The national Republican., 1868-12-31
CALCULATIONS.

Dnrinr this holiday time, when news 10
yerv sc,rcc in washington, the numerous cor.
respondents OF foreign newspapers, who are
bound to send to tn 'ferent journals
something, and even Tia at lively and
newsy things they can coller aust turn In
large degree and from imperative necessity to
speculations and to the manufacturing OF
news when they have II not. As the theme
"what will President Grant do "is fruitful
topic 1t is drawn upon largely. and not few OF
these active, wide-awake, stirring gentlemen
claim that they know all about his plans for
the future, and consequently detail day after
day columns of Information which they tel
egraph over the country, foresh Allowing all
the purposes and measures which are sure
to govern the new Administration. So much
has been said upon this subject by the WASH
ington correspondents, and said. too, with
such 40 apparent show of truthfulness, that
even the editors OF the different papers about
the country have taken up the refrain and
gravely discussed for the past week or two
General Grants programme, and have assured
their readers just what the new President will
and will not do. The simple fact is, as every
body in this city is aware, that Gen Grant keeps
his own counsels, and much, very much, Of the
the pretended information upon this head
which is telegraphed from here is either bogus
or made up for the occasion, having not so
much as a sh Ndpw OF foundation upon which
1t can be predicated.
The New York Journal of Commerce, for In
stance, has what II is pleased to call q semi.
official announcement that General Grant
"IHtends to institute a thorough reform iu
regard to appointments to office;'' and, mo re-
over, the same paper says that this determine
tion has caused considerable excitement In
Washington and other localities.
We d. nrl dispute the announcement ths,
. neral Cf.anl viii institute a thorough It.
lrrm This IS highly prrn ,ble, indeed this
ought to be done; but as to the excitement In
Washington, on this account, we 10 not see 1t
OF course, II there be excitement IN othes 10.
calItie. about the matter, we must accept ;he
Commercial AS truei but so far as Washingio
Is concerned, we are not aware that there il
anything of the sort.
The Commercial seems to know, for 1t Af
Arms, that General Grant will orst "everN
worthless and Incompetent Political hack IL
office, even II he Is compelled to all the place
for awhile with army officers" Now, ou
opinion Is that the Commercial does not knov
that General Giant will do anything furthc
than to remove incompetent men, and thi
alone can Re predicsted upon his known char
acter, but upon nothing he has said abou
putting army officers into their places. Sucl
opinions are mere speculations. Gen. Gran
has never said word OF the kind to my body
But the richest part ofthe joke perpetrated b,
the Commercials as follows: That paper says
sIluding to what we have quoted above, "thii
announcement has brought a lively pressur,
on the various departments at Washington by
Senators and members of Congress who de
sire to get their favorites into office before
General Grant takes possession of the White
House"
The above statement will astonish the heads
Of departments, who probably are not aware
that the pressure for appointments In the dif
ferent bureaus is any more importunste thar
usual, bat this "HUeIy pressure" and the
reasons for that pressure, of which the Com
Ticrcidi speaks, will be news to the Washing
ton people. We should like much to know
who those Senators and members OF Congtes
are, who desire to get their favorites into OF
tce before President Grant takes possession
OF the White House. Are they Republicans
or are they Democratsl Who are theyl
The fact is, the country will do well to tax,
all statements sent abroad by the Washington
correspondents, which pretend to foreshadov
the policy OF General Grants naturalization n
with large margin of allowance.
It may be safe to conclude that President
Grant will institute many reforms. This car
be argued from his known principles ant
character; but he is the last man from WHOM
correspondents can learn anything In respec
to what he intends to do. or one thing tn,
whole nation feels conadenti and that Is, Gen
eral Grant will be President.