Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-10-20
G6e 2sas,a1s 5onrna, @&earfelo, 2a October 20 1869
The President-a Manly Defense.

The New I ork IiDlss has the following
article upon the subject of the Democratic
assaults upon the president The policy of
the Administration has been such as to pre-
sent no scope for the assaults which the
Democratic party feel bound to make it
their present difficulties. 1t is hence deem
ed necessary to malign the character OF the
President. That he received the tribute
which the gratitude of people forced
upon him is now imputed to him as an
offense But as the folly and spiteful-
ness of thi. accusation served to take all
the sting out of 1t. the device was adopt
ed of setting spies on the houses of private
in the hope of finding some pretext for
slandering one of she most distinguished
men who have ever conferred great services
on his country. We shall say nothing of
the journalism which respects neither the
dignity of the public life nor the sanctity OF
private households, and which dogs sick
men in the hope of getting them to incrimi-
nate their relatives.
There are several ways of treating our
calling, and we must not be surprised that
it is sometimes made to play part which
doe. it little honor But We have now wait
ed until the indictment against the Presi-
dent is exhausted, and what is the result of
a close scrutiny into it ? That the president
has a brother in law who sometimes specu-
lated in " all street; that james Fisk, Jr,
tried to make q tool of the brother in law,
and that the Government took n course
which inevitably frustrated the schemes of
both, and consequently is above all suspicion
of being prompted by corrupt motives. Up
on the original accusation, pitiful as it was
the people are still invit.d to relinquish
their confidence in the President. Prot ably
there are few men who would like to be
made responsible for ali tho acts of all their
relatives. |. is moral accountability which
most of us would be sincerely sorry to un
dertake, and in private life it is happily not
usual to hound man down for the faults of
hi. connections by marriage. The present
conspiracy against the President i. calcula-
ted to inspire feelings of impatience and dis
gust wherever it is heard.
General Grant deserves better even Of the
Democrats than the treatment he is now re
ceiying. He was the means of saving them
from the rule of candidates of whom they
have themselves become heartily ashamed.
They admit that his election supplied the
opportunity for that full and fair ;rial Of Re
publican principles which they professed to
be anxious to see The obligations of the
country at large to the present Chief Mag
istrate are of nature TO make every just
minded man willing to concede to him every
reasonable indulgence in an arduous position
1t is not, however, indulgence which he needs
but simply fair play, and it would be re
| proach to us as people if we refuse to ac
cord it to him. His Administration ha
sustained our honor abroad and increased
| our prosperity at home IF the Alabam;
claims have been allowed to lie by for time
it is because they could not be pressed will
any immediate hope of an amicable and sat
isfactory settlement We long ago put th'
plain question to our people whether the.
were anxious TO go to war. They were not
and an angry dispute was laid aside unit
time had somewhat cooled down the passion
it excited. Again we have not rushed wild
| ly into war with Spain about Cuba, bu
we have increased the estimation in whicE
we are held by other nations by our polio.
on the question. There never WAS a TIM
! in our history when we stood stronger o
| more respected before the world at large
At home the burden of taxes has been ligh
ened, order restored, i'll feeling soothed dow
and the national debt reduced. These ar
/ appreciable results of only a few months
good government. We maintain that it i
| shameful act to seek to weaken and dis
courage the head of such a government 70
the acts, real or supposed, of persons re
motely related to him. We have only t,
state the ground of accusation plainly Il
make all decent men ashamed to listen to il
There is seldom too much charity shown il
! political life, but for his own credits sake
for the sake of the nation at large, we pro
test against the outrageous calumnies whicl
have lately been launched against the Presi
dent. That he Is sincerely anxiou. to serv
the nation well and truly no one car doubt
Even his enemies concede so much. The
will also admit some day that their menda
cious charges were utterly indefensible, an,
the nation will not wait for their late repen
tancc to reject the whole series with indig
| nation and contempt.