Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-04-23
President tlranVs Administration.

.
President Grants Administration.
THE appointments thus far made, and
the general course pursued by President
Grant, have given a distinctive tone and
character to his administration, of which
we may already apeak with confidence,
though sometime will be required for the
development Of comprehensive and thor
ough reforms In all departments Of the
government First and foremost it Is clear
that President Grant has no theory that II
Is his duty to distribute the Offices. as the
rain balls, equally on the just and ON the
unjust; to- place those who support the
principles OF equal rights 70 ell men, on
which he was elected, on the same basis
as those who still cling TO the lost cause.
In nominating General Longstreet, for
merly a rebel, but now a Republican, 20
be Collector OK Customs In New Orleans,
and the oolored Mr.. pinchback, of Loui-
sian, to q minor office In the same State,
as we'll ae In the nomination of colored
men for a leading Post Office in South
Carolina, for Justice OF the Peace AZ
Washington, and for Ministers of Hayti
and Liberia, President Grant has shown
that he desires TO recognize neither color
nor past participation In the Rebellion If
followed by earnest conversion to the
| principles Of freedom as any bar to Office
or preierment. This is broad, sound
basis on which to conduct the government
In the future, and we are heartily glad that
President Grant has go promptly acted
upon II. There is possibility Of over
doing magnanimity so as to defeat justice;
but as yet the President has not exposed
himself to that charge '1.......
Every appointment thus far made has
commended itself to the party that placed
General Grant In power, from a party
point Of view. The repeated predictions
thrSwn out before the election, that the
Republican party had nominatod a mailed
sphynx, political enigma, which would
| yet prove TO be a Democratic President,
have all vanished under the first six weeks
of Grants administration. No retrogade
ideas have been urged upon Congress,
though the President has not been slow In
adding the weight of his name and power
TO, Important measures tending toward
peace and justice, which had been de-
nounced as ultra.radical. The vigor with
which he has pushed the Fifteenth (uni-
versal suffrage) Amendment to the Con-
,stitution will, doubtless, secure its passage
year or two earlier than could have been
done without his aid This done, and the
Union restored on Its basis the mission of
Radicalisms 60 far as the negro question
10 concerned, IL ended forever. So far
from Grant proving Democratic or
neutral President, he has put his shoulder
vigorously 10 tho wheel TO consummate
the complete Triumph Of Republican prin.
oiples. ff it-is = 9f.7
The disciples Of Copper j Johnsonism are
In as full flight out Of office as the rebels
were out of Richmond at the news of Five
Forks, The same unostentatioue signature
which signed the acceptance of Lees sur
render is assigning the Johnsonites TO prl.
yate life and obscurity. They 20 like the
dead. The places that but yesterday
knew them now know them no more.
In his Cabinet, as In other appointments,
many Judge that the President has come
short Of that masterly sagaoity and per-
feet knowledge of men which character.
lied his military appointments as q Gen.
eral,i "Then," say they, the did nothing
nom favor; he refused trading permits to-
his relatives and special friends as prompt
ly aAto all others Now he appoints many
officers on the basis Of admitted personal
Obligation" though in most cases the flt-
ness of the appointment In itself is not
seriously disputed, Then he brought fer
ward no men who were failures, and many
WAOs WNAo kAN2t ibhulceo0ct Whtko CNoAJ
man whom he branded as q charlatan or
huinbug proved to be so in the long rum
Itis not to be expected that he should be
equally succesaf,il In his civil career As
q soldier he rose step by step from the
lowest round 70 the highest, and learned
his way as he travelled over Il. As civil
ian, he is thrust at once TO the topniost
round, and before he has time 20 study he
must act, We doubt II any civilian has
had much better preparation than he
for tho Presidency, but his preparation Is
less thorough than for the chief command
Of the army.
II In his Cabinet appointments there was
a hitch which very few lawyers would
have avoided. In looking for the ablest
practical flnancier in the country, for the
Treasury Department, he selected one
whom an obscure statute prevented from
filling the office. Fooled by the technical
difficulty, he selected another candidate
In Difference, It may be said, to the views
Of Congress, as AwAole, though informal
ly expressed. Mr. Boutwell, commands
the confidence thus far Of the country.
His purity Is without taint His abilities
Strong attacks have been made upon Mr..