Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-28
WHAT rs SAID OF GRANT BIZ
RRPUBLICANS

The Republican journals con-
tinue to grumble at the character
of Grants leading appointments
especially the foreign missions. The
New York Times of the oath inst
says:
"These appointments have been too
generally treated as coin for the payment
OF personal or political obligations, and
evince no very thorough knowledge of
the qualifications required for effective
service in the foreign field. The assign
ment is conspicuously the a00rk Of
man neaU TO this special Department.
of one clearly not familiar with what is
wanted, or with the way to get it."
The New York Sun, an original
Grant paper, is Disguised with the
President, and has for some time
been pouring sort of raking fire
on him personally. In its issue of
the oath inst, it especially takes
exception TO his having "installed
among his constitutional advisers
individuals who were chiefly dis
tinguished for having conferred
upon him costly and valuable bene-
factions" The Sun goes on to
specify: !
"AlOng with other appointments bear
ing this sort of trade mark, he appointed
as his Secretary Of the Navy gentleman
wholly incapable Of filling the place, who
had taken the lead in giving him fifty
thousand dollar house in Philadelphia,
some three years before; and he surrend~
cred the baton of General Of the Armies
to a renowned soldier, who, with his
knowledge and appreciation, lifted one
hand to take the oath Of Office, while
receiving with the other tempting gift
valued at 100000, of which the sixty
five thousand dollar house in Washington
formed part. Not to 60 back to Jeffer-
son, or Adams, or Jackson, for virtuous
examples, even Andy johnson had sense
and decency enough to refuse the present
of carriage and horses with the presi4
dental oath lingering on his lips. Such
evil practices Of men in high places,
whose past achievements have dazzled
tho popular imagination, tend to demon
alize the public service, and debauch
public opinion. DESTINATIONS displays
and profigate expenditures come to be
regarded as necessary concomitants Of
official station, and it is felt that the
m ain object Of office is not TO discharge
ones duties TO the country, but to there
by tain sudden riches and indulge in
shOddy magnifcence. The natural re-
suit Of all this must inevitably be, that
corruption and venality will walk I'M
abashed and almost unrebuked through
every department of the government"
No doubt much, if not all, ofthis
is true (and pity tbs It's true); yet it
is to be regretted that the Sun did
not thus "shine" until SO late in the
day, as now its defamation possi-
bly, will have some difficulty in es-
Gaping the imputation of disap-
pointed ambition. -
In its issue of the 26th inst. the
New York Post attacks Mr.. Wash
burne for his course toward Secre-
tary Fish. 1t says
at seems thattbe President has been
too good natured towards Washburnr,
and has allowed his own good name to
be injured by his injudicious conduct
1t would be wiser in Grant to displace
Washburne at once, and with him all
whom Washburne put in place"
The indications are quite plain
that Grant is to have rather a
stormy time with the party that
elected him. He is evidently not
managing things to suit the lead
ers of that party. .....