Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-11-19


We confess there ismuch in the signs
Of the times" 10 warrant the warning
which the New York Telegram utters
in recent issue of that paper. "To
the careful observer OF the policy Of Con-
gress and the President during The past
two years, says The Telegram, sit must
be apparent that we are on the eve OF
some great political event. calculated TO
entirely disrupt present political parties.
President Grant assumed scOntrol OF the
affairs of the government at time when
a fiue opportunity wss presented 10 make
himself and his administration great and
grand success; but now even his most en-
thusiAstic admirers of the past are frank
10 admit that he has been sad failure as
a statesman. He has permitted himself
TO be surrounded by class of politicians
ambitious of self advancement and popu-
lar landstion, and gradually they have
woven net about him from which he
cannot exIicate himself. He is pow
erless, except TO obey the madness Of
those who are using him TO undermine
our whele system of government, and
perhaps change IFS entire form. There
are some who leligiously believe that
Ulysses 5. Grant is the centre of party
of cOnspirators at Washington, whose
life's aim is to make him perpetual Presi-
dent of the United States by a master
stroke of policy. We must confess that
we have some fears that such may be the
ambition of the men he has taken into his
closest confidence No one will have
failed to observe that President Grants
policy is TO ill all responsible positions In
the army and navy with his personal
friends and most loyal adherents; that all
the chief positions in the civil service, 81
home and abroad, have been conferred
upon his relatives or personal friends, and
that all legislation by Congress for con
Quoting the elections in the States OF
the Union is directed toward eoneen-
traiing in his hands powers never as
sumed by one of his predecessors in times
of peace. He has systematically en-
ployed the army and navy TO enforce the
Radical policy of Congress upon The ex-
Rebel and loyal States alike, and to wrest
from them their dearest rights, guaran-
teed by the constitution. Indeed, his en-.
tire aim has been TO abridge the power OF
the States, ard vest it in that of the Presi-
dent and Congress. We view these en-.
croachments upon the privileges asserted
not without alarm; and, while 10th to be
lieye that there really exists a conspiracy
at Washington to revOlutiOnize our form
of government, il is by no means certain
that such is not the aim ef the Presiden
and the bad counsellors by whom he is sur
rounded. Stranger events have occurred
in other governments, and why not here
Mr.. Grant is very selfish and ambitious
man, and is surrounded by men equally
ambitious and selfish. With all immense
Radical majority in Congress, and III,
executive chairs of the States filled b,
Radicals of his own stripe, the cohorts
of Grant might successfully wrest the
government from the people, and pro
claiming Grant dictator, secure for them
selves power and the spoils of office for
all indefinite period. We are not alarm
lists, but We grsyely throw out these hints
that the public may reflect upon them
and be prepared for any such attempt on
the pant of Radical plotters who have
shown by past actions that they will
stop at nothing 10 crafty their love for
power and spois.