The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-05-13
Grant Compared with Jefferson, Adams,

Grant Compared with jefferson, Adams
SC.
The New Y ork Sun, edited by Chas
A. Dana, the only Radical Editor ever
known to decline Federal Office wher
rendered to linn, thus describes the
difference between the earlier Presi.
dents and the present occupant of the
Chair of State. 1t says:
On the fourth of March, 1901, Thom-
as Jefferson rode ON horseback unat.
tended to the Cupitol, hitched his So
Der geldiDg at the, gate, assembled the
steps, took the oath ofofice from the
lips of John Marshall, and delivered
that inaugural address which has since
been the keynote of the Democratic
Party. John Quincy Adams, when
his Presidential term expired, mount
ed a quiet nag, mailed portmanteau
behind him, and wended his way leis-
urely from Washington to Quincy,
declining TO receive any public dem
onstrations from his admirers along
the route. At. the close of General
Jackson's long and remarkable admin
istration, he departed from the FEEDER
al Capital seated in the smoking car of
the railway, clad in simple garb, way
ing a graceful farewell to the friends
who crowded the depot, and drawing
consolation from a Democratic clay
pipe.
Each of these eminent men ON sew
eral occasions, some ofthem of histor-
ic celebrity, refused to receive presents
as testimonials of regard for public
services, both previous to, and when
filing, the Presidential chair, except
ing that State Legislatures, voted two
or three swords, and medals to Gen.
jackson while he was in private life,
as tributes to his gallantry in the bat
tie of New Orleans. Neither of them
ever bestowed Office upon relativa,
while both Jefferson and jackson
specially declined to do SO, the former
in letter which rebuked the practice
with marked emphasis. % 2f.ta
We have fallen on other times. Are
they better times? On "Wednesday
the Sd of March, 1869, the President
elect accepted S95, 900 out of a sum of
money raised in New York at his own
pressing solicitation for Gen. Sher-
man, to pay him (the President for a
house which he desired to sell. On
Thursday he took the oath of Office,
and in his inaugural address pledged
himself to the rigid execution of all
laws, whether he liked them or not.
He then spent nearly the entire first
week of his term in trying to eYade
the plain provisions of salntary stat
utes, because they blocked the way
for the admission to the most import
ant seat in his Cabinet of the almoner
who had bestowed this dazzling pres
ent. Baffied in this by the firmness of
the Senate and the frowns of the pub
lie, he nevertheless installed among
his constitutional advisers other indi-
viduals who though not obnoxious to
this particular objection, were chiefly
distinguished for having conferred
upon him costly and valuable benefac-
tfons. Along with other appoint
ments bearing this sort of trade mark
he appointed as his Secretary of the
Navy gentleman wholly incapable
Of filing the place, who had taken the
lead in giving him fifty thousand
dollar house in Philadelphia some
three years before and he surrender
ed the baton of General of the Armies
to a renowned soldier, who with his
and appreciation, lifted one
hand to take the oath of Office, while
receiving with the other a tempting
gift valued at 100000, of which the
sixty-five thousand dollar house in
formed a part. Not to
go back to jefferson, or Adams, or
Jackson for virtuous examples, even
Andy johnson had sense and ,decency
enough to. refuse the present of car
rage and horses with the Presiden-
tial oath lingering on his lips.