The Van Buren press., 1870-07-19
From the New York Times. JuIy 3.
Grant and the Drsaksrs.


A Cutting Criticism from Dsckss-1hG
Growing Antagontsm Detweon him
and the Political Leaders.
The President 10 at this moment sub
jected to criticisms which no man situ6-
ted as he 10 could afford to disre9ard.
since they proceed not from those Wh1
are opposed to him In politics. but from
those who have hitherto bseu among his
most cordial supporters. The complaint
that In many irnpoytana opects be u Dis
appointing the jusv Expectation Of the
people gains ground every day, and b
echoed back from all parts Of the coun.
try. A year ago he had every advantage
In his favor. People were prepared to
extend to him the most generous consid-
Grafton and forbearance Ordinary short.
comings would have been readily par.
doned. We have ourselves, a. our read.
ers will attest, ever been foremost to do
justice to his intentions, and TO place hi1
actions in the most favorable light be.
fore the country. But it would be use
less to deny that the President is render.
ing it task Of increasing difficulty 10 do.
fend him against enemies into whose
hands he Is constantly playing.
1t Is certainly not the fault OF his sup
porters in the press tha. 50 thorough 4
want of harmony exists between the Sen.
ate and himself. Matters seem to be get
ting into very much the ssrna state as
they we're In the time Of Andy johnson.
| Projects in which the President takes
deep interest are ignominiously cast out
Of the Senate. This opposition may
partly be due to the dissatisfaction with
which certain features of the Presidents
policy are regarded, but ii may be traced
still more clearly to the want Of tact
which General Grant often displays IN
his dealings with men. He seems to havs
lost the art of Cancellation. His nomi-
nations to office are dictated in many id.
stances by caprice, or by personal pref
erences which are founded on motives
inexplicablc to those who entertain Z
high opinion of his character. His an
tagonists, indeed, find 1t easy to interpret
his conduct by tho assumption that he 10
influenced by all kinds OF unworthy cou.
siderations. We who have patiently stood
by him cannot TRANQUILITY accept that by.
pothesis But in presence OF some ofhis
acts we stand bewildcred--it 10 impossl.
BILE to defend them; it is impossible even
to understand them. They are purely
phenomenal in their character. and can
not in any way be traced to the ordinary
causes ofpolitical action.
One Of the great mistakes which Frcsi.
dent Grant is making is to suppose that
the quality Of determination, not to call
il obstinacy, which won for him many Of
his successes in the field, will serve him
equally we'll in the arena of statesman.
ship. The FIRST duty OF any one who oc-
cupies his great position is to suppress
his own individual preferences whenever
they are in conflict with the public inter-
est instead Of exercising this degree 1t
self denial. the President seems to know
but one rule-what he has once decided
upon must never afterward be modified.
Ii, for some inscrutable reason, he prom
ises an office, nothing can induce him to
alter his purpose He Is deaf alike to
the appeals Of his friends and the taunts
Of his enemies. Once more he has do
lighted his opponents and dsheartened
his supporters. He has made nomina-
ton tor the New York collectorship
which sets rational explanation ut ded-
ance. We have no desire to attack MF.
Thomas Murphy Much may doubtless
be said in his favor. he has been good
Republican, aud has doubtless endeared
himself to large circle Of friends.
But President Grant knows perfectly
we'll, or he might know IL he chose, that
he ought not to have removed Mr.. Grin.
nell III order to make room for Mr.. Muir.
ply. There was no necessity for the
step. The public have not been consid.
cred in it. 1t is open to objections
which have been placed before the Presi.
dent--but he has chosen to disregard
them ALL II the choice OF Mr.. Murphy
is confirmed by the Senate, we can do
nothing more than hope he will discharge
the duties Of his Office in manner which
will reflect credit on his character. Il
would be useless to discuss his personal
fitness any further. President Grant has
made up his mind, and that process seems
sometimes to exclude the ordinary ope-
ration OF reasoning upon the human un.
derstanding' But there are few public
men who could afford to repeat expert.
mcnts of this kind II the President 10
resolved to habi,aally spurn the advice
Of his impartial supporters--supporte
who have nothing to ask from him. and
nothing to expect-he must not be sus.
prised If in the end be ands himself stand.
ing alone.
"CAsrE DIscRIMISArioxs"- Geo.
T. Downing, prominent gentleman Of
color residing in Washington, writes "a
the New York Tribune that the most
shameful disregard Of "ekal' righ.s was
observable in the recent decoration cere-
monies at Arlington cemetery.
this week again contributed to honor
the dead, but to my great mortidcatiou ]
learned that there were two distinct Or
ders of exercises, one for the vhitc and
one for the colored soldiers, two dis
charges OF artillery, the exercises for the
blacks TO take place, a. the papers stated
" ut the close Of the exercises at the Ne
tional Cemetery at Arlington"
We went, after the FIRST celebration, -
the hollow where lay the despised black
hero, with no Tag, no trophy, no mouu-
mcnt, like those which mark The spot
where the white hero lies; nothing bue q
common broad Hat 6sld OF earth. Win
lhaaJk1. rba tha AAaAyAtn ami M6z