The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-11-05
GENER4L GRANT Il DEMOCRAT.
From the Round Tablet

From the Round Table
Political history is full Of the surprises that
in the argot OF the day would be called "sells." !"
The Right Honorable Benjamin DisraeIi, as
chief of high Tory cabinet, bringing in o
measure which, for radical iberaity, went be-
yond anything ever dreamed Of by she extrem-
lists of the Russells, may be regarded as sort
of archetype among the throwers of political
somcrsaults. Such distinction is, of course,
repudiated by the acrobat himself and by his
friends for him. There is always subtle and
specious line of argument ready to prove that
the broadcast Liberalism is exactly consistent
with the highest Toryism. Extremes touch
that is to say, with great facility and admirable
it desirable. Of this facility are born those
strange alliances between factions of apparent
" clashing creeds that so often bring about
results which plain men have called impossible
little while before. These results, whether
brought about by combinations or by single in-
dividuals, commonly strike the world with an
unexpected and dramatic ehect:, Sometimes,
however, they may be preiSured. The trains
of causes are occasionally so clearly in view or
are operating 80 near to the surface of things,
that average intelligence may discern what Is
coming. Like the hollow sounds heard at
Ibarra, the grim nresagers OF the earthquake
to come, these political premonitions are, at
times, too unmistakaGle to be misunderstood
or disrcgarled. There can be little doubt that
we are living at just such time, and that the
Republican candidate for the Presidency is the
Deus er mdcIlnG who is destined to bring
about The political earthquake.
That General Grant has always been DEM
ocrat, by which we mean that he has always
voted and acted with the Democratic party,
until very recent date, Is widely known.
rI,1-. n.ta IN,
q broad sense, Democratic, is equally notori-
ous. And it cannot now affect the issue of this
canvass to say that many OF the Generals most
influential supporters, including SOME OF the
"War Democrats who signed the call for the
late Grant meeting in the City of New York.
did so on the express and even avowed ground
of his being Democrat, and on the under
standing, which they do not hesitate to say eX-
lists, that his policy if elected, will be strongly
conservative. 1t is now too late to change the
result. The current now rushing on is too
broad and deep and swift to be diverted or
stayed. No doubt if the Radical party distinct
ly saw what was coming-saw 1t with the clear,
prophetic eye of Mr.. Wendell Phillips, for ex-
amp.e-they woul move heaven and earth to
defeat Grants election. But it is too late.
They might now 'es well try to dam up the
waters or the Nile with bulrushes," or to whis-
tie against thunder, Us to prevent the impend-
ing consummation. The true policy OF the
Radicals, odd and paradoxical as it may sound,
was to have struck up Democratic alliance
and to have bent every energy to the nomlna-
ton and election Of Mr.. Chase. 1t is their cue
to Lake extremes meet here as they have in
England. The most progressive Radicalism
and the most immovable Conservatism can find
common ground on pinch here as well as
abroad. II John Bright could pull in the traces
side bv side with the friends Of Lord Derby;
Horace Greeley could do the like With the
friends Of JEFF. Davis. There was the true
opening for the Radicals, but they have failed
to see it, They let the golden opportunitysllp by;
thoy took up with Grant, whom the Democrats,
in truth, nominated for them, and in so doing
have wrought their own destruction. The Sue
cess of their candidate is certain, but. like the
gigantic and reSistlesS creation OF Frankcn.
stem, lie is as certain hereafter to turn upon
them and rend them.
General Grant was Democrat ana is o DEM
ocrat His army contained Democrats by tens
of thousands, aud by tens OF thousands Demo-
cratic votes will be cast in his behalf. man
of little Imagination but great common sense,
the fantastic schemes which the extremists
are sure to scei to force upon him he will un-
Questionab.y reject. He will thus gain their
bitter hatred, and, as u natural consequence,
will become more Democratic than ever. The
restoration OF this country, the revival OF its
pristine harmony and prosperity, is no to be
1tCulu6u LiCdoulSo' OShNi@i
Grant has solid sense enough to see this even
IN theory, but in practice his perception will
soon bcget deeds of substantial reality. But q
little while and there will be no SIN 81 vllo, no
purpose so heinous, bat the Radical press will
impute it to him. 10 the RalicaI journals that
are now so clamorous for his election, General
Grant is in heart, principle, habit, and mental
composition absolutely and irreconcilabIy o?-
posed; and as they gradually find this out their
rage and indignation will know no bounds.
They do not believe it to-day, or will they be-
Eeve it in any considerable numbers before tue
9th of November. But after the fatal deed is
accomplished, when their discontinue is more
thoroughly assured than by any other means
it could possibly have been, not even by the
election of Mr.. Seymour then will the Radicals
call upon the rocks to fall upon and the noun
tans to cover them. The Democratic leaders
have undoubtedly dealt a vital wound to their
party canvass, but The Radical leaders have
been stultified meanwhile as faction hardly
ever was before. 1t is well that the country
may be congratulated that such fruits promise
to come out of the blundcrs OF both that they
nay be estimated in the retrospect as blessings
in disguise.