The Republican journal., 1869-03-11
President Grants Ina ugural.


President will not take high rank among
State papers. 1t is brief, dislointed, ram
bling. unsatisfactory, and less remar kable
for what ii says than for what il omits 70
say. With his determination to be rid OF
office beggars in advance of the Inaugural
ton, the General should have found time
to prepare something more tangible where
wish to satisfy the hungering expectation OF
the people-that is, if he desired to present
any cheering promises for the future.
One of the few positive things said in the
address, and that which is declared with the
greatest positiveness, is that 6 Every dollar
of government indebtedness should be paid
in gold, unless otherwise expressly stipulat-
ed in the contract This has the cold,
hard, ptiless ring Of military order. to
be carried out without a why OF wherefore,
and accords III with the truly democratic
maxim going before it that {" the greatest
good to the greatest number is the object to
be attained" How the greatest good OF
the greatest number is to be subserved by
paying the public creditor dollar for every
| fifty cents invested. and usurious interest be-
sides, passeth the comprehension Of COM
mon minds-and must be plain only TO those
deeply interested in government bonds.
The new President will also find himself at
variance with the Supreme Court, which
has just declared that payments in gold can
be enforced only wnen contracts expressly
stipulate. The President gives the benefit
of the doubt to the creditor, the Court TO
the debtor. The greatest number in this
case is the toiling masses Of the country,
shorn Of their comforts to pay the interest
Of the enormous and increasing indebted
ness their greatest good will be found in
paying the bondholder exactly the currency
tina, they themselves required to re-
ceive. All the sophistry of politicians or
military orders of Presidents cannot change
the standard Of right and wrong in tn.
matter.
The General makes some illusions which
indicate a feeling that the party which elect
ed him constitute the whole people of the
country, and that about every man of them
is an ofiice-seeker ''Let it be understood
that no repudiator of one farthing Of our
public debt will be trusted in a public
place" says he, in admonishing them to be
good boys if they expect to ''put in thumb
and pull out plum" And in respect to
economy in the revenue Department.
will, to the best of my ability, appoint to
office only those who will carry out this de-
sign What he proposes to do with the
horde of plunderers that have been kept
there by the Tenure OF Office law, does not
appear. If he had added the words 8 nor
retain i'll office to this promise, ii would
have comprehended the whole case. With
this forewarning, office seekers will under
stand that they must profess to be extreme
! ly modest until securely seated
The whole foreign policy that is to be
gathered from the inaugural is an obscure
threat that the Alabama depredations may
be retaliated upon England at convenient
season. suggestion that is likely to weak
en- our bonds abroad good deal more than
the gold declaration will strengthen them
! The tariff, that subject Of the very first
Importance, is ignored altogether. The
enormous tax which is inflicted on the peo-
pie of the country, is not thought worthy a
suggestion from the new President, in the
way of alienation.
The suggestions regarding economy in
the government are excellent, and will be
exceedingly creditable if carried out But
if they are carried out, farewell to the party
that elected the General. 1t cannot be kept
together without plunder, more than bricks
can be made without straw.
The recommendation that the States
SduClIOu tuc SllIdSc dilcuuiucuts over
throws the hopes of those who were led to
believe that Grants administration would
be conservative. 1t indicates a party sub
serviency surprising in one protesting SC
much personal aud political independence
|Chares Sumner Or Wendell Phillips could
do no more. 1t must disgust the very large
number of republicans in the middle and
western States, who could never be brought
to tolerate negro equality at the polls Oh
elsewhere. And the Democracy will per
ceive that the radical President of a radical
party is paving the way for the overthrow
of both, by his blindness and folly.
We are reluctantly compelled to believ,
that the administration Of Grant introduces
q phase of radicalism more offensive thar
that from which it sprung. 1t has shifted
its position, and now rests npon the three
ideas OF perpetual national debt at usu
rious interest, negro equality, and military
domination. Democracy has nothingto hope
except in the victory which will come from
Ia square, open and determined fight fol