The Portland daily press., 1867-10-09
Genera.l tsraat,s Political opinionS'

81 % xyaobburne of Illinois may be safelysre-a
l,ardad as authentic if not directly authorized.
4 ,a;obbor and personal friend of the Gener-
al,s. Mr. Washburne has occupied for four
wears. the acknowledged position of the repre- 7
sentative and special guardian of Grants in
tsrests in Congress and is thus qualified to |
speak for him as no other man in the United |
States can Mr.. Washburnes standing as
Republican has all along given tacit assurance
OF Grants sympathy with the party which has
saved the country and which now has laid up
on 1t the duty of realizing the pure ideal OF free
government which the Fathers portrayed III
the Declaration of Independence but winch
has never yet been embodied IN our ia is's
tons To this tact assurance MI w ashourne
now adds the weight of his direct testimony
Tho snaacb in which he defined Gen. Grants
postion was made at Galena, at a Republican
Couty Convention, on the 9Th instant, ayow-
edly in response to the popular call for an
omen explanation by the General. We have
already published Geographic abstract of the
speech The following more elaborate sketch
of Mr. Washburnes remarks is copied from a
special dispatch to the New York Herald: i2
Many people had looked upon General Grant
as they would upon civilian and O politician
and even a candidate for civil Office. 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 demagogne. The public had no
more right to expect General Grant to speak
out than they had to expect Lieutenant-Gen-
eral Sherman, General Meade, General Sher
dan or General Thomas to make public their
political views The general was not in the
habit OF proclaiming himself to the world by
words but, like wise man, had always made
his record through his acts. Though not
| speaking for the public, no man was. more
| frank in expressing his views on all public
matters. He was raised in the wing school OF
politics. His venerable father, SO well known
| in Galena, was always an active and infuen-
tial member of the old wing party, and, after
| it went out of existence, of the republican par
| ty. The general was always wing, SO far as
| he was politician at all, and never belonged
| to or had any sympathy at all with the social
| ed democratic party. He stated this as fact
| Had General Grant been a member of the
| democratic party he would have been in the
same position as he now is, and the same as all
| the most loyal and patriotic men who were in
] that party now occupy. Though not a voter
IN Illinois in 1860, yet, after Mr. Lincolli's adj
minlstIatlon commenced and after the firing
upon Sumter, there was no who gave a
more earnest support to that administration
General Grant was among the first to COM
prehend the results that would grow out of the
rebellion, and TIE country wilt not forget that
as early as 1868 he wrote letter saying that
anxious as he was for peace, he did not wish to
see it established until slavery was wiped out.
In 1854 he was profoundly anxious for the re-
election of Mr.. Lincoln, and no man more ful-l
ly comprehended the great fact that upon his
Reelection hinged the success of our cause and
the suppression OF the rebellion. He SO far de-
parted from his usual course in such matters
as to wllte and permit the publication of a let
ter in which he briefly and emphatically SUM
med up the whole question. The letter was
| published by hundreds of thousands by the re-
| publican congressional committee, and exefted
| great influence in the country. He was OPEN
| ly and strongly for both the constitutional
amendments, and he hailed the reconstruc-
| ton act of the Thirty-ninth Congress as the
solution OF our difficulties, and he entered up
on the discharge of his duties under that act
with zeal, Vigilance and fidelity. Sympathig-
ing with Congress in it's action and appreciat-
| ing the Importance of its being in session. he
urged and advised such action as would secure
an extra session if necessary. When that ses-
sion came he expressed themOst serious fears
| OF the elect Of long adjournment, and with
i "a far reaching sagacity anticipating the pre-
else state of things that has occurred he used
all his influence with senators to have them
| adopt the House provision of the amended
| bill requiring the assent of the Senate to the
removal of the district commanders. p ~ 81
| faVoring the reconstruction acts, no effort of
MS mas been wanting to secure their enforce
ment m the letter and spirit, to the end that
the U Union might be speedily and fully restor-
| ed He believed there is no protection or safe
| ty to the eolored people and the loyal white
| people in the rebel States except through inn
| partial suffrage. The reconstruction acts hav->
| ing recognized the entire equality of all Amer
lean citizens in the States lately in rebellion,
he believes that consistency, as well as impair
tial Justice, demands that there should be no
discrimination against any class of persons in
any OF the States. His sympathies, his convic-
tons and his hopes are now, as they ALWAYS.
have been, with the great patriotic and ioyai
people that carried the country through the
war. He is in favor of unfolding the honor
and credit Of the national government, and
holds that all our obligations must be discharg-
ed Ia conformity TO the terms on which they
were contracted. He thinks there should be
exei cised by Congress and by all departments
OF the govarnnie mt a more rigid and searching
economy in the expenditure of the public
money, and wherever he has had control he
has struck off every useless expense and re-
formed every abuse t,e4 sllist,. q
General Grant occupies at the present time
the position of Secretary of War dd interim in
the cabinet OF Mt johnson. His action in ac-
eepsing .as PesHI8e and Excited tie fears Of
many good and loyal men, 1t invoked the de-
nunclation Of enemies and brought forth the
excuses of friends. He accepted that position.
not, as has been alleged, in obedience to the
commands OF a superior offcer;l but from a
stern sense ofjustice to his country, The Pres
ident mad determined to remove the Secre-
tary OF War at all hazards, and without excuse
or Justification The President Thought to re-
lleve himself from the odium of Mr.. Stanton's
removal ana draw attention from that action
oy oHering Inc place to den. Grnt. What was
70 y. pe aone should the General step into the
SHOES OF MI. stanton, and WELD all the legiti-
mate powers OF the department in aid of re-
lconstrucson and ~ support Of the district
S9,rh la In the management of the In
o,,, war ana the SUPERVISION OF war contracts,
81 ofv thn ne oe mere to resist the. raid
one1,ts ahn,s S gnu pluhdererS ana war claim
agents Wnom StantDn had held at bay, and who |
W. w. wa.aag 20 thrust lneir arms into the
eno.5 ~ nIin u1loid millions OF the public
,,,oat ~ snoulu ne refuse, and permit that
,,a,haaa Poslaon 10 De hiled by cop
army, who would sanction fraudulent and bogus
CLAIMS OF rebels and. bring reproach generally |
ny .ne p'Iohc service General Grant did