Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-11-11
The Election of Genl. Grant.

The election of Genl. Grant to the Presidency
of the United States is the end of an eight years
struggle, which has teemcd with events without
parallel in the annals of this or any other nation.
During four of these years the Republic was en-
gagged in one Of the greatest civil war. that over
convulscd mankind, and throughout tho othor four
it has been the prey of factions and passions that
have Inflicted evils hardly less calamitous than
strife on the battlefield.
And now, after the first cxultation Of the tri-
umphnnt party shall have abated, the American
people will soon address themselves to the con-
siderutiun of questions that can no longer be
postponed till Z" after the election" The North,
almost equally divided botwoon the two politica!
parties as all the local elections show, has in the
Presidential contest lot the prestige of military
candidate prepunderate in the balauce. And
Geul Grant comes to the Presidential chair with
so blank political record that we know not what
to expect from him. Certainly, under the cir
cumstances, it were we'll that We Of tho South
should not drive him off from US, or cmbitter him
by premature denuuciations and representations
of tyranny and partisanship. What ho will do
we know not; we pretend to no presceuce on the
subject The extreme Radical wing of his party
assume that be is bound TO them by solemn
pledges, and that be will carry out their policy by
all the means they may put into his hands. On
this point We must await the developments of
time. Genl. Grant, in entering upon the Presi-
dontal Office, will swear "to protect AMI defend
the Constitution of the United States" Faithful
to that oath, he must encounter the hostility Of
the party leaders who openly scott at the Consti-
tuition, and avow their determination to rule
"outside of it." Grant must either submit to
them or resist them. And if he resist them he
must appeal to the people for support; to the
thoughtful, conservative masses Of the people,
who hav. not yet been weaned from their attach
mcnt to the free, popular government which is
their birthright Never, then, was there better
reason for the Democracy Of the country to close
up their rauks and stand firm. Let no man now
army. The stragglors aud camp-folowers may
now wander off after plunder and profit, but the
true soldiers in the good cause know that this is
the very time to rally round its banner.
The party that takes its lease Of power now,
finds condition of things impossible to continue,
and difficult to mend. The extreme Radicals wish
to p.rpetuate military despotism at the South ut
the cost Of the North, and in tho interest Of the
negro. But Grsnt may, in this matter, prove Us
un<ympa,hc,;c US Johnson; or us Lincoln, for
even the lntter was full of what uro termed the
"Ircjudces" Of the white race. Easily led as he
was, Abraham Lincoln could never be brought,
by word or act, to favor the "negro reconstruc-
ton" of the Radicals. And in the very last days
of his life, he declared uuequivOcaly Tor the
rights of the States; and ho left his policy as an
Inheritance that may reach remote as we'll as an
i'm III ,liate successor.
TIE country, in the approaching changes and
mutations which the signs of the timcs indicate,
will ultimately put its trust in the Democratic
principles tested by time and reason, approved by
the practice of the botor days Of the Republic,
aud hallowed by the precepts of its founders. No
overtsken rs TO any other cause than an aberra-
tx; from those principles; no statesman can find
any other remedy ;han return to those princi-
ples Let no mn now abate his faith in them
They must prevail. Moro speedily, too, than
might now seem probable. Radicalsm was never
more fierce, insolent and confident, than when it
attempted TO seize the Executive branch of the
and put Wade into the Presidency.
Suddenly, it failed in the impeachment plot and
its representative men sank out of sight to make
place f r the soldier whose military fame WAS to
hide Radical infamy. ,.--.-.--,,---.-
N. H., ,..,.1vaurm again exultant in the In
toxication Of success. Tomorrow, the honest,
men of its party may range themselves
along side Of .he unconquerable Democracy, as
the only chance for themselves and their country.