The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-12
Will General Grant "Fight 1t Out Oh
this Line!''
From the ". Y. World.

Bron. the ". y World.
The week which has elapsed since the inau-
guration of President Grant supplies better
m aterials for estimating his capacity than his
whole previous career. The impenetrable
silence by which he screened himself from
scrutiny might, for aught the public knew,
cover a robust wisdom like that of William
the Silent, as it also might be the cloak of
dulness and mental impotence. A prince who
had never met his destined cOnsort except in
a dark apartment, would not know whether
he was to wed Cleopatra or a Witch Of
Endor and when the bridal veil was lifted
Immediately after the marriage, the beautiful
illusions of the lovers fancy might encounter
an unpleasant shock. General Grant has
taciturpity was mask for his ignorance and
imbecility. He has exposed himself to the
scorn and derisiOn of his enemies and has
incurred the pity and contempt of his friends.
1t was for his interest to put his best foot
forward and appear to the greatest advantage
at the beginning OF his administration. II
statesman of recognized eminence should make
great blunders on entering new office, his
Re reputation would be impaired, but not fatally
damaged; for although his last acts would
make the iveliest impression, as being the
freshest, they would not form the sole basis
for estimating his ability. They would be
regarded merely as heavy items on the debit
side of an account which had a long list of
credit entries. But General Grant, in setting
up the new business of statesman, has
opened a clean set of books and the first page,
which records the capital with which he COM
mences, exhibits him as hopelessly insolvent.
There is nothing, in the whole course of his
administration, which 1t so deeply concerns
him to do well, nothing which he will have an
opportunity to do with such ample forethought
and deliberation, or in which it will be SO easy
to avoid egregiOus blunders, as the selection
of a Cabinet. He has had little else to think
of since he was nominated, ten months ago,
with full confidence of an election. Since that
time, he has been in frequent personal contact
with all the leading men of his party. He has
resided for the last four years in Washington,
the focus of political intelligence, with advan-
tages OF association which must have given
him constant opportunities OF listening to
the estimates put upon all prominent public
characters by those best qualified to judge.
With this amplitude of time and aflluencs OF
facilities for composing his administration
with delberation and wisdom, he has blum
dered as a respectable mechanic could not
have done, if suddenly caught up in the
streets on the Sd, inaugurated on the 4th,
and required to send ia the names of his
| Cabinet on the 5th. General Grants blunders
make a far worse impression than II psrpe-
trated by man unexpectedly made President
| without notice, as Vice Presidents sometimes
are, and compelled TO choose Cabinet on the
spur OF the moment. General Grants blum
ders prove that he is a man on whom expert
ence and opportunities are lost; they there
fore preclude the hope that his administration
will improve as it advances. Our
laws wisely place a long interval be-
tween the election OF President
and his induction into Office, giving him SO
much time for reflection and consultation,
that II the impressions produced by his first
officials acts are unfavorable, he can blame
nothing but his own incapacity. This ample
period for preparation has been wholly lost
upon President Grant. He is like a general
suddenly surprised in his camp by an enemy,
and obliged TO extemporize a plan of battle
under every disadvantage, in the confusion Of