The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-28
The President Elect.

before the PrsSldenIlal electlOu very hOVo-
worthy contribution, occupying rather more
than five columns OF small type. 1t is COL
lection of the speeches, letters, general orders,
and sayings absolutely known to have pro-
ceeded fro III General Grant lsince his appoint
ment to the command of an army in the field,
that is, since the siege OF Vicksburg. The
collection includes every speech, all orders OF
any Importance, all letters bearing upon
public policy, and every saying absolutely
authentic, and one of the most remarkable
facts about 1t is that the whole can be read
through in an hour. The terrible publicity
to which American politicians are condemned
to submit-publicity as OF life under
burning glass-is producing the consequence
of any other tyranny, an unnatural
reticence as to opinions, concealed by the ma
jority under a cloud of words, and by General
Grant under q studious silence, or grimly
humorous diversion of the talk to the merits
of the last new trotter. He does not care
about trotters particularly, bat he talks
trotters," Just as Wslpole "talked women"
as a subject interesting to all men, but uncon-
neoted with political issues. Every now and
then however, he has been compelled to break
silence sometimes almost involuntsrily, and
his utterances, when read together, let flood
of light on his character and policy. As
General Grant will be for four years premier of
the United States, our readers may possibly
be interested in revelations at least as impor-
peror Napoleon.
First and foremost then, General Grant is
fxedy determined that slavery in all its forms
shall remain ended, that free labor with all its
consequences shall be the rule of the Union
from Maine to Florida. He is no abolitionist,
seems never to have been clear that slavery
was a crime, though he entertained no South
eIn feeling, intimates for the negro as little
liking as dislike, and expressly avows that 1t
was hard task to him to contemplate negro
suffrage as necessity. 1t is as statesman and
American that he is clear the system must end
END completely and for ever; that the negro
must be recognized officially and socially, not
only as man, but as an American citizen.
The progress of his mind upon this point
is very curious. He wrote to Brigadier Parke,
while lying before Vicksburg, "Use the
negroes and every thing within your
command to the best advantage'-not, be
it noted, every person. This distinction pro-
oeeded however, from 40 contempt for the
black race, such as many generals at that
time did not hesitate to express. 81 expect"
he writes in January, 1862, "the commanders
especially to exert themselves in carrying out
the policy of the Administration, not only in
organizing colored regiments and rendering
them efficient, but also in removing prejudice
ag ainst tbem,' prejudice which within his
command rapidly disappeared. Even before
this General Grant had issued stern orders
ing General Halleck in particular that sit was
the duty of Union generals to give the same
protection to colored troops that they do
to any other troops'' in the service OF
the United States; and one year later
he wrote to General Butler that no distinction
whatever should be made in the exchange OF
white and colored prisoners if regularly en-
rolled in the army. He had, moreover, even
then, 1862, made up his mind on the political
side of the matter, for he wrote on August 30
to the Hon. L j. Washburne in these en-
phatic terms:-"I never was an abolitionist,
not even what could be called anti-slavery;
but try to judge fairly and honestly, and it
became patent to my mind, early in the
Rebellion, that the North and South could
never live at peace with each other except as
one nation, and that without slavery. As
anxious as | am to see peace established,
would not therefore be willing to see any
settlement until this question is forever set
tied" This was written, be it remembered,
before Vicksburg had fallen, when it seemed to
weak men as if the North must make some
concession if peace was ever to be secured.
The General himself thought they must yield
some points, but not this and by 1866 his
mind had ripened till he was prepared to ad-
NIT the negro not only to freedom as reward
for State service, not only to freedom as a
man, bat to equality as a citizen. 81 never"
he said, 'could have believed that | should
lAVOT giving negroes tuo IlBut W NOte, uut
that seems to me the only solution of our diff
Culties.'
Upon this, the main point Of the whole dis
pute between American parties, no opinion
could be more clear; and it is the opinion of
a man slow to receive new impressions, not
specially philanthropic, not perhaps inclined
even DOW to demand more than justice for the
oppressed, but immovably fixed to secure
that. We can quite conceive General Grant
Vetoipg bill to give negroes land for nothing,
while hanging whites who robbed them Of
land purchased with their own savings.
Color is to him no recon ommendation, but also
no disqualification, the only true attitude OF
mind of the ruler of parti-colored State.
Upon subsidiary points the President elect
is equally clear and decisive and his policy is
perhaps best explained in sentence from
his letter accepting the nomination by
the Chicago Convention: -'ln times like the
present it is impossible or at least emf
pently improper, 10 lay down a policy to be
adhered to, right or wrong, through an ad-
ministrstion OF four years. New political
Issues not toreseen are constantly arising, the
views of the public on old ones are constantly
changing, aud purely administrative Off Ger
should always be left free to execute the will
of the people. | always have respected that
will, and always shall" This idea incessautly
crops out in his letters and seems nearly
allied with the grand peculiarity of his mind,
love OF order and subordination. A mad
suggestion was made during the Atalants
campaign to place Sherman above Grant; and
Sherman, always loyal, wrote to his chief re-
pudiatiDg the plan. Grant replied, 'If you
are put above me shall always obey you, just
as you always have me-" Only those who
know the tenacity of soldiers about super
81 az. IA