The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-25
CHI A r L E S Tt n
THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY Is, 1869.
The H1ecutive ana the Country.

General Grant is in i'll odor on account
of the practical character Of his speech
replying to the official announcement of his
election. At time when political ques-
tions claim the first consideration, when
political services demand fitting recon-.
pensc of Office, when the people are simply
the constituency of Congress, the Presi-
dent elect foolishly proposes to consult the
public welfare. No wonder that there is
uueasiness at Washington. A clamor al
ready breaks forth. The storm is brewing
which will soon fall upon the luckless,
simple soldier who repeats, now days, The
traditions of the fathers of the republic
We smile, as we think of the opinion the
Radical leaders must hold of an Executive
who announces that ECONOMY, retrench-
"ment, the faithful collection of the reve-
',nue and the payment of the public debt"
will be the cardinal principles of his nd
ministration Little do Sumner and Butler
and Schenck and Garfield and Cameron and
Forney care for these trifles. The govern,
ment they sustain is that not of a country,
but of. a section; the good they seek is that
not of the public, but of party; the Pres
ident they want is not a benefcent ruler, but
an obsequious servant. But whatever
their opinions may be and their private
ends, it is unquestionable that General
Grant has struck key note which reverbe-
rates and awakens harmonious response
throughout the republic. The politicians
may rage against him, but every man
ground down with taxes will bid him God
speed.
Nor does the avowed desire of ihe Presi-
dent elect to please those who elected him
necessarily indicate any deviation from the
policy he has marked cut. The objects
which he has in view are of the first import
ance, and he needs Republican support for
their attainment. That he should break
with that party is not desirable for himself
or for u.s. Mr. johnson, with the best mo.
tives we doubt not, tried the experiment
The result is shown in the distracted and
disorganized state of the country. He un.
dertook to make new road for himself aud
us, through the tangled wilderness, and the
result was that he got lost he failed to
direct lis safely; aud the best we can say
of him is, that his aim was good, that he was
not absolutely swamped, and that he will
get on solid ground by the end of his Pres
iden'ial term. But now, both the North
aud the South expect from General Grant
something more. We hare "peace
already; we want security; we want relief
from our burdens; we want such q state of
public aft airs ss will afford scope for indus.
try and enterprise, as will allow intellect
and character and blood to tell.
The longer the present condition Of
things continues the less have we been dis
posed to attach any special Importance TO
political measures. Little do we heed the
Columbia, who seem. to fancy that the eyes
of the whole State-nay, of the whole
world-are fixed upon them. Let them
fret and fume their little hour upon the
stage When the substantial citizens of th-
State have fair chance, they will ask no
favors. They can do their work indepen-
IDENTIFY of all the politicians. They can
recover their ancient prestige With their
cotton 6bres that float on the winds, thew
can weave q white plume of guidance, Of
glory and of victory, like that which OF old
surged on "ths helmet of Navarro" AL
that we want of General Grant is that he
shall settle the policy of the country. We
can't manage IN anarchy but any settled
form of government, from o dcspotisn to
republic, we can control. And that settle.
ment of public policy we anticipate, not less
from the disclaimers than from the avowed
determinations of our new President.