The New York herald., 1869-01-12

GENERAL FRANCIS r. BLAIR.
~~~~---~>~~~>>~-~~~~ 3
HIS Views on tho Pelitlcal sltuatisn-The I'm.
pending Danger 20 tho Repabllc-Nesre
suffrage the Rock On Which IL VIII splis-
Grant an Ambitious Man-HIs Opinion q
'wAsHEarox, Jan. Q. 1859.
General Frank Blair arrived here on Thursday last.
and VIII spend few days with the members OF hIs
family most OF whom reside In and around Washing
ton, after VIII ch he intends TO return to 81. Louis
The Gene al rs looking remarkably well, and IN
conversation with your correspondent seemed to 10
entirely reconciled to the turn which the political
aiiaIrs or the country have taken. lie has secn no
reason to change his views 80 frequently expressed
during the late political campaign IN regard 20 the
dangers impending over the nation through the am
blion Of General Grant and the machnations Of the
radical party. -.
The conversation turning upon the probable re-
suits OF the ssidential election, General Bair SAID
that ne was nied with apprehensions for the future.
General Grant n an able and sagacious man and
proved himself TO be by far the most skilfu general
In the two armies which fought out the great rebel
lion; but he v also . very ambitious man and cum
nin2 70 the last degree He has an objective poine
tUWoxu WHOM Ill uls Pauus unu U4USssuns 01us ssS
elevated, In peEsonsl aggrandisemens above thae
ever aimed &C BY any other American, living or dead
He believed tnat his modest deportment and iis
apparent aversion to being lauded and teastsd -
hero are tho effects OF deep dissimulation and the
shrowd measures Of Q willy ana ambitious man, a.
sumed for the purpose Of gaining the object sought
General Grant u too wise 70 raise opposition; he
reaches the object he has In view BY means OF
mastery strategy. He protests against being mado
the recipient Of honor and power confesses his IN.
worthness and incompetency 70 meet the responsi-
bities sought TO be imposed upon him; but ne ID
fully aware OF the limit 10 which he can carry his
modest opposition without incurrns the danger ofbe
ing takenat hs word, and graciousiy permits himself
TO draggcd into power his motives In resisting the
offer to make hun . ruler were simi ar TO those
which actuacd Julius Caesar when he thrce refused
tile Roman crown. =
When General Grant commanded In the nold he
displayed his wisdom and secured success BY never
happening In the way OF other ambitious men, who
were for the time being his supcriors Tbs was
/ the mistake which proved fatal to tine
hopes OF many OF our military leaders.
wnen General Mcclellan was within . few miles OF
Richmond with large and well appointed army
ne did not make any attempt to conceal his political
aspirations. The radicals saw that II he went into
Richmond they would have TO evaouate the White
House IN 1865. He thus excited mis- opponents Into
action. His plans were defeated and he was over.
thrown. He afterwards made bid for the repuoli-
can nomination BY writing letter declaring It a.
his opinion that slavery ought to be abolished %
military necessity IN his district This bold stroke
was parried by President Lincoln who appropriated
all his thunder, abolished slavery In every DISTRICT
and cut or General McCellan's ocial head. General
Grant never committed such blunders; his manage
ment was 90 skfuI that he Obliged others to per
4 wi Re
vices for the attainment Of which he had been
man@uvrng. 4
Having oeen asked what oct OF General Grants
could he selected furnish falf proof OF the daa.
gerous ambition tnat Geaeral Blair thought he pos.
sessed he replied that the very position he now oc.
cupied was an unnistakable indication OF 1t. From
An earnest prosiavery man has he not germ itted
himself be pledged to the support vi negro saf-
frage and domtnatl0ns General -Graut Is renafk-
soe Tor steadlast adherence to principles. and 70
his mind 1t seeued very clear tuat Graut must have
been controlled by an inordnate desire for power TO
thus abandon ms llcI,na principles and pledge
iaven supposlng that every act Of General Grant
| may conduFe 70 the peace and prosperity Of tue
ssc.ive franchise BY degrading 1t 20 . level with
The most abect Ignorance aad the viest corruption,
nts that Ills SdminstraIiS may confer can save the
nation from psril watch threatens to enyulf IL "
this degradation Of tue ballot box.
No man ~ more fully aware OF the great danger
that menaces the country through the radical do
trine Immediate Aud perfect equality between The
conviction is therefore, unavoidaDle that some ex-
| traordhlariiy powerful temptaton is leading Grant
olAo nxea goal, 70 reach which the PRINCIPLES u
| The manner IA which existing political prnci.
pies wii overthrow our presen. iofn u
minority rules the country. and as 10 Ill cases where
minority contros the equilibrium y preserved "
ml.isAry authority. II Al whites In the country
had the rgnt OF safra the wolld be far dfsr
en- bat they have not. large portion kept down
pure aud simple, were sa6misted for ne acceptance
rejection u the loyal states the perncious ogma
pSy % Sonsr the
franchise upon the negroes OF every State, AID n
Tne character OF the carpet-baggers who now mis-
| represent the newly reconstructed states in Con-
gress y faar Indication Of wnas depth OF desra-
dasl0n the ballot has reached through the rnli.
| Cal policy and when the negroes OF the Whole coua-
/ try vote tie character Vi tue officers elected will be
considerably 0elow the moral AMI intellectua staa.
| uasJ ol those now administering the goveInmsht.
hen the needs OF the nation will DO neglected or
| badly attended TO. Taxation Will be rssuer in-
creased than diminished. Yiund erlns the pabuc
Treasury will become respectable. Anarchy aIL
m srule viii doursh triumphant; and no better re.
suits than these can be expected from 30 eagfli .
vitiaton OF the corner stone OF republcansl, the
Wnen these caamities fall upon ms. saii the Gene
raland the day does not seem far dstant-the peD-
PIE viii be prepared .or almost any c.alge. for no
upon urant release them fron their intolernDia
burdens They will say, let us have dictator. u
khSs AL UmFcEoHs but cs cb nave pcuCc y .NiNo u3
any form of government, oly rid VI tho horrible
incubus that Is dragging ls ~ destruction.
IL may be said tnat tho people vii. not permit such
o revolution. bui they wall. They nave endured
calmly revolution almost as great already within
the last few years. The political change that -
taken place In spain Is mot thorough thai whlcl
has occurr.d In our own country. rna, have do
posed corrupt sovereign, but they accept another
~ the hope tiat the government viii per-
lectly adm nistsrei. They have simply elected u
change OF sovcreirns We have submitted 10 a rall-
Cal cilangp OF republican principles.
one DK.llch the government usurDc1 DOW
ers and the people II; tney have Ie-s d
that there lot thread nbrc the consttn.on
tiiaA has not been snapped IL, anu the
people pear It; they have unlawfuy abrldgej t.le
rres dental prer0satiyes aud the people bear h.;
they have overawel and s.lenced tho voice OF tlo
Supreme court AMI the peope bear it the govern.