New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-06-18

nobody at its head at prescott, pledg-
ed by every fact of its history
and every declaration of its prin.
ciples to take away those rights. There
could not be simpler issue. If you are for
equality before the law for all men who
have minds to be educated and souls to be
saved you vote for Grant; if you are against
such equal justice you vote against him.
Who is General Grant? l claim the priv
ilege of answering this question, for
served under his command in the campaigns
OF Corinth and Vicksburg; and though my
modest rank did not bring me probably to
his notice, yet it gave me a chance to OBJ
serve him. l observed his habits and his
methods of action, and since the war has
been over | have watched narrowly his
course at Washington, and say in all earn.
estness and honesty that believe him to be
the best candidate for the Presidency ever
offered to the suhrages of the American
people since the days of Washington.
And yet we are gravely told by the editors
of the Democratic press (and you know
they always speak the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth,) that
Grant will not make good President be-
cause he can not make long and pretty
speech. Well, if the only duty of the
President of the United States is to
talk there would be some force in the
objection. But alas for our Democratic
friends, we do not want a President to do
our talking for us. We have plenty Of young
lawyers and politicians to do that. What
we want in the White House is a mau of
action, not man of words; man who can
seek and see the will of the people, es-
pecially as embodied in the laws ofCongress,
and then execute that will. Why the fact
is that professional oratory sought for its
own sake il about the cheapest and poorest
thing in the world. The lesson of history
is that Oratory, as trade, begins just
where heroism leaves of. When | hear
man making a speech just for its own sake
| always think of the story of the young
man at a country party, who, on being in
troduced to young lady, and not knowing
exactly how to begin conversation, started
off in this way:
"Do you known anybody that would like
to buy a shirtN
Why no." said she, 'have you got one
to sell ?h
"No, oh no. only said it for talt.1
And one great curse of our country in its
politics is that orators are always saying
things for talk" So far then as this OBJ
lection to General Grant is concerned, |
think it greatly in his favor When he shall
be elected (and he certainly will be) we
shall have President who will not talk
much, but who will act good deal.
There is another remarkable objection to
General Grant which our virtuous and
truthful friends, the Democratic editors,
have raised. They say that he is not great
soldier. And they not only say this, but
they ask us to believe it. Was there ever a
more remarkable proposition presented to
human credulity? General Grant was in
active service four years in the last war
alone. He was pitted in succession against
the chosen generals of the Southern armies.
The accomplished Sidney Johnston, the
scientific Beauregard, the cautious Joe
Johnston, the tenacious Bragg, the
skillful and educated Lee, all con.
tended against him with all that
subtlety and learning and valor could ac-
complish, and were defeated and captured.
Donelson Vicksburg, Mission Ridge, the
march to the sea, which it is now known
that Grant planned, and the closing scenes
at Richmond, these, we are asked to believe
were all matters of good luck and not of
skill, science, and vigor. In other words,
that for four years the destlnies of this
tremendous conflict were ruled by chance
and not by the laws of God. 1t was nothing
but great game of roulette, and that Grant
was successful because he was lucky. 1t Is
by such puerile conceits that our opponents
hope to mislead the people.
You have all perhaps heard the old story
of the man in Noah's time, who would not
believe there was going to be deluge, aud
made light Of the labors of the patriarch.
| But when the deluge came, and the
black floods began to roll up around
him he hastened in the rain to ap.
ply for admission to the ark. But
Noah said, "No, you have despised and
derided my ark, and l can not let you inn
| VERY well, . said the old infdel, already
up to his waist in water, and half choked
in the falling torrents; "you can go long
with your old ark. | do not believe its
going to be very much of a shower Now,
three years ago these same Democrats We're
perfectly delighted with the military career
r -
| their own statements the greatest of modern
| soldiers. And why did they then acknowl-
| edge his merits? Because they hoped to get
| him in some way committed to their ideas
and plans, and then use him as their own
| candidate. But they failed in this neat
little plan. They did not have any more
| success in capturing Grant than Mr.. Bob
| Lee" did. And so their plan is now TO abuse
| him, and especially to underrate his mill
| tary achievements. Like the obstinate
and disappointed old man in the
| story, they say, at isn't very much
| of a shower.n General Grant" they
! say, isn't very much of q soldier" If we
may believe the papers, though hope the
story is not true, General Buekner, lately
/ of New Orleans, and now editor of the
Louisville Courier, says that Grant is not
much of soldier. But the people will
recollect that in February, 1862, General
| Buckner was in Fort Donelson, with II, 900
men; that General Grant by skillful move.
| ments invested the place (and very good
investment" it wasl; that in a short time
General Buckner found it convenient to
send flag Of truce and offer to surrender on
certain conditions; that General Grant re-
piled 81 demand an unconditional sur.
| render, and propose to move Immediately
on your works. And so General Buckner
and all his host did Internationally sur
render. The people will remember that
this was only one of General Grants many
victories achieved by genius, by patience
by courage; and now that General BuekneI
has turned Democratic editor and a leader
in the Democratic party, we of the great
Republican party are going under the
leadership OF General Grant to try the
| Donelson tactics again, and give notice to
General Buckner and his Democratic bat
teries that we propose to move Immediately
on his works. (Great cheersl
i We have another objection 10 General
Grant upon the part of these able editorial
Democrats. They say he has mo policy
and they are so unhappy, apparently, on
this subject that they can't sleep O'nights
Now / beg to suggest that if General Grant!
views on this point are considered with any
fairness at all, they ought TO furnish grea'
cause for thankfulness. We have hac
enough of presidents who talk about "mJ
pOlicy.a The country has been kept in con
fusion for three years by President WhC
had pet "policy.n The whole theory o
our government has been strained ami
twisted in the attempts of Mr.. johnson Il
! force his policy on the United States. Nov
in the reasonable and natural construction
Of General Grants language on this subjec
we ought to see matter Of great hope ant
. comfort. He says, and no candid man coul,
wish him to say anything else: 81 have Il,
policy in opposition to the will Of the pee
ple,n t'If am elected President 1t win b.