New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-17
General Grant and His Administrations
Letter from Senator Harlan, Of Iowa.

| General Grant and His ADMINISTRATION
Letter from Senator Harlan, Of Iowa.
The following letter was written by Sen
| ator Harlan, of Iowa, to gentleman in
Florida, in answer to certain inquiries con-
cerning President Grant and his admins
tration:
USITRD STATES SENATE CHAMBER
Washington, July 20 1870.
My Dear Colonel-In reply to yours of
the sixteenth, have to say that the criti-
cisms of President Grant and his admins
tration found in Southern papers. and sup
ported by certain Republican papers
so-called-in the North, are without sufi-
cient foundation. President Grants habits,
as far as / am able to learn, and as l firmly
believe are exemplary in every respect.
He is gentleman in his bearing, officially
and socially, always manifesting great in
telligence, both in conversation and in the
discharge of his official duties. He has not
always appointed great men to civil sta
tions but very few can be named who are
distitute of respectable talents. and as a
rule they are honest and faithful. And, in
this connection, allow me to say that our
government is SO simple in its form and ma
chinery that great talents are not absolutely
necessary to secure success in its admins
tration. Hence, honesty and industry, sup
ported by medium talents in public station,
ought to be satisfactory to the people.
l. therefore, think it would be wise, taking
all into consideration, to continue this adj
ministration another term, and predict the
people will so decide. That President
Grant has made some mistakes l freely ad-
nit; but, as they were mistakes and not
intentional errors, the presumption is that
they will, as far as practicable, be avoided
in the future. And it is by no means GER
tain that any of our greatest and most ex-
perlenced statesmen would not, If in his
situation. have committed errors equally
whole. being carefully and p1tldently ad-
ministered and the laws faithfully enforced.
without cluster, furry, fear favor or affec
tien," no one can truthfully deny. The
honest and faithful collection OF the reve-
nue. has enabled the government to reduce
the public debt at a rate below ten millions
of dollars per month, on an average, since
the date of President Grants Inauguration,
and warranted Congress to greatly red uce
the rate of taxation. This ought to be sat
isfactory. But there are those who desire to
break down the administration for the pur-
pose of advancing their own interests; and
| regret to add that some of them are shin
ing lights in the Republican party. As to
changes and proposed changes in office to
which you refer, need only say that, so far
as they have occurred am of the opinion
lAIo SCI ficC Hdo uCcH liupiONtu. AHClc arc,
of course. some exceptions. l would not,
with my limited information, have recalled
Mr. Motley: but no one can find fault with
MIR. Frelinghuysen as his successor. The
latter is not, probably, the equal Of the for
mer in the field of battle, but Mr.. Motley is
hardly the equal of the latter in jurispru
dence and craftsmanship. Personally l
am satisfied with President Grants admin
Taking it all in all, doubt if any
one of our leading statesmen Of greater |
pretensiOns would improve it. l have felt |
such sense of safety and security
for all our free institutions since
he came to the Presidential office, |
slch freedom from sOlictude and any
iety. which pursued me day and night, |
for two years preceding. like an omen Of !
evil, that l feel like protesting against
unless for the grayest reasons. tits
true, as you state. that some influential pub J
lie journals Of Republican politics have as
sailed President Grant; but, they have as
sailed Congress with equal recklessness;
and. in each case. as | think, without sutn-
clent reasons. The conductors OF papers
are. like the rest of us. only human. They
have their likes and dislikes. and are not
always wise enough to suppress the splrlt OF
tault-tinding, especially when disappointed
IN their personal aspirations. L believe
have now trayersed all your inquiries. an
swering them frankly as you requested
With great respect, yours truly,
JAMES HARLAN.
Colonel THOMAS J. SAUNDERS Tallahassee, Florida.