The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-05-01
GRANTS TNTEyE EyEPERANCE.

GRANTS ENTEM PERANCE.
For year past, the press Of both po-
litical parties, have been engaged in
discussing the alleged intemperance of
Gen. U. s. Grant. We have thus far
studiously avoided any reference to the
subject, for we try to make itarule not
to bring charges against any candidate,
unless we believe them to be true.
Lately we have become Satisfied that
the allegation that Grant is in the hab-
it of getting drunk, is, indeed, too true.
The subject has been brought before
the public by Grants own political as
sociates. Wendell Phillips, the avant-
courier of Radicalism, has printed the
accusation of drunkenness against
Grant, time after time, whilst Anna
Dickinson, the Radical lecturess, has
made it before dozen audiences. We
append a letter written by Wendell
Phillips, copied from the Anti-Slarery
Smdard, of April Il, upon this sub
ject:
So of Grants intemperance. We
think the evidence was sufficient be-
fore. But if anything in the way of
proof was lacking, il is amply supplied
by a speech OF Mr.. Dodge, of New
York, the President of the National
Temperance Society, and by the letter
Of Mr.. Senator Wilson, published in
the Boston Daily AduertiSer, April /.
Mr.. Dodge has been in Washington,
and assures temperance men they need
have no fears. He knows of the re-
ports Of the Generals recent published
intOXication. At such q moment, and
speaking as an officer of a Temperance
society, Mr.. Dodge would have denied
the truth of those reports if he had
been able to do so. His omission to do
that, and the evasiVe, general terms in
which he INDUCES, will convince any
thoughtful tetOtaller that Mr.. Dodge
knows and feels that he cannot deny
the Generals intemperance. He has
schooed himself into thinking that it
does not amount to enough to peril the
State, and hence, letting his party feel
ing override his temperance principles,
he is willing to run the risk. What
we claim, is, that, before he asks Us to
run the risk, he let us know the exact
facts. Then we will decide whether to
run it or not.
Mr.. Wilson's letter is even more
Il
siVe. He, too, knows of the reports OF
Grants public drunkenness on a par
ticulaG day in last January. If We mis-
take not, these reports were brought
more than once to his notice. In his
letter he says: II have seen Gen. Grant
in camp, in his Office, at his own house,
and at dinner parties where liquors
were freely used by others, but have
never seen him drink even IA glass OF
wine, nor have | ever seen him when
| had the slightest reason to think he
was in any degree, under the influence
of drink"
OF course, no doubt. We can bring
10000 people III that very city of Wash
ington who never saw Grant drunk.
There are 100000 900 in the North who
never saw Grant drunk. We never
saw Grant drunk or sober. But Mr.
Wilson knows we'll that the country
never asked him, as prominent tetO-
taller, whether he had seen Grant
drunk. The question was, ''Sir, living
in Washington, knowing the facts or
easily able to know them, what are
the facts as to these alleged public eX-
pOsures of your Presidential candi-
date?" Mr.. Senator Wilson under
takes to answer that question. His an
sWer is, he never saw Grant drunk. If
any shrewd lawyer had, in such cir
cumstances, received from witness
such an answer, he would have asked
no further question; but taken it for
granted and argued to the jury, that
the witness substantially admitted the
drunkenness. To us no further evil
dence is necessary. Knowing Henry
Wilson, we see in this equiVOcatiOn
convincing evidence that he cannot
and dares not deny that he has heard
from trustworthy sources Of this public
drunken exposure Of his. candidate.
Mr.. Wilson's course on this occasion is
precisely the. same he pursued year
ago, when, having originated Il report
as to the drunkenness of MasSachu-
setts Congressman, and afraid to meet
the consequences, he equivocated him
self out of the responsibility. Now,
when all that COngressman's cOnstitu
ents admit his intOXication, it is not
probable that Mr.. Wilson would think
it worth while to shuttle. IfGrant as
President, should show himself in Mr..
Dodge's felicitous language, "fully ca
pable of filling Andy JOhnSOn'S place."
drunkenness and all or when Grant
is thrown aside, because he had been
President, or is not needed for that of
fee, we shall hear the absolute truth
about this vice even from Henry Will
son. Now when the temperance body
need his knowledge, he Obeys that
same law Of timid self-preserVatiOn
which shocked his admirers when it
carried him selfishly into the Know
nothing party to save his place. We
call this letter equivOcatiOn. 1t is a
mild phrase considering the vast peril,
and the value the writer processes to
set on temperance. We should be am
ply justified in describing it by much
stronger term. And the constant rep
etitiOn of this offense by this public
servant seems almost to call for such
frank description.
In view Of this element i'll his career
the success of Mr.. Wilson is one of the
most alarming results of Democratic
institutions sad evidence of how of
ten they throw worthless men to the
top. WENDELL PHILLIPS.
-
The isthmus of Panama has been