The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-31
General Grant and tho Cuban Question
Tho Political Prospect for 1879.


Political affairs at Washington are at dead
low water. The tide has never been so low
there for half century or more. For some
time past the President, Vice President, Con-
gress and the Cabinet, excepting Secretary
Rawlins, and he is an invalid, have been
out of town. To-day, however, there will be
some signs Of animation observable, occa-
stoned by the Cabinet meeting; but as Presi-
dent Grant returns to Saratoga tomorrow,
and as it is probable the heads Of depart
ments will follow suit, the capital is likely to
resume its unprecedented dulness. Such q
general clearing out Of the government has
never been known before this since the occupa-
ton of Washington by the British in 1914.
In all this, and especially in ''the never end
ing but still beginning" pleasure excursions Of
General Grant, the democratic journals and
politicians see the signs of an inglorious failure
of Grants administration and the breaking up
and dispersion of the party in power. Cen
eral Grant, we are told, is doing nothing on
any of the great questions of the day, because
he is alike ignorant and Indifferent concerning
them and the consequences-tha on the Cuban
question, for instance, he has no policy and no
purpose but that of drifting along and trusting
to luck. In regard to Cuba, however, we are
entirely satisfied that General Grants inactiv-
ity is not the result of Indifference. We are
satisfied that he is close and earnest student
of events, and that he is confident that before
long Cuba will be free; that events In the
island and in Spain are rapidly tending towards
this solution, and that if the doubling
Thomases will only yield to little patience
they too will in short time be convinced
We are, In this connection, grati6ed with the
assurance that the Secretary of State is not OPP
posed to the recognition of belligerent rights in
behalf of the Cubans, but is in full accord with
the sympathies, expectations and purposes of
the President, and that in due season all
doubts and apprehensions will be scattered to
the winds touching the policy Of the admins
tration on the Cuban question.
But what does oil this signify? We pre-
sumo it signifies that before long we shall
have either satisfactory treaty with Spain
or the recognition Of the revolutionary
Cubans as belligerent power. Meantime il
is apparent from the enthusiastic receptions of
General Grant by the people at every point
where he appears before them that their con-
fdence in him Is mistaken that they fully be-
lieve in his capacity and purpose to carry out
the promises of his inaugural; that they care
nothing for the growlings and winnings of
disappointed place-hunters in the division of
the spoils and that on the Cuba question, the
Alabama claims, the Mexican question, recon-
struction, suffrage and the money question the
people have full faith in General Grant, and
that if he is doing nothing, if the government
is standing still, it is because that just now
there is really nothing to do but to wait for
some further developments Of events.
Hence 1t Is still too soon to attempt the
political horoscope tor 1872, although, under
the present appearances of things, General
Grant must inevitably be nominated and
elected for second term. So far as he is
concerned the opposition party in the South
has disappeared, and both parties swear by his
policy and his administration. In the North
there is no agitation in the republican
camp of the claims Of any candidate in
opposition to Grant, while to the Northern
democracy the city of New York, and
through the city, the State is all
that is really left from the wreck of the Sey-
mour and Blair campaign. Thus the demo-
cratic chiefs Of this city, the Tammany
Sachems-and more powerfully than the old
Albany Regency-hold the democratic party of
the Union subject to their control. Accord
ingly, they expect to name the democratic can
didate for the succession and if not their first
choice their second choice will surely be the
man. Their first choice is Hoffman, and their
second choice may be Pendleton should the com
ing Ohio October election give him fresh start
in the West. Seymour is done for, Chase is
apparently used up, and Hancock, Hendricks,
Packer, Adams and the rest, appear to be all
in the background in having no fixed power to
bear upon Tammany Hall.
But what can Tammany Hall do under the
present division of parties, North and South,
against General Grant as the republican candi-
date in 1872? Absolutely nothing. The first
thing Tammany is called upon to do is not to
trot out Hoffman, bu: to bring about reunion
! between the Northern and Southern demo
cracy. To this end, if the mountain will not
come to Mahomet Mahomet must go the noun
tain, or peradventure the democratic campaign
of 1872 may be more profitless than that under
Seymour and Blair, which hardly paid ex-
penses.
The Mutny on the Sabine.