Middletown transcript., 1868-02-08
Clte Wliddletuun Transtript.
mIDDLErowN. DEL.
SATURDAY MORNING, rEBRuARYs, ., 1858.
Prs.idsnt Making snd Hrsaa.ing.

favorites for the Presidency. The most
notable movement, however, on the presi-
Dental chessboard, thus far, is The Grant
meeting, held at the Cooper Institute,
New York, on the 4th of December last,
at the head of which was Alexander 7 T.
Stewart, Esqr. the merchant millionaire,
who, from the selling of bobbin and lace
is turning his attention to political affairs,
and especially to President making. Mr..
Henry Hilton, Chairman of the Executive
Committee, appointed at the meeting, is
flooding the country with his pamphlets
and circulars, and evincing an activity
which would be truly commendable in a
right cause A leading feature of this
movement is, that they profess to ignore
politicians and party platforms; and yet,
in looking over their proceedings we find
the meeting was addressed by such old
party hacks as Francis B. Cutting, and
Daniel E. Sickles, who in the course Of
their remarks endorsed. the destructive pol
lev Of the Radicals in Congress, which
endorsement was responded to, by this
meeting Of the people irrespective Of
party" by. & loud applause" Here, then,
this assumption Of 'no party, is shown
to be- fraud and deception, upon the
very face Of the proceedings of the meet
ing, as published by themselves. This
.'no party" Grant movement is too trans
parent to deceive any one; and it is not
surprising that even some of those who
inaugurated i, have already turned their
backs upon it. Witness the following
from the New York correspondent of the
Philadelphia Ledger, who writes as fol-
lows:
There is quite stir in political circles over a
letter which Commodore Vanderbilt has just ad-
dressed to Mr.. "A, T. Stewart, giving notice that
he Vanderbilt has withdrawn ffomthe Cooper
Institute movement which had for Its object the
nomination Of Gen. Grant 10 the Presidency.
The reason assigned for this unexpected detection
Il the course the General saw fit to adopt in re
gard to the reinstatement of Mr.. Stanton in .thf
War Department. The letter is very sharp, and
there is a loud call upon Mr. Stewart TO make il
public. . 80.
We are surprised that Com. Vanderbilt
or any other man ofrtcommon sense, hold
ing principles adverse to destructive revo
lutionary radicalism, should be caught ii
such trap However the Commodor'
has extrisated himself, all in good time
As the caption we.have chosen for thi
article, refers,to President breaking, a
well as President making, it is not inap
propriate for us to print, in this connection
the following extract from the Aati-iSta
tery Standard of last week, in whicl
Wendell Phillips makes grave charge
against Gen. Grants character for sobriety
y q From, he dn,i- iSlarey Standard. b. 2
WrSbrn PnIttdps CHANGES GESxRAL GRAN;
wrrH HDRrSKENSEss.-This is an anti-sluvery jour
nal. Looking out on politics as the negr
looks on them it deals with public men and mea
sures only as they are true or false to him. Blu
experience has abundantly proved, even befor
the existence of the present administration, tina
only temperate men can safely be trusted wit
grave responsibilities. Temperance is the sui
stratum Of all other reforms. How sad the re
suit, when power is given to men who are won
$40 put an enemy in their mouths to steal ava
their brainsn this war has most impressivel
shown us. Now rumors reach MS from Washing
ton, coming from different and trustworthy soui
s.es that General Grant has been seen unmistal
ably drunk in the streets of that city within fe'
weeks. We know nothing ourselves of the trui
OF these rumors. We make no charge again
General Grant in this respect. But even The POI
sibiIity of the truth Of these reports is OF too
ti,entous importance TO be lightly dealt witt
The nation is bound TO inquire as to the habi
OF candidates for high office. After the exp
rienee Of the last three years, 1t has no right
run the slightest risk in this respect. No publ
man. whose friends arc asking for him high ofic
ought to complain of the strictest scrutiny by Il
public us 10 his, habits in this particular. "
call therefore, on the national and State tempe
ance societies to investigate these reports. Ths
have this subject in their special charge. The
are bound to give US the facts, and save us fro
even the possibility of such another infiiction
the nation now suffers. Especially we call on d
Hon. Henry, Wilson, pledged teetotaler,
see that the whole truth ia this matter is givl
10 the country. He has devoted himself to I
advocacy OF Grnnt's claims. As a tenperan
Nan, he Is bound to that we run no risks
this kind. Living in Washington, he must kuo'
or have ample means of knowing, the truth
to this matter. If We are unnecessarily anxior
let him relive Us by trustworthy assurances th
Grant Is now a temperance man, fully able,
40cCaSiOHof-
the fact is not SO, let him explain to his temp,
ance associates how he dares to ask their vo
for Grant. II is pcrlious enough to give
Presidency to a man who was, eonfessedly,
inveteraie drunkard two or three years ago. I
it will be the gravest crime 70 give 1t to him
that vice still holds him in its iron grasp.
course fidelity TO the negro must be our first a
decisive test of any man fitness for the Prt
dcney. But this test of temperance is also vii
WENDELL PHILLIPS
If these charges are not true, it will
an easy matter to disproye them, as GC
Grant is in public life. aGd his bab
must be well known to those who co
into daily contact with him. "A sim
denial, by some irresponsible party, Y
mot do. It must be done. if at all,
men Of sufficient weight Of character Q