The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-10-09


We copy the following editorial article
from the New York Times OF yesterday, with
the simple remark that we endorse its every
sentiment. We fall to understand how It Is
possible for any man or set Of men to be-
come 50 regardless Of all sense Of decency
and justice a. to torture circumstances here
referred to into capital out Of which. 70 man
ufacture denunciation Of the President. No
one doubts General Grants hearty devotion
to the best interests OF the whole country,
and none but the blndcst and most unscru-
pulous partisans do him the injust to even
think that he had the most remote connect.
ton with the late gold panic In New York:
The intrigue which has recently been set
10 motion against the President, II not abso-
lutely without a parallel In political history,
Is certainly among the most INSCRIPTIONS
which the present generation has witnessed.
II will be conceded In theory, by the very
persons who have Joined In the attack upon
Gen. Grant, that the head Of the Government
Is fairly entitled to be treated with ordinary
forbcarauce and respect. While he must
always necessarily be liable to much mlscon-
struction, In the absence Of explanations
which cannot constantly be put forward on
his behalf, II is only reasonable to ask that
ahronts should not be heaped upon him to
suit political exigencies, or to satisfy morbid
| craving for sensational Journalism. Presi-
dent Grant Is entitled to generous treatment
| even above most men who have occupied
| his position. He did not seek the uneasy
honors Of the Chief Magistracy. No machi-
nations were employed that he might be
| enabled to steal into the highest place. The
people went to him and asked him to preside
over the Government. There has been moth
ing In his past life to Justify the belief that
he would be guilty OF dishonorable action.
The imputations lately maliciously cast at
him belong to the very worst kind Of Ill
usage, and we believe that the mass Of the
people, no matter to which party they may
\ happen to belong, look upon them as In
some sort q reflection upon the national
| character.
The policy Of the Administration has been
such as to present no scope for the assaults
which the Democratic party feel bound to
make In their present difficulties. Il Is
hence deemed necessary to malign the char
acter Of the President. That he received the
tributes which the gratitude Of people
forced upon him Is now imput cd TO him as
an offence. But as the folly and spitcfulness
Of this accusation served to take all the
sting out OF 1t, the device was adopted oil
sons, and Of ransacking family history, In
the hope Of finding some fresh preteIt fol-
slandering one of the most distinguished
men who have ever conferred great services
on this country. We shall say nothing Of
the journalism which respects neither the
dignity Of public life nor the sanctity Of
private households, and which dogs sich
men In the hope Of getting them to incrimi
nate their relatives. There are several way.
OF treating our calling, and We must not be
surprised that II Is sometimes made to play
a part which does 1t little honor. But We
have now waited until the Indictment
| against the President Is exhausted, and
what Is the result Of close scrutiny into
III That the President has q brother-in Ia W
who sometimes specialized In Wall street;
that James Fisk, IT,, tried to make a tool OF
the brother-in.law, aud that the Government
| took course which inevitably frustrated
the schemes of both, and consequently Is
above all suspicion Of being prompted by
corrupt motives. Upon the original accuse.
| ton, pitiful as 1t was, the people are q III
invited to rellnqulsh their confidence In ths
President. Probably there are few men who
would like TO be made responsible for oil
the acts OF their relatives. 1t Is moral ac
countability which most of us would be sin.
cerely sorry to undertake, and In private life
II Is happily not usual to hound man down
for the faults Of his connections by mar
rage. The present conspiracy against the
President Is calculated to inspire feelings o.
lmpatience and disgust whenever 1t Is heard
II is trick to help a hopeless cause at M
election, and as such 1t will be summaril,
secuted by the people.
| General Grant deserves better even of the
| Democrats than the treatment he Is now re.
ceiving. He was the means Of saving them
from the rule Of candidates of whom they
have themselves become heartily ashamed.
They admit that his election supplied the
opportunity for that full and fair trial Of Re.
publican principles which they profess to be
anxious to see. The obligations of the
country at large to the present Chief Magis
trate are Of a nature to make every Just.
minded Han "inius ~ .Vu.Sdo " his, al
reasonable indulgence In an arduous posi-
ton. II Is not, however, indulgence which
he needs, but simply fair play, and 1t would
be q reproach to us as people II we refused
TO accord 1t to him. His Administration has
sustained our honor abroad and increased
our prosperity at home. II the Alabama
claims have been allowed to lie by for 9
time, 1t Is because they could not be presset
with any immediate hope of an amicable ant
satisfactory settlement. We long ago pu
the plain question to our people whether
they were anxious to go to war. They were
not, and an angry dispute was laid aside un.
| I'll time had somewhat cooled down the pas.
sions 1t excited. Again, we have not rushed
wildly into war with Spain about Cuba,
but we have increased the estimation In
which we are held by other nations by our
policy on the question. There never was a
time In our history when we stood stronger
| or more respected before the world at large
| At home the burden of taxes has been light.
ened, order restored, ill-feeling soothed down
and the national debt reduced. These ART
appreciable results Of only few months
good government. We maintain that 1t 10 q
shameful act to seek to weaken and discour
age the head OF such Government for the
acts, real or supposed, Of persons remotely
related to him. We have only to state the
ground Of accusation plainly 10 make al
decent men ashamed to listen to 1t. Their,
is seldom too much charity shown In politica
life, but for our own credits sake, for tn,
sake Of the nation at large, we protes
against the outrageous calumnles which
have lately been launched against the Presi-
dent. That he Is sincerely anxious to serve
the nation well and truly no one can doubt
Even his enemies concede SO much. They
will also admit some day that their menda
cious charges were utterly indefensible, ant
the nation will not walt for their late repent
ancc to reject the whole series with indlgna
| tiOn and contempt