The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-02-23


precious ,reth cndiag Ftb. ~, s7,2s3 daRy
Ought Grant TO Yield the Helm to Save
the ship.
Il s impossible for President to sustain
himself unless he has political record be-
hind him which is In close accord with the
opinions Of the party which elected him.
This ia tho peculiar weakness OF Gen.
GRANT, and one of the important points
wherein no differs from Mr.. LINCOLN.
Mr.. LINCOLN, previous to the organization
of the Republican party, had been leading
Wing, and the new party was largely made
up Of Wings lie was in full fellowship,
TOO, on the cardinal question of slavery, with
the Democratic and Abolition members
of the coalition which constituted the Repub-
lican party. While President he occasion.
ally differed with distinguished Republicans;
but in addition to their confidence in his
shnewdness as politician, his sterling
sense, and his statesmanlko sagacity, he was
able, in all these differences of opinion, to
fll back and stand upon long and unim-
peachable Republican record. This gave
him strong hold upon the affections of the
masses of the party, aud helped him to
generally carry his point against those of
Its leaders with whom he happened to differ.
II was for the lack of such record that
ANDREW JOHNSON fell SO easy prey to the
Republican leaders when they joined issue
with him after he assumed the Presidential
Office. Old BES WADE illus rated this on
The memo ablo occasion when JOHNSON sent
TO tho Senate one OF his earlier vetoos
clothed in rather naughty language "Who
is this man." said WADE, raising his voice
I'll the corridors Of the Senate rang agaiu--
who is this man that presumcs to lecture
US about patriotism and the Constitution :?
lie is no stranger to this Chamber, nor to US.
We have measured his Girth. and We know
his record, aud we defy him" In such n
contest, with no Republican record to shield
him, JOHNSON. OF course, speedily went TO
the wall.
We repeat, then, that Ills abscn Il of an
acceptable political record VII prove fatal
TO Gen. GRANT in the co, lict which has al.
ready commenced between han and large
. in and out of Congress- Ana while the re-
suit TO him personally will be rs disastrous
rs II was TO Johnson, il will prove far more
calamitous TO tho Repu lrau party. JuHN-
son, early in l.s administrations declared
open war against the party; and theme forth
it treated HIM rs IA nlisgIiscd encmy-as
much so o. SEYMOUR an / PESprEToN. On
the other hand, GRANT hy his feeble policy
his pusillanimity, His n,poiism. his favor.;.
i1m, his selfshness his utter lacl, Of q
manship, his desiitu,ion Of all tact Il poli.
tician, anil with no R,ru3Han record
behind him, will cZhT,t jus, forc,
enough .G~-i5rt tnc-H,ssgliy in pieces. In the
--17Tga.s tls now springinE up among rival Lead
crs and host le sections Of the party he VIII
not bo accepted her as n dictator. an nm
pre-, or a pl,ilc. tor. Just 50 soon rs IL,
work of recons ruction ia completed, and
further c)nc'almcnt of these fcuds become.
alike inexpelicnt and impossible, al inter
ference by Gen. GRANT in these contyo
vcrsies emong the factious chiefisins and
clans Of tie party, either by way Of suggos
hs a gross .mpertinencc, md with fee 'ul-, i
not of ind gnatiou, tina closely akin to con
tempt. EhoiuG the words Of Ben WADE
thoy will be apt 70 say, who - This mar
that presumcs TO lecture u.s.
So painfully manifest Is II that Gen
GRASr is wholly inrpn pr,c,t 20 w,,thcr la,
storm about 10 burst upon the Republican
party that we should not he surprised i
some Of Is ho.dcst and wiscst members wer
10 Insist that he ought now TO relinquish tn
holm. At all events, if they hope to aver
the destruction Of the party, they should d,
mandt that he promptly change his Cabinet an
his policy, and give 1t TO be authoritative
understood that under no circumstances vii
he be a candidate for q reelection. Eve
this would not save the Republicans fror
being torn by iactious bat it would certainl
be step in the tight direction, and NIGH
prevent tie party from being rent in twain a
the next Presidential contest, if not sooner