The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-06-04
Volititnl.
Mr.. Grants Reticence.

Pending the election and Inauguration o f
Mr.. Grant, reticence was his crowning yir-
tue-his chief if not his sole title to states
manship. 1t was good thing for him and
the party of which he was the candidate in
the canvass. The experience of Henry
Clay, Daniel Webster, William IL. Sewards
and other representative men of the variouss
parties at various times opposed to the De-
mocracy, ni obtaining and seeking the Pres
idential nomination, had taught that the
man who kI1oWs a great deal about public
affairs, having and expressing decided,
opinions upon principles of government
measures of policy, is not always the one OF
succeed with the party which boasts of its
absorption of all the intelligence and all
the virtue of the country. Hence it is not
a bad idea, so far as success was concerned
to put q man of reticenee in the field, as
the Republicans did when they took up MIR.
Grant in all his owlish wisdom. But reti-
cence, while valuable trait in a candidate
seeking the suffrages of the American peo-
pie, may sometimes turn out when it comes
in contact with the actual duties of admin
istration, to be nothing more or less than
very common species of Ignorance. And
we would not be ut all surprised if this
should provo to be the case with Mr., Grant.
Mr. Grant has been President of the Uni
ted States for nearly three months, and if
he has given evidence of the slightest cont
prehension of the duties of his office, it is
kept sacredly secret unless we are to ac-
cept in this light the mastery activity with
which he has appointed all OF his own and
his wife's relations, and his old army and
other cronies, to Office. His retrieence,
| which was his browning glory be
fore his election, is found OF
be very different article now, and his
friends are endeavoring to explain it away.
On the Alabama claims now pending with
England, Mr.. Grant has no policy, and the
New York Evening Post and other journals
are seeking to throw the blame upon the
Senate, because it rejected the Reyerdy
Johnson Treaty. Says special from WASH
ingtOn to the Post; sit is said by some of
the best informed men, who are in a posi-
ton to know whereof they speak, that the
reticenco of President Grant in regard to
foreign affairs, and his extreme reserve in
dealing with those foreign questions which
occupy the public mind, do not come from
weakness or hesitancy on his part, but that
he feels that, just so long as executive &C
ton Is entirely subordinate to the will of
the Senate, he can do nothing" The ride
ulousness Of the pretense that the Presi-
dent can do nothing, that he is "entirely"
subordinate to the will of the Senate &C.,
| Is too plain to need pointing ont. The Sen
| ate's power is one of ratification simply, as
Ill the matter of appointment to Office; and
we believe that Gen, Grant has not found
subordination to it much of an obstacle in
his way to prompt and decisive action inEthis
latter regard. The real key to MIR. Grant s
| inaction on foreign af1nirs is to be found in
his official letters to President Johnson and
Secretary Stanton under date of October
| II and n, 1S66-the former marked ''pri-
| vate"- in which he asked to be excused
from serving as adviser of the then appoint
ed minister to Mexico, Hon. l.. ID. Camp
bell, on the Mexican question. Said Gen.
| Grant: 81 would not dare to counsel the
minister in any matter beyond the station
ing of troops on the United States soil,
| without the concurrence of the administra-
ton | sincerely hope ri may be ex-
| cused from undertaking duty so foreign
| to my Office and tastes as that contempfa-
ted. 1t is diplomatic duty, for
which am not fitted, either by education
| or tasae; duty certainly ont OF my
sphere" MIR. Grant at that time was not n
candidate or aspirant for the Presidency.
Assigned to duty involving matters of di-
plomacy, he refused to perform it, and I'M
der cover of private letter to the Presi-
dent frankly confessed that his ignorance OF
civil affairs untitled him for it. Reticence
on the Alabama question is but another
name for want of education and taste, as
in the case of the Mexican difficulty.