New-York tribune., 1868-11-04
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.
vpou WASHINGTON TO GRANT.

FROM WASHINGTON TO GRANT
T1a election of Gen. Grant yesterday closed the
Twepty-Rrst contest for President OF the Oni,ou
States The three-quarters OF century uu'ins
which these Quadrennia contests occurred were
marked by many changes in the external conuiI'ohS
as we'll as the internal policy Of the country from
tba election of Washng gton-the father OF our IN
.ftutionsto the death of Lincoln their preserver,
vara many epochs each one of which witnessed
hardly contested struggle before the issues at stake
oonId he settled. But all were finally determined
aven the question of Slavery which thrice attempted
and once we-nigh accomplished the destruction OF
the baoyernment itself Yesterday the last Of the great
,ssues-the social and political Reconstruction of
tbe South was also determined. and we may now
look forward to a long era of peace and prosperity
The Republic which was first enshrined in the hearts
of the people under the presidency Of our earliest
military leader will receive new lease of life ana
yigor from the strong hand and brave heart OF our
greatest military hero. While many of our states
men-4be ELOQUENT Clay the pOnderous Webster the
subtle Calhoun, the bold and chivalrc Douglas not
10 mention the names of at least two eminent living
mep-were disappointed of the presidency, to the
military chieftans il has been generally accorded,
and Washington Jackson, Harrison. Taylor ana
Grant are the bright examples of the nations graft
tude.
Tn the first election for President, and in the
twenty -frst. are many striking points of resem-
blance Both Washington and Grant were the peo-
ples choice. Neither sought the office and both
would gladly have escaped from the cares and re-
sponsibiities of that high station And as the one
inspjred no hopes that he did not gratfy, so the
other made no promises that he failed to fulfill The
records of both were a simple lesson of patriotism
and answering fidelity to duty. They laid aside
the swords grt about them in glory to uphold in sim
certy the modest scepter of peoples will; and as
they were the only Americans who ever attained TO
afu generalshp in the Army of the Republic so the
one was swayed in the administration of civil AFFAIRS
by the principle which is the motto Of the other
"LEr US HAVE PEACE"
Washington was twice elected President. and each
time by a unanimous vote in the Electoral College.
In this day. when parties have acquired such age
and strength that even dead issues have t tne1 th
deyoees the same unanimity is impossible; but the
vote that Gen. Grant will receive Is renarkS9les s
when is remembered that but RECENTLY one-haii OF
the people were arrayed in hostile battaons against
the other half and that the nation is still III the
throes of restoration. And the party over Whlcn
these dead issues have most control Is the party
formed soon after Washingtons accession 70 ONCE
in oppostion to the principles of his administration
But il is credtabe to the people of the United states
that though parties were formed early III the history
of the Government, and before the beginning OF ms
second term were exceedingly rancorous III ul lnTlr
hostility and nearly equally divided "wa,r aDfestsd
and that the second time he was the cnolce
of all parties, as he had been the hrst time
of the whole people. AT the first Presidentlai
election Washington received 90 votes in the Eieo-
torl College, aud at the second, lS2 votes beng the
whole vote cast HIS election g. pteSdet was S bs a
18th Of April 1889 and on the SOth OF he same month
ne was inaugurated in tins city, Perhaps the grand
est scene ever witnessed in this metropolis and the
one that most displayed the overfOwiugs Of popular
afection-unless the reception of the remains OF he
late President Lincoln equaled 1t IN the ontpourhg
of the love of the peoplewas the reception accoIue1
ssTs h% X our st OF Ap @ He He 3 zabho
at 12 O'Clock, in barge covered with an awning
hung round with red moreen curtains woven In fes-
tOOns, and attended by packets and OaEges also tS
handsomely decorated. AS ne :, to9ened Ssd. ne .ne
fired; and ascending the dock hy carpeted stairs he
was received with acclamations by the men, crowned
with flowers by the women, and welcomed In sOngS
by the children The Inauguration took place on the
balcony of the Senate Chamber-then the City Hall
Office was administered by Chancellor Livingston
He delivered his inaugural address in the Senate
Chamber and then attended divine service IN 81. 81
Paal's Church, still happily standing as a monument
of that proud day which God had vouchsaied TO the
American people, He was inaug1Tated the the second
At the third election for President Cen Washing
ton was earnestly solicited 10 be candidate Tor re-
election. but he positively declined N his ever
memorable Farewell Address" and retired. loved
and hOnored by hls countrymen; 1T may be some
ccmpeDsatiOn to the friends of Gen. Grant to know
fIat the the men who sought to sully his weearned
fame by words of detTaction were members OF that
same Democratic party which sought near the close
try in Washington himself. AS soon as II
wss ascertained that Washington would not
great parties-the Federalists and the Democrats
arrayed themselves against each other on the ques-
tion of bis SUCCESSOR John Adams being the candi-
date Of the one and Thomas Jefferson OF the other
The contest was spirited one, and the result 80
close that early in November 1t was imposs Die 10 dc
fermine which way the scale wOnld preponderate.
OF the 14O votes cast Adams had II and Jefferson 0o
Mr Adams came to the Presidency in stormy time.
The French Revolution had just reached the highest
point of its feversh delirum and the American peo'
pie. fresh from struggle for liberty Tor themselves
q liberty which France had assisted TO achieve,
were too ready TO take part IN contest
that could only have led to-, disaster,
perhaps to ruin. While the election was still pending
but too late to EXPOSE the arfuness Of the trick one
of those articles tred 10 affect the result which
have often been put into practice SINCE, some ines
with more success. Mr. Adet, the French Mlnlster
wrote letter TO the Secretary OF State which was
Also psinted in the newspapers charging the Federal
Administration with violation OF the treates tnat
had secured the ndependeDce OF the united otatss,
and with ingratitude toward France, by which me
treaties were made in our own tune OF tronDle'
Whatever may have been expected from TINS aflnce,
it had no perceptible effect upon the result Dut IL
deserves to be remembered as the tirst Ilck OF q
party which is now under the domination OF lam
many Ring =,
Atthe fourth Presidential election the candidates
were again Mr. Adams and Mr. Je4ersoh, I'M Nnaties .Ss
candidates for ce-President. The two parties IN
Congress had selected the candidates IN caucus put
the electors not chosen By the states Ia tne
same popular manner as now. the contest had more
varied interest, and caused the country 70 watch
with soctude the election of members to the state
Legislatures. by whom most OF the electors were
chosen AS the result in Pennsylvania Is now
usually regarded as the best indication OF tne
way in which the contest will terminate,
30 Eew-York was then both the earliest and surest
held on the two last days OF April and the hrst
of May and resulted in the choice Of Jefferson and
Burr electors. reversing the vote which bad been