The Sweetwater forerunner. [volume] (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1867-1869, 1868-10-29
From the Augusta ConstitutiOnalist.
General Grant and the Ultra
Radicals.

upon Gen. Grant, his military capacity,
private character and inferior statesman
ship. Theodore Tilton, so-called Rev.
erend and actual editor Of the Independ-
cnt, was the first to proclaim him a
drunkard. Wendell Phillips made sim
liar statement before and since the Chicago
Convention. He likewise said he
was Gas brainless as his saddle" Sumner
characterized his report of the condition
of the South as ga white-washing report
to fOrtify Andrew johnson" Anna Dick
inson, whose sex is debatable, left the
country "to avoid advocating this bung-
ler." Henry Wilson swore 81 will never,
so help me God, support any but temper
ance men for Office" Greeley fred hot
shot into him diurnally from the batteries
of the Tribune and fought against his
nomination because, so Horace said, "the
Presidency requires man of ideas and
statesman" W. D. Kelley perfcrred to
die in his tracks "rather than subscribe to
the whitewashing report of this man
! (Grant) who has joined his testimony and
will join his fate to that of the public
enemy" ANDREW Johnson.) Old Thad,
now running for Congress on dead-head
ticket, stood out for long time screech-
ing "Never ask me to support twaddler
and trimmer for Office" Dick Yates con-
feSsed that he had been a drunkard, but
added 81 will be so no longer, nor will l
cast my vote with such man."
We do not reproduce these pungent at
tacks upon Gen. Grant to rip up old sores,
but merely to show how the assault upon
him originated. With Pendleton, Val
landigham and Hoffman, We thought these
personalities disgraceful to the canvass,
and yet since they began with such shin
ing lights as Phillips, Greeley and Thad.
Stevens, it was perhaps expecting too
much of human nature to require the
Democracy to let them pass unnoticed
and unused.
We see, then, that the extreme Radical
leaders were the first to asperse General
Grant; that they struggled as long as they
could against his nomination; that they
finally accepted him as lesser evil than
defeat--a defeat which, without him,
would have been signal and irreversible
Hence, they took him up reluctantly in
order IS retain their hold upon power,
hoping, not however without considerable
misgivings, that they would be enabled to
make tool of him afterward. 1t is Just
here the Radical doubt as to Grants pill
ability begins, and to Wendell Phillips it
is a cruel and over-mastering fear. He
betrays this trepidation by urging Con-
gress to assemble and make all things safe
at once. He urges the Rumpites to clear
away all such rubbish as the Constitution
and the President, and fix their power
absolutely. Here is his latest pronuncia-
mento in the Anti-Slavery Standard Of
last week:
"Of the defeat Of the rebel party al
the polls in November, according to the
latest indications of the public opinion
there is, happily, scarcely room for doubt
: Our chief concern is, that important meas
ures, which have already been too long ant
needlessly delayed, involving the genera
welfare, but especially that of our clients
the colored people, should beat the earlies
. possible day matured and put in operation
, We hoped for session of Congress fo
earnest work this mouth. We urge tina
such an one be held next month withou
fail The case of Georgia has rendered i
evident beyond question that Congress
has additional duties to perform toward
the newly organized States.
"To this greatly needed action we sum
mon it. That assurance may be mad
doubly sure, let it be supplemented b,
an additional constitutional amendment
. less readily repealed than statutory en-
: actment. Rioting and murder have al
. 9 too long been allowed their fearful ant
!. cruel sway in the South Congress owe
- it to the long suffering, heroic, and self
D sacrificing loyalists of the South, and t.
:. the general welfare, peace and prosperit,
y y of the whole country, to put forth its arm
). Of authority and suppress the Ku-klux
). 1t should begin with the chief of tina
: murderous fraternity, and this time max
= sure, as it easily may, of deposing him
9 and driving him in disgrace from tn
= White House. His ominous and defan
" military order issued the present week
looking to continued conflict with Con
: gress, stimulating afresh rebellious resis
:, tance and murderous violence in Texa
y and elsewhere, affords ample evidence
: added to the large accumulation ofthe past
: that the safety and dignity Of an endan
: gered and disgraced nation require that
y though it be Of a late period in his officia
term, Johnson should, in November, b