American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-10-09
General CRANE.

| peeu uiScu W Wfite feter uenutnS MS
position. What kind of letteri A
letter for the purpose of saying that he is
wholly opposed to the Presidents con-
duet and to his theory of the situation
A letter declaring his hearty adhesion
to the principles and policy of tie Re-
publican party But what kind Of
letter is it supposed would satisfy those
who are still in doubt upon those points
If in times like these a, mans. conduct
does not reveal his sympathics how can
bis words dc. it /? -.-.-.e..a..
We said a few weeks since, that the
country must be in no doubt ms TO the
position of the person whom the Repub-
lican party might nominate for President.
We said also that we did not believe
that General GRANT-if he we're to be
candidate at ali--would expect the
nomination of the Republican party SC
long as there was any obscufity us to
his political views. Then in the course
of his duty General GRANT wrote q
letter to the President deprecatiug the
removal of General SHERDAS. 1t was
more than letter, it was an act. aud il
was an act susceptible of one interpre-
tation only, He is not likely to write
letters for the purpose of writing letters,
nor ofsaying what he thinks upon SUBJ
jects upon which he is compelled 10 act.
1t seems to us that General GRANr's
temperament and training will determine
the methods by which he will reveal his
opinions. In so conspicuous position,
hn oH l.. "a
conduct, he manifests himself aud his
sympathies exactly as Mr.. STANTON
did. Did he write letters Did he
constantly exI lain himself? Would hc
be required to state the reasons of his
continuance in Mr.. JoHNsoN's s cabinet
if there were an intention or hope OF
nominating him for the Presidency I
We repeat that General GRANT eau
not be nominated by tho Republican
party unless that party is satisfied of his
sympathy with its views and measures
But letter only is not satisfactory
evidences 10 any thoughtful man. We
want tho sineerityof the act as we'll rs
the verbal assent. Wnether the General
writes or does not write. there is very
decided opinion ol his position in the
mind of every honest Republican. II
is that opinion derived from many sour
ccs which will determine the nomira-
tion. H4 'eit Hoe
We do not think that they are very.
wise who are trying to persuade the Gem
era! to write letter for the purpose Of
defining his position. No man in such
a condition of the country as the present
should be willing to nominate a Presi-
dent besause of any letter written for the
purpose Of affecting the nomination.
when words are acts, and when letters
written in the course of duty arc har-
monious with the whole impression
given by mans conduct, then indeed
his letter is important, aud will necessa.
rly be influential.
It seems to us that we know all of
General GRANTS opinions and feelings
that we are likely to know. We do not
believe that letter will change the
public impression. He is man with
out political antecedents, as they are
called, who as an army ofh.cr, bred in
the traditions OF the army, eschewed
politics, and, as we understand, never
voted but once, and then for BUCHANAN,
aud has been heartily sorry for it ever
since, with great many other good
men who did theS same thing From
the beginninc of the war he has evident
ly been under no misapprehension OF it's
scope and meaning When tho war was
over he went little way into the rsbel
States, and upon his return recs,nmen r.
ded generous policy. That he did not
mean by generosity weakness or folly ist
evident enough AS General Of the
army, upon invitation of the PresiseuF
he accompanied the conte'nptibIe ani
melancholy procession of the slm nor IT
1886 But in the midst of il he spoke
the few sharp, clear words reported Dy
the Chicago or Ciucinn.tti jpurpal,
which showed precisely where he stood,
aud which rebuked more powerfully
than any other ceusure the effort Of the
President Since then, during the last
sessions of Congress, he and Mr. S,au-
I ton have been united not only in init
/ mate personal friendship bat in steady
opposition to the whole policy Of the
| President No man more earnestly than
he has labored with Congress not to trust
an Executive who had shown himself
utterly worthy Upon this sub
/ ject he was just as pcsitiyes Mr.. Ste
vens or Mr.. Sumner
Tn sc things are fully known to tho
country General Grant, indeed, has
not himself said much about them or
about any ether of his actions and opin-
ions. But by such impression as he has
already made upon the national heart
and mind he must stand or fall il he is
Presidential candidate, aud with that
impression he may be satisfied He can
not disturb the past any more than An
drew johnson The loyal people who'll
ly trust him now, or they never will.
Ard we wonder If those who most warm
!y deprecated his going into the War
Department now condemn his action, and
whether his removal or suspension un-
der the circumstances would not cause
uot much more alarm even than the
I suspension Of Mr.. Stanton. Does not
the loyal national heart wholly trus.