The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-24
FIRST EDITIO N
PHILLIPS.

non more radical platform. we relolce tnaC we
made the effort, and still esteem 1t evidence OF
wise patriotism. The reelection OF Mr.. Lincoln
was a grave mistake, from the worst conse-
quences of which kind Providence saved us by
Our effort and protest in 1864 were vain. As
useless and vain now, it seems to us, would be
any effort to organize third party. And there
are some reasons which render 1t largely, II not
wholly, unnecessary. In 1864 the masses were
not by any means alive to the duty OF the hour.
Ready for any step. they had no definite idea
what step was needed. Further, they leaned
with far too much trust on MIR. Lincoln's sup
posed statesmanship and honesty.
Now the case is olferent The people have
been largely educated to the Natlon's necessity
az d duty and do not even affect to put off any
shore of it on the shoulders of Grant, or fancy
that he can or will lead anyb ldy, or In ything.
They see in him atool not leader.
is, still 1t holds in its hands our only chance of
safety. 1t is party without principles or
leaders. Its selfish men cannot lead it; and its
henest men will not follow. But spite of all
this, it either has within Its ranks, or repre-.
sents, the loyal masses of the NATION. They
have chosen 1t for their instrument Success,
If it come at all, during this generation, must
legitimate results of the war shall be lost or
saved depends on this Presidential election.
Our latest criticism on the Republican party
is that they, by sheer incapacity, have put the
nation into unnecessary peril. When the i'm
peachment failed 1t was madness to go on and
admit thu Rebel States to their old places.
Without land without arms, with but little
organization, the loyal vote lies at the
mercy of Rebels. Go to Lowell and announce
that whoever votes the Democratic ticket will
be discharged from the mills, how many will
risk suffering to support their principles? The
negro not only risks starvation, but walks to
the ballot-box with pistol at his breast. If in
such circumstances he stands by the flag we
shall henceforth maintain that the black race is
superior to our own-there is no page 10 Amer-
can or English history which records civil
right maintained by the masses under such
fearful conditions, Congress betrayed Its trust
when it subjected the nation to such peril. The
members proved themselves thoroughly in
capable or dishonest when they adjourned in
the presence of such danger. Still the heart
of the nation beats in the Republican party, and
everv loyal man must hope and work for us sue
cess In this canvass.
We have little confidence in Grant. The best
thing about him is that he seems desirous to
execute the Nations will. He is no traitor like
Johns on neither has he any statesmanlike CON-
prehension of the hour. We fear he belongs
more to Morgan, Conklng, and Howard than to
Sumner and Wade. He was drunk i'll the public
st 'eets since the first day of January. This is
fact as patent as the sun at MONDAY; none but
those too dishonest to be trusted with public
journals (bats passing them selves off for owls)
deny it. He is q West-Point graduate with his
sympathies all In the wrong direction. He
has just been through a war which was
Gods command to one race to do justice
to another--a war whose root was slavery aud
whose fruit was freedom. Yet OF the nalt-dozen
catch words that the Nation has eXtorted from his
mottoes he has lent to politics, or history, are
such as a bulldog might have growled FORTH
nation battling for an idea takes for its leader
a man confessedly destitute of ideas. stout
soldier, an honest administrative officer-but
had the nation been made up OF Grants there
never would have been an nti-slavery enter
prise, an emancipation proclamation, any
''North or any South" France might as we'll
have taken Murat for her Napoleon, or England
put Roebuck IN Peel's place. Our King Log Is
not imposed upon us; we select him ourselves.
lINa1oz ~ DO hat oh llnu and pInnt
sighted critic who sees only Grant before him.
Grant is only the almost invisible point of the
broad ,and every day broadening, mass of purpose
and re: olive and necessity behind him. Though
the nation has not been lifted to the full COM
prehension of its own work, 1t builds determi-
Dately, by instinct, as 1t were. 1t cannot COM
Irehend, much more accept, a principle. 1t
eropes half in light, halt in darkness; has found
cut Fessen0ep's incapacity, but still hugs the
delusion of his honesty. Like Mil'on's hon. it
has not wholly emerged INTO shape, Oh 'Iecy
full no matter how many prejudices, it
it will put beyond contingency the nation-and
leave it nothing to blush for whea it stands in
the sisterhood of Christendom.
We must accept the hour, not force it. Grants
election means progress. We hope 1T means the
iron hand of a lust Government laid relentlessy
on Rebels. We hoped to see at last lover Of
liberty in the White House, one who loved and
understood what Lincoln only submitted to.
If we cannot have that, give us at least con-
stable who will remorselessly execute the laws.
White House, Wade Hampton, Alexander Ste
phens, Forrest, Toombs, Cobb, and Seymour
will stink like whipped spanels 10 their ken
nels. GRANTS friends understand so little the
epoch they live in that their most lavish false
hood never claims for him anything which fits
him for leader in such an hour. Pope said:-
'Feign what crime you will. and paint it ere so
Some rising genius sins up to your song"
But Grants friends have not fancy and under
standing of the hour enough to lift him up TO its
need. But let him show in the White House
even the wholesome camp discipline they claim
for him, and by the hrst day of next April a
negro will walk hundred miles, even in Ken
tucky, to find enough specimens OF Ku-kluX to
furnish the museums OF the curious. All this
blood and rage is the ch Id of co gardce, and
will vanish quickly into thin air, as it did in
New Orleans when the grim and resolute Yankee
laid his untalterng hand on the helm. None so
thorough coward as the bully.
Hence we hail Maine and Vermont as day
stars of hope, aud pray that other States may
come up and BETTER the instruction.
The immediate issue now, as IN 1861, is
whether the nation shall survive. Seymour's
success means another chance for secession.
Grants election melts the millions into one in
dlssoluDle whole; calling us 10 stamp on IT
what legend God wills. AS in 1861 the nation
now can be saved only as a nation Of fjustice aud
liberty. To his amazemeut Lincoln lound him
self the emancipator OF the slave. To his equal
amazement Grant will find himself borne up
and on to be the shield OF the negro. We said,
In November, 1861 ''for the first time in our
history the slave has elected President.n The
first day of January 1868, justified the assertion.
II, winch may God grant, this November sends
Grant TO the White House, we shall say "the
negro has elected his President"-may the
future justify US as amply.