The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-03-02
acknowledgement:
GRANT AND HIS ADVISERS.

ike Dee-nlYe lndI udu D6en 8uOuenly
shaken, yesterday, by the reported talk
given Mr.. Mcclure by the President
elect. You have learned, by telegraph,
that this eminent Pennsylvania politi-
clan sought the great fountain OF honor
to press the claims of Governor Curtin.
Mcclure is popularity considered the
brain of Curtin, and of course is anx-
ious to keep his second skull in active
emplOyment-whiCh is an honorable
ambition in Mcclure, and not TO be
fouted. l differ entirely with my
friends, Republican and Democratic, as
to the significance of this Interview.
Mcclure does not report all of the con-
versatiOn. lie leaves out. and forces us
to infer all that General Grant said OF
McClure's figure. head Andrew G. alore-
said. That it WAS not complimentary,
by any manner of means, we may safe
ly conclude. or it wOuld have been duly
reported. But ] cannot find, in what is
reported, that General Grant cuts loose
from his political friends and the or
ganiZation that, through SO much labor
and affliction, made him President of
the United States.
My conclusions in this are confirmed
by those of the ablest statesmen in the
lapd-One- who narrowly escaped being
himself made President. He said:
81 cannot say that l know General
Grant we'll enough, personally. TO
Judge of his fitness for the position 10
which he has been called; but, far as
my opportunities go, l believe him to
be thoughtful and shrewd, with an eye
single to an honest, honorable discharge
of his duties. The few speeches he has
made are ainGulnrly happy and to the
point; and il he begins his official ca
reer by selecting from Pennsylvania
such man as George ID. stuart, we
may congratulate ourselves. know
Il To- Of az
of eminent purity of character, but he
has, in addition, decided administra-
tive abilities, and will make an emil
nent Cabinet adviser. 1t is, [ know, q
dangerous thing TO ignore politicians,
but believe the people-and by the
people mean the masses OF both orr
ganiZatiOns-Will sustain him."
When we remember that General
Grant has said again and again that he
will select his Cabinet from the party
that elected him, and that Mr.. Stuart
has been, from the first To the last, not
only n Republican, but Radical in his
convictions, the alarm OF the Republi-
cans and the rejoicing OF the Democrats
are without foundation.
Mcclure is n brilliant, bold man, and
probably in pressing the claims OF Gov
ernor Curtin, irritated General Grant
into saying that, although elected by a
party, he was vet the President of the
people Of the United States. This is
true enough, and 1t is the earnest pray
or of all good men that he may keep
this fact in view, and act accordingly.
But. when sifted down, it merely
meant that he was so much President
OF tho United States that he did not
hold himself responsible to the Curtins,
CamerOns. Forneys, Kelleys and Nc
Clures of fPennsylvania. That is ALL
1t is, however, unfortunate that Gen.
4 t-,,w J., l., tNif n
great measure, by his temperament,
shut him out from the confidence and
closer sympathy OF men who, be they
Dolihicians or not, have held in their
hands the destiny Of the Republic in
the darkest hour, when the President
elect was n soldier in the field, and had
TO look to these men for the aid that
made him eminent, and us a free peO-
pie, secure i'll our constitutional rights.
Such men as Stanton, Morton,
Schcnck, Butler, Drake, Sumner, Holt,
and the many who yet hold the conf
dence OF the people they so ably served
when our Government seemed crum-
bling TO ruins, are, after all, the best
friends, and the safest advisers.
"No man." General Banks is report
ed TO have said few days since, sis so
strong that he has no need of friends,
nor so wise that he can walk safely
without advisers" This applies with
great force to tho President, and while
/ ignore the vulgar considerations, set
up in the way ofgratitude-iOr General
Giant owes nothing to the Republicnn
party: wo elected him because we could
not help OurselVeS-I am forced TO re-
1nemhor that the day has passed when
un ordinary man, or even great SOL
dicr. can he successfully President of
the United States without calling about
him the wiSGSt and most experienced
statesmen of his organization. The
theory so generally believed heretofore,
that these Cabinet officers are mere
clerks, and without responsibility, has
lost its significance. Any one of the
seven has more labor and responslbi!l-
ty put upon him personally, than fell
to the lot of any of the earlier PreSi-
dents, down TO the day OF the irritable
Old Hickory.
General Grant" said quiet OBJ
server TO me yesterday, "ncCdS in his
Cabinet men possessed of strength in
Congress, and popularity with the peo-
pie; and he can possess both ana have
at the same time honesty and ability.
If he ignores these considerations, his
administration must OF necessity be
stormy and disagreeHble, and probably
a failure, He has before him heavier
contract than the taking OF Vicksburg,
or the capture of Lee. The rings that
govern our country now are well or
ganiZed, shrewd, active and unscrupul-
Gus. They do notpropose relinquish-
ing their hold on the Treasury At any
time, and having dared the peniten-
tiary. are not to be daunted by Presi-
dent. Every office he fills will make
him ninety nine enemies, and one in
CRATE. The selfish interests that are
Tobbing the people right and left, un-
der the guise of law, will fight him to
the death. He will need friends, and
can not afford to offend the men who
are in the same boat with himself, and
have heretofore shown statesman-like
saSacity in the management of public
affairs"
THE graceful withdrawal of Hon.