The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-19
General Grant Againi
From Me ". y Tribune.

his friends and from no friend so much as the
New York Times. That newspaper charges
the Tribune with hypocrisy. Let us see who
is the real hypocrte.
The Times, in its Tuesdays issue, used
these words:-
Through many channels it will be asserted
that General Grants compliance with the call
indicates his approval of MIR. SLanton's re-
moval, and consequently of the policy which
eXacts lhat proceeding. On TINS mead, tortu-
naiely, there is no room for misrepresentation.
General Grant has not allowed his habitual
reticence TO leave the country in doubt as TO MS
position on the great occasion of difference be-
tween Congress and the Executive lie sup
ports the plan of Congress- and is in favor of its
prompt ana vigorous enforcement. The Cop
perhead counseiiors of Mr. Johnson will derive
no succor from General Grant"
Here is plain statement. The editor prac-
tically says:-''General Grant is a radical. We
know it. He supports Congress. We know
that. 1t is happy thing he does not sup
port President Johnson. We feel very COM
Portable" No gentleman win make a state
ment without authority, and no newspaper,
especially, will venture to place public man
upon political platform without reasons for
so doing. Il was very important for us to
know that General Grant was radical We
found all the evidence leading to an
opposite conclusion. Supposing that the
Times really spoke what it knew, we
coarse assault upon the Tribune and a virtual
admission that the statement above quoted is
false, and OF course printed to deceive. On
Tuesday, it said that Grants acceptance of
the Office was merely Temporary and formal"
something disagreeable and peremptory-
and that the President virtually exchanged the
radical Stanton for the radical Grant. Now
we are told that Grant assumed the office to
prevent the Government from stopping On
Tuesday, Grant entered the Cabinet radical.
On Friday, we are assured he repre-
sents the conservative majority of Con-
gress. In the meantime, our demand for in
formation is ignored, and the Times, in failing
to give us the evidence that General Grant
"has not allowed his habtual reticence to
leave the country in doubt as to his radical
ism, compels us to doubt and fear that it's edi-
tor is endeavoring to juggle us now, even as
when last year he sought to drag the Repub-
lican party into the Philadelphia Copperhead
Convention under pretense that the conven-
ton was to reform and strengthen the party
Those who charge us with assailing Grant
entirely misapprehend our position. We are
not conscious of having ever, in the slightest
degree, done him injustice. The question is
one of fact. What is his position? He is
named as a radical candidate for the Presi-
dency. Is he a radical If he is, let it be
made apparent. If he is not a radical very
well. In that case we shall not vote for him,
although we may respect him none the less.
There is no soldier, for instance, we honor
more than General Sherman. We should
crown him with laurels, and write his name
on a hundred monuments. But we do not
think we should vote for him as President of
the United States, because he is an avowed
believer in the policy of Andrew Johnson. 1t
is an honest difference of opinion, no thing
more. General Sherman would make a sim
cere President. He would do what he deemed
to be best. But his policy would not be ours;
his counsellors would probably, be men we
did not trust, and his administration would
sustain principles which we deem pernicious.
1t is because General Sherman is so regarded
that his name is not mentioned by some of
our friends as a candidate. They honor him;
but unless he accepts their platform they will
not vote for him. Now, is Grant not in pre-
cisely the same position? We ask for infor-
nation.
People tell us with wise mutterings that
Grant is sagacious that he bides his time;
that the politicians will not trap him. that he
will run uncommitted that if he takes the
Presidential Office he will do as he deems best,
and rise above party. Probably General
Grant can afford to be a deaf-and-dumb candi-
date, but the country cannot afford to elect q
deaf-and-dumb President. If these were ordi-
nary times of peace, and the Executive Office
meant the appointment of tide-waiters, post
masters, and consuls, we might be content to
see Grant in the Office, even If he never had an
opinion. If the country were in the condition
| it was when Johnson was elected, we might
say-'Take Grant; he is available; we shall
| have an easy, pleasant canvass, and nc
bother" But we are now confronted with a
problem more serious than any before known
in our country. 1t is problem that will not
| permit of conservatism or compromise. 1t must
be radically treated, and we must have mar
whose soul burns with the work. A timid
hesitatng, unsympathetic President would
| bring disaster, especially if his policy were
masked by the dazzling and seductive splendol
| of military fame. If all our Generals were
silent if none of them had opinions, if the
silence and uncertainty that rests like pal
| over the name of Grant were common to these
warriors, we might even then consider his
candidacy unavoidable. But the truth is,
Grant is among the few Generals who have
! not spoken. We know where Sheridan stands
We know what Thomas thinks. We have
heard Sickles and Pope speak. We are sure
of Butler and Logan. We have no fear o
these men. They are not uniformed SphynXes
--sashed and girded statues. If il is naces
sary that a General should settle reconstruc
tion we can easily find one.
The Republican party is too great It's mis-
sion is too mighty; to speak politically, 1t il
too strong-with three-fouTths of the mex
electoral college almost inevitably in its hands
Ito go begging for a candidate, or to intrus
lts work to a man who does not feel IN sym
pathy with it. If General Grant is the man
we shall be happy. But in the face OF hi
recent record, in the face of his silence, in thu
lace OF the appalling fact that the men wh'
claim to speak for him are the men WHIT
papN a. n tfoTa ~