The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-11-25
Grant.

1t cannot have escaped the recollec-
tion of the reading and listening public
that during the last Presidential cam.
paign, 1t was persistently averred that
General GRANT was in no way fitted
for the Office Of President of the United
States that neither his mental, moral
nor educational standard came up to the
requirements Of the place that he had
no political knowledge or experience,
that all his practice in the public affairs
was merely military, and as a conse-
quence his whole administration of the
civil affairs OF the Government, would
be on that basis and utterly destructive
OF the supremacy Of the law.
Less than two years have elapsed,
since Grant assumed the Office of Presi.
dent; and every charge and prophecy
OF the Democrats has come true, the
Republicans themselves being the
Judges. From the first day until now,
the whole course of General GRANT has
been series Of moral and political
blunders or meannesses. The appoint
ment to all offices, high and low, has
been a new phase of the "Gift Enter
prise" business his disgraceful connec.
tiOE with the "Gold Panic" is no longer
denied, even by his friends; his infa-
nous military interference in elections
is denounced by every decent journal of
all political creeds in the United States;
his attempt to cheat private citizens, by
fylg tNf l.at, 20 Ill So
law Dent, and his impotent malice at
being foled his notorious patronage Of
the M'Garrahan claim, in which he is
believed 10 be privately interested; his
dismissal of Secretary Cox for attempt
ing to protect his clerks from being
blackmaled for political purposes; are
but q few of the well proven charges
brought against this corrupt, impecie
and horse trooping administration.
If we were to go into an examination
of the conduct of our foreign affairs, we
should find much similar catalogue of
crimes and blunders. In every case in
which it was possible to send a wrong
man, or to do wrong thing, that man
has been sent and that thing has been
done. We have truckled to England,
and then tried to regain valor by bully
ing Cuba; we have purchased territory
from Russia and tried to steal it from
Spain in the European war the Presi-
denl has been first neutral, next for
Prussia and now seems to be for France;
while Cuban patriots, women and chill.
dren are being butchered, and Irish po.
litical prisoners languish in dungeons,
refused the sympathy and assistance of
the United States Government. The
heart sickens at the recital of the sins
of omission and commission of this
most detestable administration, and
well may the Chicago Republican say
OF the President of its party:
1t has been no uncommon thing for
party organs in the United States to ac-
cuse Ppresidents of their own party of
party offences, untruth to the party
principles, or unfaithfulness to their ac-
tual or implied pledges in respect to in
dividuals or policy. 1t is the common
fate of acceding Vice. Presidents to suf-
fer under accusation OF party perfidy in
general, accompanied, for the sake of
emphasis, with suggestions of official
malfeasance. But the official career of
General GRANT presents case that is
peculiar. He stands charged not so
much with uhfaithfulness to his party,
as official misconduct and personal
meanness; and these charges are 30
well established, so universally believed
and so freely enlarged upon, that the
organs of his own party even, which
speak in his favor or attempt his vindi-
cation, are the exception. No Ameri-
can President, taking for 1t the testimo-
ny OF the Republican press, was ever
more thoroughly despised or deserved
1t better than the one who now dishon-
orsshe highest place in the gift of the
people by his tenancy.