The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1868-11-18


some such measures as the Commonwealth ug-
gests. But, happily, the day for this madness
has wholly gone by If it could not succeed
upon the assassination Of Lincoln, it will have
infinitely less chance after the Inauguration Of
Grant The policy of the next four years is
to be one ofmoderation, firmness, justice, and
forbearance-the policy Of him who led US to
success in war, and without whose leadership
we should have been defeated in peace. Sup
ported by the moderate men Of the country.
War Democrats and Conservative Republi-
cans, General Grant has saved the Republi-
can party. tits now the duty Of the party
and Congress to perfect reconstruction and
save the Union.
From the Detroit Free Press.
GENERAL GRANT AS PRESIDENT.
The Army and Navy Journal has leading
article under this head. 1t is important, be-
cause this journal is supposed to know more
of General Grants real feelings, wishes, and
designs than any mere political paper. It
says: Everybody now asks, what may be
safely set down that his administration will be
moderate and conservative, lin the best, not
the perverted sense of those terms, because
his own temperament is such. General Grant,
with all his world-renowned tenacity, Che is
the Pe,tinas Of our history, has always been
singulary imperturbable and we'll poised,
never going to extremes, never pursuing an
object as matter either of malice or enthu-
siasm His policy is now, and always has
been, utterly Invested Of temporary passion,
of political frenzy. We can all remember
how the same orators and writer's now so bus
lily deserving him were once pointing him out
/ for admiration. Nothing could exceed their
delighted surprise at his candid and dis
passionate views regarding the South, his
terms of surrender given at Appomattox G.
H., aud the like. General Grant, we repeat,
is by nature we'll balanced, calm, moderate,
conservative man. Such will he appear as
President; and those who contemplate his
being either tool or tyrant reckon without
their host. Next we may count on General
Grants administration being Of an exceed
ingly practical character. This is the essen
tial character of his own mind. =
General Grant, without making great noise
about it, will aim to make his administration
generally useful by economy and honesty, by
sound Judgment and common sense. His Cabi-
net will be selected with view to render him
assistance in this practical way. The meas
ures be will recommend to Congress will be
entirely of this sort. The finances and the
civil service will be among the foremost of
general political subjects to receive attention,
and we may safely predict that the great word
of the hour, the great feature to strike all OBJ
servers, so soon as General Grant has been a
month in power, will be the confidence inspired
in people Of all parties and all political creeds
'tGrant, as soldier, understands well the
bounds of coordinate and subordinate author
ity. Congress will not be suffered to encroach
upon his prerogatives as the Executive, MOI
he attempt to encroach upon Congress as the
| legislative department Of the Government A
soldier is used both to command and obey
an admirable training, say what civilians will
for any administrative officer, from pound
keeper up to President.
1--WE shall make bold to predict that he will
realize, more than any man who has sat in the
Chief Magistrates chair since Andrew Jack
son, the Executive idea, which should be the
central idea connected with the Presidency
We put On record these opinions of those
who profess to know the truth whereof the,
speak, in regard to General Grant as Presi
dent" for the purpose of future reference
The nation will rejoice with exceeding grea
JOY if it shall prove that General Grant ha.
frmness and wisdom sufficient to carry int
effect the views SO well expressed by the Ar
nv and Navy Journal We have no doub,
that the moderate journals and conservative
men Of the Republican party brought for
ward General Grant for President with the
understanding and belief that his general pol
icy, if elected, would be such as indicated
and it is certain that the extreme Radical por.
tion of the Republican party only accepted
him as an alternative preferable to defeat
Will he have the frmness to stand by these
men and their principles? And if so, will
the Radicals still think it is wise to yield to
him rather than destroy the party? are ques
lions which will suggest themselves to every
one Upon these points. We confess that our
hopes and fears almost balance each other
and we shall wait with no little impatience for
the first indication of what General Grants
course will be as President of the United
States.
1t is fortunate for General Grant that tn G
power of the Radicals in Congress is complete
ly destroyed The returns of the elections
already held give the Democratic party seven
ty. nine members of Congress, and the best
chance Of electiug nine more in the States OF
Alabama and Connecticut, making the relative
strength Of the two parties in the next Con-
gress Of eighty eight Democrats to one hun
dred and thirty eight Republicans. This will
prevent any such attempt at political assassi
nations as the present Congress attempted to
pcrpetrate on President johnson Whatever
views General Grant may entertain, whatever
course he may make out, he will not be under
the necessity offending to the opinions, wish
es, or policy of such men as Stanton and But
Ter, at the peril Of being impeached.
/ THE SITUATION.
| From the Louisville Courier
We have EXPRESSED
our belief that General Grant, as President
will not be found carrying out or even count
enancing the extreme policy of the Radical
party. He has never been regarded BY the
advocates of that policy as truly representa-
tive man, and they were induced to support
him alone on the ground of availability
Wade, Bingham, or Beast Butler himself