The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-02-17
what the speech Means.

The New York Times peculiarly GRANT,
declares that General GRANTS speech has
created in Washington "a feeling akin t
CONSERVATION among certain classes O.
!" Washington politicians y; adding, " it IL
swell calculated to do 80. 1t Is clearly the
aspecch Of o man who docs not intend te
abe governed in his administration by thu
"intsrest Of political parties or the wishes
"of party leaders, but by his own ideas
"of what the public welfare requires"
The Times represents that General GRANT
has cut out for himself work hitherto
deemed impossible. 1t has become ira
"dition at Washington, as well as eise-
"where, that President not controlled "
athe party which elected him Is an imp0S-
STABILITY. that he must have support,
sand cannot get such support except from
"b;s nartv. is bound to keep its ad-
"berents in power and to carry its mea-
"sures in practice" All these things the
Times infers General GRANT repudiates'
1t says:
uaeneral Grants brief md evident unpre-
redltated speech rather rudeiy snatters lne
faith that he wopld conform in this natteI 10
the usage Of his predecessors,-that ne "ou.u
act simply AS the agent OF his party. ana never
dream Of looking elsewhere Tor approval VI
support. tits very clear that ne 1eeis ana up
preciates thoroughly the Independence and re-
snonsibility of his position. and that he in
tends TO WELD the great power placed IN ms
hands. not under the dictatfon OF any party OF OF
any men. but according to his own iaeaS VI
duty and the public good
The common opinion of oil newspapers
and men now Is that General GRANT means
to be guided by his views Of the general
welfare, independent Of party interests OF
dictation.
Mr.. Senator MORTON, in his brief speech
sndeavored to draw frou, the President
elect something on the subject of the expi-
ring fury of the day by remarking the coun-
try expected that, under his administration
/" the work OF reconstruction will be COM
a Melted. and the wounds of civil war
healed" The Times very apposltely
calls attention to the failure of this attempt
by remsrking: General GRANT, in his
{" response, ignored the fact that there had
I" been a civil war, and did not presume
"that anything Of reconstruction was IN
complete"
The York Commercial (Republican-
THURLow WEEDS paper says:
"The remarks of General Grant have pro-
duced onsternation in Washington. Inc press
and the people like them. They win the al
miration of the Democrats rs well rs OF re
nubIicans But the mere politicians and once
mongers are stunned and disconsolate. 1hey
cannot understand how President can be
and not derive his very life from the rings ana
committees and influences that manipulate
public affairs
The true inference from the gist of the
officially reported speech in the Intelligent
Ger cannot be mistaken. Party, 80 far as
it interferes with the public interests and
the restoration of peace, is to be utterly
disregarded and to keep himself free to
pursue this policy General GRANT has
kept his own counsels, and has not placed
himself in the keeping Of the party lead
ers We can well believe the truth of the
statement in Washington letter that
" senator's who pretty well represent
e" the general average of the Senate de-
" clared on Saturday that the speech acaS
" the snub direct upon all the leaders Of the
Republican party"