North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-05-05
From the Chicago Tribune.

| VII HIS JnauRdESCiOu Ouy IL may DC
safely said that president Grant was the
strongest man in Christendom for his
power was rooted in the affections of a
free people.
There has been change. Two>months
have passed away, and it cannot be af-
irmed that We have strong administra-
ton. Its mora power has been frittered
away by small absurditics, which,
fortunately, have no bearing upon the
sincerity, the truthfulness, or the high
purpose of the president and his advisers.
We doubt if there ever was an admins
tration with more good intentions at
heart or less aptitude for carrying them
into effect. And since the evil which exists
is not able to cure itself, it's remedy must
be sought and found elsewhere. General
Grant is our president. He is man of
high motives and pure purposes History
does not record more illustrious career
in arms than his. Whether we regard the
magnitude of his achievement or his
singleness of purpose-whether we con-
template the accuracy of his judgment. or
the frmness of his resolves, or the un.
sel6shness of his acts, we must admit that
he stands among the great men of ancient
and modern times. He is too great and
too 80 man to be allowed to fall into
popular derision for the want Of friends
courageous enough to acquaint him with
his errors.
General Grants first mistake consisted
in supposing that government is the
same thing as an army, and that an ad.
ministration is to be carried on as battle
is fought, with infantry, cavalry and
artillery. To command an army success
fully, officers are needed to execute the
orders of the general-in-chiei. To carry
on government, statesmen are needed
who understand the ideas, the wants and
the temperament Of the people, and whose
conjoint experience and wisdom may form
a body of opinion in harmony with the
nation, or at least with the party in power.
If there he statesman in General Grants
cabinet, he has yet to make himself known
as such to the public. To begin ut the
beginning, the secretary of the state does
not know the men, or the ideas, or the
country of the present day /; nor do they
know him. He is gentleman OF no.
ole and pure type. 1t is probable that he
was as much surprised when he was
called to fill the foremost place in the
cabinet as his courtrym men were. lie has
come down to US from u former generation,
and, in all that constitutes excellence OF
character, he is worthy representative Of
the times in which he acted his part. Lut
he is not the man to conduct our diploma
cy. Nor is he the man to take q leading
position in great and progressive governs
ment. The secretary Of the treasury is
likewise man of pure and elevated chars
acter, who has risen from an humble
station by his own perseverance and recti-
lude. But his abilities are not above
mediocrity, and if he should remain ut the
head of the treasury department during
his natural life he could do no more than
drift with the tide and avoid the breakers
from hour to hour as best he might. The
secretary of war is the strongest and most
positive man in the cabinet-a hero in
every moral aspect, yet an invalid in
health and unqualified by training and
experience to take the leading position
which circumstances have forced upon
him in the national administration. lie
is unknown to the country save as a staff
officer of the commanding general during
the war. Few men know the worth, and
Few have felt the native powers of mind
which belong to John A. Raxlins. In
view OF his close relations to the president
and his sterling qualities, his appointment
was certainly fit to be made, and we hope
he may be retained. As the administra-
tive officer of the war department., he has
no superior, feeble as he is in physical
health and strength, yet no one will ad
NIT more readily tan himself that he has
not had the sort of education which fits a
man to lead cabinet council. And we
fear that even his rdvice has been thus
far Of little avail. The secretary of the
navy is, by common consent, un6tted
either for administration or councils
worthy and well-meaning merchant whose
uniamiliarity with political affairs is ex
ceeded only by his ignorance of naval
affairs. The secretary of the interior, the
postmaster general and the attorney gen
eral are probably competent to discharge
the clerical duties of their Offices but
prior to their elevation they were not in
any way distinguished as statesmen, or
held by their acquaintances rs better quail
ified to assume the reins of government
than the average Of their nsighbors in the
same plane of society. Gen. Grant, whose
Distinguishing excellence during the war
consisted in his ability to select the right
men for the right places, has apparently
not perceived that statesmen are required
to fill the places of statesmen.
The second mistake of the president.
land one which has perhaps weakened
him most in the public sstimation), is his
eagerness to appoint personal friends and
relatives to Office. In this behalf he has
furnished target to the enemy whore all
their shots take effect, not upon him alone
but upon the party which elected him. In
appointing MIR. Washburne secretary of