Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-01-07
From the Anti-slavery standard.l
At Sea-Wendell Phillips on General
Grant.

Is
pass or pilot, she has given up all hope of
reaching any particular harbor, and only aims
to outride the storm. We once supposed she
had driftsail concealed under the waves,
and was seeking some special port. But day
by day it becomes more and more evident
that she has neither cargo nor destination and
is only waiting for daylight to discover what
sea she is in, and what flag it will be safest
to run up.
How much strength the party needs in Or
der to keep hold Of Office, and whence that
strength will easiest be secured, these are the
questions. The answer to them will deter
mine the Republican platform of 1865. If
the negro seems a trustworthy friend she will
run up the white flag of justice Should the
mild type of Copperheadism, which Fessen-
den, Trumbull, Weed, Sherman, and Seward
represent seem a safer reliance, then the old
black rag that has, in front of doughface
ranks, braved SO often the battle and the
breeze, will be nailed to the masthead.
Grants reticence was, at first, the silence
of soldier who had no ideas. After a while
it became the trick OF a clique, who have
had him in training, and who were doubtful
which section of the Republican party would
prove strongest. They kept him uncommit-
ted $50 far, at least, as words go) that he
might be ready at any moment to declare for
the successful side. At last it becomes doubt
ful whether such great States as New York
and Pennsylvania can be carried for either of
the Republican sections or creeds, even with
General Grant for candidate. Though Fes-
sendcn and his clique have thrown off every.
thing but the Republican name, cautious men
begin to fear that even that will be over
weight even for Grant in his race with the
Democratic candidate. Grants reticence has
therefore, got a new value. He must still
keep his lips shut, waiting till the summer Of
1868, to see just how great the reaction has
been, and where he shall plant himself
Things may have assumed such shape by that
time that instead Of Henry Wilson for Vice
President, or Yates, the only safe and avaia
bic ticket will be universal amnesty" with
Grant and Lee for candidates. If Grants
record is already to be made up in that form,
and the timid. ice-pedling majority of the
Senate will rally for his retinue, such an al
lance will be the fitting sequel to the ''mag-
nanimity" of AppOmattOx.
We saw a month ago how white Repub-
lican lips had become how thoroughly the
election returns had frightened the leaders
We knew then that Grant would not be
allowed to speak till it were seen what it
would be safe for him to say. We have been
long convinced that, SO far as Grant has ideas,
his reserve did not proceed from any peculiari
ty Of his nature, or from professional etiquette,
or any idea of dignity. 1t has been all along
trick of his friends-men standing halfway
between rebeldom and Radicalism-to keep
him uncommitted until 1868, in order to see
how little he could venture to promise with
out riskiug success. Forgiving and credulous
Radicalism would clutch at him any time, no
hot oil bo,,
faith. Bitter and lynx-eyed Conservatism
would never use him if once his lips uttered
the hated pledge of justice and equality
His friends, therefore, lost nothing by delay,
and might gain by it everything. Hence his
retccnce.
A month ago, the party, aghast, was ready
to hide in Grants skirts without asking of
him any pledge. Such was the temper of
the meeting in Cooper Institute some weeks
age. We have drifted half an oceans width
since that The meeting in Faneul Halle
and the lobby at Washington show that the
Grant men would put him ON a platform
pledged to something very near the nature Of
Johnson's message. If Grant speaks before
May 1868, it will only be to conciliate and
secure that element which we used to call
Border Stateism-the nightmare which cowed
Lincoln and inspired Seward-the miserly
capitalist who cursed the Government he
swindled-the citizen who did nothing but
sneer, the Senator who proposed nothing, OBJ
jected to everything, and only found fault
These are Grants hackers o.day-men who,
like Maryland and Kentucky, were not bold
enough openly to take either side. If Re-
publican courage oozes out during the next
six months as rapidly as it has done within
the last six, even this class cannot be relied
on. The whole Republican party will go
with Greeley to Richmond and so far as the
negro is concerned, vote for Grant will
mean no more than one for Pendleton or Han
cock. IF any reader thinks US uncharitable
in our Judgment, let him go to Washington
and frequent the lobbes. Meanwhile, let
him, in any event, use the coming six months
so wisely and with such earnest activity as
will either shame or encourage these helpless
and vagabond puppets to an attitude some
what worthy of the loyal men who bore them
through hundred fights so brayely on their
shields.
mi r