The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-20
\ STORM BREWING-THE PRESS OF THE
COUNTRY AND GENERAL GRANT.

\ STORM BREWING-THE PRESS OF THE
COUNTRY AND GENERAL GRANT.
From the " y Herald.
The crowds are rising. The heavens are be-
coming black. The rumbing of distant thunder
is beginning to be heard. Evidently storm is
brewing. 1t is the storm of popular sentiment
in regard to General Grant. The press of the
country is the barometer of public opinion. 1t
indicates whether the political atmosphere is
lair or foul, genial or tempestuous. That press
is now either silently murmuring discomfort or
is flashing in fury. The radical press is typical
of the one the Democratic press of the other.
While the former either preserves Il studied
silence or utters unfriendly words in regard TO
the President of its choice, the latter does not
attempt to conceal its hostility to Grant and his
administration, and is using every effort in its
power to make both unpopular. What is the
meaning of all this ? Does it mean that the
affections of the people of the United States are
becoming alienated from the man who but few
months since was their idol that they are
becoming estranged from the hero who, as the
leader of their armies, saved this country from
political annihation? Unpalatable as the
truth may be, we are obliged to confess that
this does actually seem to be the case
Now, as we, out of pure friendship, and with
profound feeling of gratitude for his having
triumphantly closed the Rebellion, advocated
General Grants election to the Presidency as n
partial reward for his unparalleled services so
now we, with equally as sincere u desire for his
success as n statesman as that he achieved as n
warrior, earnestly urge Dlll 10 arouse nlnSGlI
from the lethargy that seems to have fallen upon
him like funeral PAIL and to realize the dan
gers that menace not only himself the Chief
Executive, but his administration and the coun-
try generally. Let him brush away the para
sites who surround him, who poison his ear with
false accusations against good and true men,
who give khim bad advice, and whose avarice
and selfshness are bringing his administration
into contempt all over the land and fast causing
the character of the Government to lessen
in the rpSpppt of nations abrDn1 The
the other day between Senator Sumner and
General Dent, the Presidents usher, was most
unfortunate. Had it been possible, n report of it
would not have appeared in our columns. But,
unfortunate and humiliating rs it was, it was
important rs affording an index of the manner
in which business is transacted at the White
House. As Mr.. Sumner said, General Grant
should remember that the Executive mansion is
not a military camp, and that we are living in n
state of peace, not in state of war; and further
more, that when gentlemen call at the White
House on official business they are entitled to be
treated with the respect due an American citizen
in his own household, and not with petty inso-
lence and churlsh vulgarity. Hence, in view
of all these drawbacks and obstacles to his sue
cessful career in civil life, we pray that General
Grant will listen to the indications of the ap-
preaching storm, and by timely and sagacious
reforms either produce n reaction, or prepare to
protect himself from its direful effects when it
bursts.
But what is the true policy Is it enough that
lnc freSluGnJ snOulu DC the mere creature OF
Congress Does not the country does not his
office, require of him the initiative in great mea-
sures when the opportunity invites him to
| action? Is he not expected to assume the re-
sponsibility, like Jackson and Lincoln, in extra
| ordinary cases. without express authority of
| law? Is he not expected to give shape and di-
| rection to the legislation of Congress itself in
| shaping out the general policy of his adminis-
| tratiOn These questions carry with them each
| Its own answer. Nor can it be denied that in
the Cabinet General Grant has had and has op-
portunitics before him for distinction as endur-
ing as Nicksburg Chattanooga, or the Wilder
ness among his achievements in the field. The
PRESIDENT like the General who risks nothing
acGomplishes nothing. General Grant may
echpse the popularity in his Office of Lincoln by
Iesolute ucIon, or he may sink into the inglO-
| rlous record OF Buchanan by mastery inactivity
For an active, decisive, progressive policy we
want new cabinet and new departure: bat
the pollcy indicated so far by General Grant sig
nifles nothing,
Under this policy there is no call for a change
OF the CABINET when nothing is to be done
but the routine business of the peace ostobiisb-
ment, one Cabinet is rs good as another ma tba
Cabinet as ii is may be even better than ony other
that could be substituted. Even i'm this iI1ottnr
then, we see something Of the mlitorv sa,''i >
of General Grant. And why should he c3ono3o 3''Sl'3
his Cabinet, any how in the absence of Co..
gress? lie is not going out of his way to offand
the Senate. He wants peace. Let us, Therefore
have peace; but let it be peace in the true and
proper acceptation of the wOrd-peace broad
and comprehensive at home, and dgniaed before
the world abroad. A peace of this character car
scarcely be expected by the nation ut the hand,
OF General Grant, who, no matter what his ser
vices in war; has proved that he does not com
pletely embrace the large and varied Interest,"
of the country In his Iadministraty,
discharged his duty acceptably by th,