the Generals
testimony before the Impeachment
Committee (printed exclusively in our
last issue) proves him an able. saga
ciou~, thoughtful patriot, who can
hard fail TO serve his country with
usefulness and honor in any trust
which sle may devolve on him. His
early, res0sute, persistent opposition
to President Johns0n's efforts to have
Gen. Lee and other rebel chiefs,
whom he (Grant) had parOled, arrest
ed and tried for treason, with the
general humanity and moderation of
his views as to the treatment of
the defeated rebels, prove him far
more than a successful General-show
that his character embOdies some of
the higher elements of broad and
generous craftsmanship. These views.
we know, are substantially identical
with those Of President Lincoln,
Chief Justice Chase and nearly all
our really great men, (Mr. Thaddeus
Stevens forming the only conspicuous
exception); but he is now seen to have
not only entertained but expressed
them at a time when Executive power
and popular clamor were fercely hos
tile, and when we were enduring and
defying prescription and fierce denun-
citation for frankly avowing them.
The storm has since spent its fury;
so that we trust Gen. Grant will stand
higher with the great mass of his
countrymen for the evidence now
given to the public that he was sane,
.even when johnson was goading the
public mind to frenzy by daily
harangues importing that treason was
a crime, traitors must be punished,
&c, &c. The questions of the Com
M ttee constrained him to say that
Il frequently had to intercede for Gen,
Lee and other pare led officers, on the
ground that their parole, so long as they
Obeyed ihe laws OF the United states, pro-
tected them from arrest and trial The
President at hat time occupied exactly
The same grounds as at first. VIZ: That
they should De tried aad punished. He
wanted 10 know when the time would
come that they could be punished. / told
him not so Tong as they obeyed the lalUs and
complied NTH the stipulation. That was the
ground I took"
We do not advocate the nomina-
ton of General Grant for next Presi-
dent, believing that this office can be
better filled by one of our eminent
civilians, while the General retains
as we trust he will retain till death
the command in chief of the mill
tary forces of the Republic. We pro-
test against. the false and cOWardly
cutlery that the Republicans must run
General Grant for next President or
be beaten. If we are indeed so des-
perately out of favor with the people
that our principles viii be rejected
by them unless set off and commend
ed by cockade, let US make a man
full struggle and be beaten. But
those who contrived and effected our
defeat in certain States this Fall, on
purpose to give them a chance TO say,
Take Grant or be defeated" ought
not to be gratifed by the success of
their base Vaccinations.
There are those who support Gen.
Grant for President because he is
their first choice. With these we can
have no controversy. They have
perfect right to their preference, as
we have to ours. If the Republican
National Convention shall decide in
their favor, we shall give their candi-
date cordial, hearty support; for we
know they will so support our favor
iteif he should be the nominee. We
concede-nay, we insist on, we rejoice
in-the merits and services of the
man of their choice, as they do of
ours. But we have a very different
feeling for the guerrillas, who did
their utmost to divide and defeat the
Republicans last year, and (by resort
ing to more insidiOus. underhand
strategy accomplished their end this
year, and now point to their achieve
ment ard say, You see what we can
dol Follow our lead next year. or be
beatenF And we can't help think
ing Gen. Grant must regard them