Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-30
GRANTS BLUNDERs.
Collapse OF 1.-THE Strongest Man
I'm ChrIstendOm."
He C0RfOunlS the Government
with the Army.
And Puts too Many Of His Kin
In Office.
A Radical Confession.

in the respect and confidence of the
people than any other man who has
filed that high Office during the
present generation. The only pre-
decessor comparable to him in this
regard was AR. Lincoln, but Mr..
Lincoln never saw the day when he
was free from the active, determined
hostility of a powerful political par
ty. On that day it may be safely
said that President Grant was the
strongest man in Christendom for
his power was rooted in the affec-
tons of a free people.
THERE COMES A CHANGE.
There has been a change. Two
months have passed away, and it
cannot be affirmed that we have a
strong administration. Its moral
power has been frittered away by
small absurdities which, fortunately,
have no bearing upon the sincerity,
the truthfulness, or the high pur-
pose of the President and his advi,
sers. We doubt if there ever was
an administration with more good
attentions at heart or less aptitude
for carrying them into effect. And
since the evil which exists is not
able to cure itself, its remedy must
be sought and found elsewhere.
A ROTTEN CABINET.
Gen. Grants first mistake con sis
ted in his suppOsing that a govern
ment is the same thing as an army,
and that an administration is to be
carried on as q battle is fought,
with Infantry, cavalry, and artillery.
To command fan army successfully
officers are needed to execute the
orders of the General-in Chief. To
carry on a government statesmen
are needed who understand the
ideas, the wants and the tempera-
ment of the people, and whose con-
joint experience and wisdom may
form a body Of opinion in harmony
with the nation, or at least with the
party in power. IL there be a
statesman In General Grants Cabi
net he has to make himself known
as such to the public. To begin at
the beginning, the Secretary of State,
does not know the men, or the ideas
or the country of the present day;
nor do they know him. He is a
gentleman of a noble and pure
type 1t is probable that he was
as much surprised when he was
called to fill the highest place in
the cabinet as his countrymen
were. He has come down to US
from a former generation, and in
all that constitutes excellence of
character, he is worthy repre-
sentative of the times in which
he acted his part. But he
is not the man to conduct our diplo-
macy. Nor is he the man to take a
leading position in a great and pro-
gressiVe government. The Secretary
of the Treasury is likewise a man Of
pure and elevated character, who
has risen from an humble station by
his own perseverance and rectitude.
But his abilities are not above me-
diocrity, and if he should remain
at the head of the Treasury Depart
ment during his natural life he could
do.no more than drift with the tide
and avoid the breakers from hour to
hour as best he might. The Secreta-
ry of War is thestrongest and most
positive man in the Cabinet-a hero
in every moral aspect, yet an inva-
lid in health and unqualified by
training and experience to take the
leading position which circumstan-
ces have forced upon hin in the
national administration. Even he is
unknown to the country save as
staff officer of the Commanding
General during the war. Few men
know the worth, and few have felt
the native powers of mind which be-
long to John A. RaWlins. In view
of his close relations to the
President and his sterling quail
tiles, the appointment was certain
ly to be made, and we hope he
may besretained. AS the admin
istrative officer of the War Depart
ment he has no superior, feeble as
he is in physical health and strength,
vet no one will admit more readily
than himself that he has not had
the sort of education which fits a
man to lead cabinet council. And
we fear that even his advice has
been thus far of little avail. The
Secretary Of the Navy is, by com
mon consent untitled either for ad-
ministration or council worthy
and we'll meaning merchant, whose
unfamiliarity with political affairs
is exceeded only by his Ignorance
of naval affairs. The Secretary of
the Interior, the Postmaster Gen
eral, and the Attorney General are
probably competent to discharge
the clerical duties Of their offices;
but prior to their elevation they
were not in any way distinguished
as statesmen, or held by their ac-
quaintances as better qualified to
assume the reins of government
than the average of their neighbors
in the same plane of society. Gen.
Grant, whose distinguished excel-
lence during the war consisted in
his ability to select the right men
for the right places, has apparently
not perceived that statesman are
required to fill the places of states
| men.
TIE SIN OF NEPoTIsM.
The second mistake Of the President
land one which has perhaps weakened
him most 10 the public estimation) is his
eagerness to appoint personal friends
and relatives to Office. In this behalf
be has furnished target to the enemy
where all their shots take effect not VI ON
him alone, but the party that elected
him. la appointing Mr. Washburne
Secretary of State, as mere matter of
compliment, lie trifed with the dignity
of the highest Office in his gift. A cons
pliment of this nature ought not t. have
been either conferred or accepted The
Office was too high to be madean instr .
ment of politeness. More than half the
votes against the repeal of the Office
tenure law were made by this indiscreet
at. Gen. Grant was right in demand
ing the repeal Of that law. He stood
| upon sold ground when he REFUSED to