The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-11-11
Grant's Policy.

love for polltIciane. His indifferenee TO
their wishes has not increased the num-
ber of his admirers, or created a pro- !
found enthusiasm in political circles. -
The philosophy Of the wholesome mil
Ter, who cared for nobody, and was as
well satisfied that nobody should care
for him, as that they should make
themselves uneasy on his account, will
not answer in political life. sTgFf} |
1t was a saying among Democrats
that Grant had made himself a necessi.
ty to the Republican party He was
not only the strongest man that could
be selected, bat the only one whose
nomination might be regarded as
equivalent to an election What if it
should happen that bis administration
turned out to be such success as to
make him as strong and availablein
1879 as he was in 1868? We, do not
predict it, and the signs so far has been
against the fulfllment of such proph-
ecy, should it be ventNred.
But it is worth while to consider the
chances. In his military career Grant
was remarkable among all the Generals
of the army for directness and simple
ity of purpose. He had one grand OBJ
ject before him, and nothing could di-
vert him from it till it had been accom-
plished. He persisted, and he won
Every campaign had a definite ending,
and he left no field Of operations till
he had destroyed the power Of the enc
my. He not only opened the Missis-
sippi, but he so crippled bis foe that he
was unable to close it again. He gave
impetus to the army which, under his
able Lieutenant, did not pause till it
reached the sea; and, transferred to
the East, be began a movement which
hardly had pause from the Wilder
ness to Appomattox Court House. 1t
was directness, simplicity, boldness,
tenacity with him, and because he did
not envelop himself in mystery and
cloud his purpose, he was accused of a
want of military policy, as he is now
accused of want Of civil or admins
trative policy.
Those who make this accusation
i should be certain that they are not
. talking without fullness of information.
0 Grants administration has been in ex-
istence only six months What is the
$ best, the most valuable result Of it Z
o The increase in revenue from customs,
internal revenue and miscellaneous
I sources, for the two quarters ending
c with the 30th of September, as COM
o pared with the same period Of the pre-
+ viOus year, has been $19, $3.50, 143, and
the decrease of expenditures in the
army, navy and civil service amounts
to $50, ,8O1 ,013. AS dollar saved is a
j dollar earned, we have but to add
1 these sums and we have the enormous
+ aggregate of fifty-six millions four
! hundred and sixtyyone thousand and
{ odd dollars saved to the Treasury, and
i this corresponds very nearly to the re-
J: duction of the public debt since Grant
came iAto office. The actual gain in
y receipts Of internal revenue during the
8 six months is $2l, 42O, 1877, and the cost
of collecting this revenue, as compared
i with the corresponding period of 1868,
e has been reduced $709 1876, or a saving
a Of about fifteen and half per cent
= These are results whish the people
} can understand, and they develop the
v policy Of the President, which Is, briet,
r, ly stated, to reduce expenses to tht
:. minimum, collect the revenues honest
d ly, and to apply the amount over and
above the sum needed to satisfy cur.
rent expenses to the reduction of the
public debt. Possibly a statesman Of
Andrew Johnson's proportions would
b regard this policy with contempt A
President so feeble as to give prece-
dence to such policy in his Admins
z tration, and leave great constitutions
q questions TO the care of themselves, oil
. to find their way into the Supreme
2 Court for settlement, must look small
Is in his eyes. Grant should plant his
. foot upon the Constitution, wind the
y y stars aud stripes about his person, and
u make tour Of the States as the ex
y FOUNDER Of the one aud the defender o
3 the other He should have a constitu
. tional crisis on hand all the time, anC
y keep the people alive to the imminon
% danger of losing their liberties by Con
g gressional invasion of Executive pre-
q negatives. So doing, he would be
Al statesman aud patriot, and the worth,
a successor of Andrew Johnson.
80 1t is Grants misfortune that he see
6S things in their relative proportions
az and Is somewhat indifferent to minoI
~ affairs, while he aims at the achieve
80 80 ment of a great purpose. He proposes
Gs to be sure, to preserve the public peac
20 aud execute the laws; but, greatly t
',s iS the grief of ardent and earnest peopl
IO5 who consider political questions q
go foremost importance, he allows recon
'Ss struction to take its course, does nc
va press an active or aggressive fOreig
~ policy, and does not distinguish him
,Si ,Si self by conspicuous interference wher
,si ever the party that made him Presider
ii9I is put upon trial, and Governor or
~ member Of the Legislature is to b
los elected '
oUS ,Ss Let us suppose, now, that the cour'
BOS pursued during the past six months,
.sS adhered to, with equally gratifying r.
sSSSS sSS suits, and that each year of the Az
200 ministrntiou shows reduction of Il