Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-01-21
POOR GRANT,

III ever any man occuPleo an 70
position before the American public, that man
is Ulysses S. Grant, the General OF the Ar
mics of the United States. His conduct du-
ring the past week has sunken him into
depths of infamy from which the desperation
of the radical party will fail to resurrect him.
The Lyncbburg Republican says the fate and
enitnph of such men are splendidly written
by Shakespeare on his King Henry VIII,
and Cen Grant might have read it with as
much profit in the past as he will have occa~
sion to read it with remorse in the future:
.sNorfolk And so we'll leave you to your media
How to live better For your stubborn answer,
About the giving back the great seal to Us,
The King shall know it, and, no doubt, shall thank
So fare you well, my little good lord cardinal.
IIorsry So farewell to the little coed you bear
Farewell, long farewell, to all my greatness!
This ia the ctatc of man; To. day he Puts forth
The tender leaves OF hope, to-inorro" blossoms
And bears his blushing honors thick upon him;
The third day, comes frost, killing frost,
Aud,--whCn he thinks, good easy man, luiI surely
His greatness is ripcning,-n!Ps his root,
And then he faIls, "a do. have ventur'd'
Like little wanton boys that swim on b!addcrs,
This many summers in n sea OF glory;
But far beyond my depth; my high-blown pride
A. lcnotb lroke under me : and now has left me,
Weary, and old with service, to the mercy
OF rude stream, that must forever hide me.
Vain pomp, and glory OF this world, hate ye;
! feel my heart new open'd: o, how wretchcd
Is that poor m,n, that hangs on princes iavors
There is, betwixt that smile we would aspire to-
That sweet aspect Of princes and their RUIN;
More pangs and fears than wars or women have;
And when he falls, be falls like Luciier,
Never to hope gain"
The full account VIC publish this morning
of the surrender of the portfolio of the War
Department to Stanton by Grant, will be read
with profound interest and unconcealed dis
gust by every friend of constitutional liberty
and decent propricty in the land. The lead
ing facts of the case appear to be as follows ::
Before the Senate had passed the bill rein
stating Stanton, President johnson had ta~
ken the precautionary step to ask Grant what
would be his course of action in such an
event. Grants reply was as follows: 81
shall in that event either hand you my resig
nation as Acting Secretary, or let mandam-
us be issued against Inc to surrender the Of
fee" This conversation was renewed from
time to time, and even on last Saturday week,
when Towards report on the question was
| under discussion in the Senate, Gen. Grant
was again ''pointedly asked by the President
| if he had changed his mind III reference to
| the course he would pursue if the Senate ia
vorcd Stanton's reinstatement, and he (GranO
reiterated his promise previously made."-
These repeated promises from Grant gave the
President assurance that, if the Senate uu-
! dertook to reinstate Stanton, he would have
time and opportunity to relieve Grant, if he
desired to be relieved, and to place some one
in his place.
The bill rcinstating Stanton was adopted
on Monday, and on the evening Of that very
day Grant was present at the Presidents
reception at the White House, but mentioned
nothing to the President AS to any change on
his part Of the promises previously made and
| it was not until - o'clock On Tuesday that
| he notified the President that his "functions
as Secretary of War al interim ceased from
the moment Of the receipt Of the Senate's
resolution rcnstating Stanton. Three hours
| before this notification was made to the Prcsl-
| dent-at 8 o'clock that morning-Grant had
| locked tho door of the War Office and retired,
! at 10 o'clock Stanton came and Grant sent
| him the key, and he TOOK possession OF the
War Department! After thus installing Stan
ton in Office, in obedience to the behcsts Of
the Radical party and in contempt Of the
| President, Grant attended a meeting of the
! Presidents Cabinet and admitted in the
presence of its members all the facts Of the
case precisely as we have here reported them.
! We repeat, that comment upon such an act
of trickery and trcachcry on the part of Gen.
Grant is entirely unnecessary to give color or
force to the moral or political crime Of tho
offence The nation will render its verdict.