The Van Buren press., 1868-02-21
u. 8 GRANT.

When men reach the topmost round in
famcs ladder and becomes the cynosurc OF
all eyes. any sudden calamity overtaking
them nlls the world with grief But IL they
&C mmit any error Of head or heart, the world
detects II at once, and pitics or condemns, as
the nature of the offence may be. II 1t be
the fruit of honest intention, but unsound
Judgment, We tender to the unfortunate ind-
yidual our sympathics; but II II proceeds
from a bad heart and dishonorable motives
none can commisserate but all with one ac-
cord spurn and de,es,. More especially do
prominent men become odious to the world
when the errors Of offence develops the fact
that he has all along palmed himself upon the
people ss possessing qualities to which, Iii
truth he Is an utter stranger.
When General Grant attempted to instruct
President Johnson upon the true theory Of
our government, in his communication pro-
testing against the removal Of the tyrant
Sheridan he dropped the lions skin, and all
saw In the mighty man only braying shall
low politician. BY a wavcring course of du-
plicity, he has kept the curious on the qui rire
to fathom the pretended depth of his politics.
The late correspondence between General
Grant and the President has developed the
status of theredoubtable hero of circumstan-
ces, aud fixed his position on the platform of
Negro Equality in the South, and the McXi-
canization of the whole country. He has
m taln ba han Of a,I
claimed his aililiation with the extreme Radi-
Gals. The great error of Grants life has been
| perpctrated, In consummating this fatal step.
The price paid for the nomination for the
Presidency is terrible and at once degrading
| to him. and notifying to the American
people Tic position assigned General Grant
was along side of Wellington, Bonapart and
other great and successful generals. He was
on the top-most round of the ladder of mill
tary fame. lie was the recipient of the high
est encomiums; the people of the South con
iided in him because of his disposition to ad-
here TO the terms of surrender; amidst cor
ruption he seemed pure; all thought him an
honorable man; some doubted his military
ability, but none his honor. Under such cir
cumstances. can any one read the correspond
encc between Grant and johnson on the Stan
ton infamy, with any other than feelings Of
humiliation. II this correspondence estab
fishes anything it shows the betrayal of the
Executive by Grant, and to justify himself
before the world he has been led into the fatal
error of attempting to cover up his faithleSs-
ness by stating an untruth. The military
cheftan of the age convicted of falsehood-
and this by the Executive, sustained by the
Cabinet. Alas, how has poor human nature
fallen. Falsehood, the refuge of the guilty
and the scorne of the innocent! NY God
how utterly base and corrupt the country
must be when its highest military officer is
detected in duplicity and prevarication. The
Radical party may attempt to nominate Grant
and essay TO run him, but we predict, the load
he has now taken on will be too much for his
weak brain, and instead of being great man
he will soon be forever lost sight of and be
neglected by all men of a high sense of honor.
Had his wise silence been continued he might
have, by bribery and corruption been hoistcd
into the Presidential Chair but this last "un-
kindcst cut of all has so completely tloored
him, that no power on earth can galyenize
him into a live President.