The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-12

that there ia e.good deal Of dissatisfaction in
the Republican party with the failure OF
General Grant. to redeem the pledges made
when he entered upon Office 1t needed no
such address to assure the country of this
but coming from such high quarter, aud in
the form of an appeal to the people on the
eve of elections which are to dstermine the
political character of the next Congress- aud
perhaps settle the next Presidency, the ad-
mission is very significant.
This fatal admission is not compensated by
the committees elaborate laudation of the
financial policy of the administration, which
is put forth as its chief merit. The committee
grossly exaggerate the complacency with
which the people accept this policy. By
keeping up, during the past eighteen months,
the war rates of taxation, including the odous
and unconstitutional income tax, the admin
istrstion has been able to call in some of the
outstanding obligations of the Government.
But before a sorely burdened community
sings p@ans to policy that robs Peter to pay
Paul, it prefers to wait and see whether under
the boasted prospective reduction of taxes,
the Treasury will be full enough to enable the
Secretary to continue to bull five-twenties on
the Stock Exchange.
The address sounds the praises of the In
dian policy of General Grant: but before the
people join in the chorus they desire to hear
the echo from beyond the Mississippi, and to
learn whether Red Cloud, Spotted Tail, and
their brother braves chime in. 1t will be time
enough to smoke the calumet when the war
whoop, now in full blast on the plains, has
died away
The committee pronounce their unqualified
eulogium upon the course of the administra-
ton towards the States lately in rebellion I;
but they fail to give us their opinion upon
the prescriptions, corruptions, and downright
&c tba hoo &c -,
those States. Nor do they inform us whether
they disapprove of the scarcely concealed pur-
pose of General Grant to aid those govern
ments in retaining power by fraudulent elec-
tions this fall, and to uphold them by the
bayonet on the condition that they will sup
port his administration.
The address, though long and elaborate,
omits all reference to the most prominent
feature and most conspicuous failure of the
adrhinistration-its foreign policy. 1t does
not utter solitary word upon this important
subject 1t puts forth no extenuation for the
inexcusable neglect to try and do something
| to secure a settlement of the Alabama claims.
| 1t has no scathing rebuke of the greasy st.
| Domingo job. 1t is silent about Cuba.
After all, this omission to refer to the for
| eign policy of the administration is natural.
| For, in defense, or extenuation, or even ex-
| planation of policy SO imbecile, so corrupt,
so dlsgrace1ul ana humlllatlng what coulo
| the committee say? The name of Henry
Wilson is signed to this address as chairman.
| Thoroughly acquainted with Hamilton Fish,
and knowing how feeble he is, could the
| robust Massachusetts Senator laud his
weak, wavering administration of the
| State Department? MIR. Wilson takes pride
in obeying the behests and rejecting the
opinions of the Commonwealth which sent
him to Washington. He does not forget that
committee of its Legislature has recently,
in accordance with sworn testimony, shown
j. Bancroft Davis the Assistant Secretary OF
State, to be guilty of bribery, corruption,
and gross breach of trust, while acting as
director, trustee, and counsel of a leading
railway corporation. With this record stariuG
him in the face, could Henry Wilson return
to Massachusetts, after putting his name to 9
document that lauded a department Of the
Government whose chief officer tolerated the
presence of such colleague? Of course he
could not, and therefore the committee KEEP
silence about the foreign policy of the ad
ministration.
Upon the whole, we think this address viii
damage rather than advance the interest
of the Republican party.