The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-11-13
BEFORE THE ELECTION.
Gen. Grant q Democrat.

| ;. IOlltlcal history is 1full OF the sur
prises that in the argot of the day would
be called Sells The Right ii on, BEN
jamin Disraeli, as chief of high Tory
cabinet, bringing in q measure which,
for radical liberality, went beyond any
thing ever dreamed of by the cxtrem-
lists of the Russells, may bercgarded as
sort of archetype amongthe throwers
OF political somersaults. Such "a dis
tinction is, of course, repudiated by the
ACROBAT himself and by his friends for
him. There is always a subtle and spe-
cious line Of argument ready to prove
that the broadcast liberalism is exactly
consistent with the highest Toryism.
Extremes touch. that is to say, with
great facility and admirable convenience
when POLITICAL expediency renders it
desirable. OF this facility are born
those strange alliances between factions
of apparently clashing creeds that so
often bring about results which plain
men have called impossible little
while before. These results, whether
brought about by combinations or by
single individuals. commonly strike the
world with an unexpected and drama
tic effect Sometimes, however, they
may be prefgured. The train of causes
are occasionally so clearly in view, or
are operating so near to the surface of
things, that average intelligence may
discern what is coming. Like the hol-
low sounds heard at Ibarra, the grim
presagers of the earthquake to come,
these political premonitions are, at
times, too unmistakable to be misunder-
stood or disregarded. There can be lit
tie doubt that we are living at just such
q time, and that the Republican candi-
date for the Presidency is the Deds er
Mdchina who is destined tc bring about
the political earthquake.
That General Grant has always been
a Democrat, by which we mean that he
has always voted and acted with the
Democratic party, until very recent
date, is widely known. That his tastes,
habits, and sympathies are, in broad
sense, Democratic, is equally notorious.
And it cannot now affect the issue of
: this canvass to say that many of the
: Generals most influential supporters,
including some Of the 'War Demo-
: Gratis" who signed the call for the late
Grant meeting in the city Of New Y DIRK,
did SO on the express and even avowed
: ground of his being q Democrat, and on
. the understanding, which they do not
hesitate to say exists, that his policy, if
elected, will be strongly conservative.
1t is now too late TO change the result.
The current now rushing on is too broad
and deep and swift to be diverted or
stayed. No doubt if the Radical party
distinctly saw what is coming-saw it
with the clear. prophetic eye of Mr.
Wendell Phillips, for eXample-they
nd NJ rfI tn lafon 4
! Grants election. But it is too late
1 They might now "as well try to dam
+ up the waters of the Nile with bull
i rushcs," or to whistle against thunder,
+ as to prevent the impending consumma-
L ton. The true policy of the Radicals,
), odd and paradoXical as it may sound
was to have struck up Democratic al.
lance and to have bent every energy tC
the nomination and election of Mr.
Chase. 1t was their cue to make eX.
j tremes meet as they have in England
The most progressive radicalism and
d the most immovable conservatism car
# find common ground on pinch here a:
# well as abroad. If John Bright coult
It pull in the traces side by side with tht
Q friends Of Lord Derby, Horace Creole!
& could do the like with the friends o
q jeff. Davis. There was the true open
II ing for the Radicals, but they have fail
e cd TO see it. They let the golden OPP
1t portunity slip by; they took up witt
It Grant, whom the Democrats, in truth
81 nominated for them, and in so doin;
l. have wrought their own destruction
l. The success of their candidates is Ger
o tain, but, like the gigantic and resistles
e creature Of Frankenstein, he is as Gel
= tain hereafter to turn and rend them.
e General Grant was Democrat and
d a Democrat. His army contained Demo
re Gratis by tens of thousands, and b
d tens of thousands Democratic vote
l. will be cast in his behalf. A man @
t. little imagination but great commo
sense, the fantastic schemes the eX
. tremists are sure to seek to force upo
him he will unquestionably reject. III
will thus gain their bitter hatred, anG
y as natural consequence, will becom
r. more Democratic than ever. The restC
~ ration of this country, the revival of il
= pristine harmony and prosperity, is nc
u to be attained through Radical mea
d sures. General Grant has solid sens
l. enough to see this even in theory, bu
10 in practice his perception will soon bt
- get deeds of substantial reality. But
IS little while and there will be no sin S
is vile, no purpose so heinous, but TIL
re Radical press will impute it to him. 7
10 the Radical journals that are now S
g clamorous for his election, Gen. Graz
is in heart, principle, habit, and ment'
composition absolutely and irreconcils
bly, opposed; and as they gradually fin
Ell this out their rage and indignation wi
&c know no bounds. They do not beliey
OIL it o-day nor will they in any considers
re BILE numbers before the 9th of Noven
nc Der. But after the fatal deed is accom-
al plished, when their discontinue is moi
y, thoroughly assured than by any 9th,
IN means it possibly could have been, NJ
Ut even by the election of Mr.. Seymour
:, then will the Radicals call upon Il
10 rocks to fall upon and the mountains
10 cover them. The Democratic leade
a., have undoubtedly dealt vital wour
Z to their party canvass, but the Radio
's' leaders have been stultified meanwhi
n as faction hardly ever was before. 1t
cI we'll that the country may be ,congrat
lated that such fruits promise to con
Il out of the blunders of both that tn,
IA may be estimated as blessings in di
~ guise. ...r r.t.l, r....lt.u "a.