The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-12-16
THE PRES1DENr-s MESSAGE.

gdsed the other day. Unfortunate IN
all his preceding official, political, and
literary performances, since the day
OF his Inauguration, it was supposed
and hoped that Grant would. with the
assistance of his numerous Secretaries,
be able to meet public exigency, and
satisfy popular longing with an able
and statesmanIike presentation of the
questions which must come before
this administration for decision. But
no reader can rise from a perusai of
the message without either feeling Of
disappointment or disgust Instead OF
the brevity aud tersenes. which were
expected. the document Is elaborate
without being graceful in style or
phraseology, and expansive in ideas
and statements without any special
merit Of detail or attractiveness OF
construction.
Speaking Of the message as We would
Of The human frame, We would say
that its head was deficient in all the
strong and conspicuous characteristics
which should distinguish 50 irnpor-
tant a function lacking in the high,
statesmanIike and comprehensive tone
which should pervade 50 important q
state paper and unattended by any of
the peculiar features whose promulga-
tion forces even unwilling admiration
and respect The body Of the message
would, from general characteristics,
appear 10 make several who are not
its reputed author responsible for its
cleation. No doubt Boutwell, patched
up The financial portion oft. Sumner
probably wrote the paragraphon thea
ALBANIA question and foreign affairs.
TheCuban mummery clearly the work
Of Fish, and Wilson or Butler may
havedictated the reconstruction portion
Of it. The remainder of il bears
strong resemblance to Badeau's style.
The weak head of the document sur
mounts a weaker and more unhealthy
body, which like that of a dwarf, is
contracted to deformity that shrivels
it into unshapely driveI and common
places.
There Is nothing in the message that
bespeaAs the frankness or directness
Of the soldier, nor the cogent reason
ing and logical precision of the states
man. Never in the history of the
country has theSe been presented to a
President of this nation more favor5-
bic opportunity to unite every faction
os his own party, and at least win the
respect and confidence Of the oppOsi-
tion, by the display of that broad and
earnest craftsmanship, that compre-
hensive grasp Of intellect and far-see-
ing penetration Of mind that probes
deeper than mere words and scars
higher than mere statistics. But
Grant has clearly proved himself une-
quail to the emergency. He approach
es the discussion of questions upon
the solution which even the nation.
fate may be involved, with the timid'
itv. vaciliation, and restraint which
a man feels who has no fixed opinions
OF his own, ard is desirous of concilia
ting and harmonizing the broken fac
tiOns Of a rapidly dissolving party
There Is revealed throughout the
Message a consciousness that Grant j:
the Man and Congress the Master
tits this subservient tone, this officfa
suryility that disgu5ts everybody who
thought Grant had some individuali
~.
The most correct estimate of the val
ue and strength of the document may
best be formed by comparing it witt
the messages OF any Of the later Pres
idents. We miss the profound anC
logical reasoning of Van Buren, the
clear and statesmanlike perspicuity o
Pierce, thesound argument and soiidit!
of expression of Buchanan, the ring
ing eloquence and stately dignity o
Johnson, and even the original anC
suggestive public utterances of Lin
coin. What was wisely conspicuous
and to the nation of the profoundes
importance, in the state papers of tn
later Presidents finds no exponant il
Grant-an earnest, Sound, discrimina
ting and dignified public policy
There is no fixed policy defined in hi
message-no settled plan ofadministra
ton. He proves by every statement
by every sentence, that he is the mer
plaything of Congress, subject 10 al
its caprices, its willing and subservi
ent tool.
But after all, it may have been fool
ish to expect more from man who
with tanning leather in Galena ant
naddIino wood on the MiSSiSsioDI