Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-05-26
THE UNPOPULARITY OF GRANTS
ADMINISTRATION.

We have never had an ADMINS
tration which has so soon lost the
confidence of the leaders of the
party to which it owed its existence
as that of Gen. Grant. 1t has not
yet completed its third month, and
yet several of the leading and more
powerful presses that supported
the election of Grant have begun
to severely criticiso the course of
his administration. 1t is fresh in
the memory of the people that near
ly all the leading Republican papers
found more or less fault with the
choice of his cabinet, and with
many of his other leading appoint
ments, while no press of any note
defended these appointments. The
Chicago Tribune, the leading Radi-
lnEGap, in the northwest, some
attacking the administration for its
weakness and imbecility, and the
onslaught was received with favor
bya considerable portion of the Re
publican press, if we may judge by
the alacrity with which it was re-
produced by quite number of pro-
fessed supporters of the administra-
ton. About the same time the
Boston AdUertiSer had a trenchent
article reviewing the blunders and
shortcomings of the administra
ton, and it is a significant fact that
not a single paper Of all those that
earnestly advocated the election of
Grant came to the defense of the
President against the attacks Of
these two influential journals. The
New York Herald was the first to
bring out Gen. Grant for the Presi~
dency, and steadily advocated his
election. 1t has done all in its
power to make Grant popular with
the country and to give the people
an exalted view of his abilities. But
the Herald now sees that there is
change in public sentiment, and is
quick to echo that change. In its
issue of the 10Th inst. that paper
says:
"The clouds are rising. The heavens
are becoming black The rumbling of
the distant thunder is beginning to be
heard. Evidently storm is brewing
Ii is the storm IF popular sentiment in
regard to Gen. Grant The press Of the
country is the barometer of public Opin-
ion. 1t indicates whether the political
atmosphere is fair CT foul, genial or tenn
pestuous. The press ID 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 pre- |
serves a studied silence or utters UNI |
friendly words in regard TO the President |
of its choice, the latter does not attempt |
t. conceal its hostility to Grant and his |
administration, and is using every effort /
in it's power to make both unpopular /
What is the meaning of all this Does
1t 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 thew
are becoming estranged from the hero,
who, as the leader of their armies,
saved this country from political an.
Inhalation Unpalatable as the truth
may be, we are obliged to confess that
this does actually seem to be the case.
Let him brush away the para
sites who surround him, who poison his
ear with false accusations against good
and true men, who give him bad advice,
and whose avarice and selfshness are
bringing his administration into con-
tempt all over the land and fast causing
the character Of the government to lessen
IN the respect of nations abroad.
For an active, decisive, progress sive
policy we want new cabinet and new
departure; but the policy indicated so
far by Gen. Grant signifies nothing.
These indications, together with
the general disposition-even among
the Republicans-to regard the
abinet as weak and imbecile, mean
something. 1t shows how easy it
is for an incompetent man in the
executive chair to fritter away a
great opportunity, for never in the
history of the government has an
administration grown so unpopular
Turing the first two months Of its
existence. At this rate, where will
Grant stand at the end Of four
years.