Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-10-13
A mEDDLING EXECUTIVE


1t is novel Office which the President
has taken upon himself, that of the cen
so1ship of politics. Indifferent hitherto
to the course of the tide, so it but bore
him along on its breast, he suddenly steps
forth to direct it altogether. The waif is
ambitious to be creator. He has found
no time, in the srduOus line of duties Sc
lected for the summer, to say syllable
on Cuba, Canada, or the Alabama claims;
our fishermen are gobbled up under our
very noses without a word from his
magisterial lips; but when an independent
movement betrays itself in the party
ranks, as lately in Missouri, he is prompt
with official directions and menaces, and
assumes to run the party wholly by him
self. 1t is the same in New York, where
he has descended from his public position
to NEEDLE personally in the politics of the
State Murphy was his appointment, and
the action of the Saratoga Convention
was his inspiration. Cheating and open
purchase are the standing accusations
against that immaculate body, whose
journals are noisily charging all the
crimes in the decalogue against the united
and enthusiastic Democracy.
His interference with the politics of
Missouri is the most offensiF e act yet
perpetrated by an American President
upon the intelligence of independent citi-
zens. He writes to a subordinate officer
there, prescribing the formula which the
party is to follow. Nobody is to be rec
ognized as a Republican who supports the
SchurZ and Brown movement. All hold
ers of Office are to wear collars bearing
none but the words of his craving. On
internal questions no difference of opin-
ion is to be tolerated. 1t matters not to
him that he is with the minority of his
party in the State. 1t is sufficient that he
has finally shaped his personal will in the
premises. He has spoken and that shall
be enough, This new manifestation of
interest betrays only the awakening desire
of running a second time for the Presi-
dency. His interference in Virginia pol
itics is included in the act of meddling
with Missouri. What he was guilty of in
North Carolina, in cooperation with HOl-
den and Kirk, is known of all men, who
have felt only shame at its contemplation.
The Bullock scheme in Georgia needs no
recapitulatiOn-a scheme that is believed
to be but slumbering in anticipation of
the right opportunity to bring it to cul-
mination.
1t seems to have become notion of the
President that his Office was bestowed on
him as q sort of perquisite, with the free
right to use Government places and priv
ileges primarily for his private advantage.
The Treasury has felt the power of such
an idea, and the market has told of its
resulting mischief. Even negotiation for
foreign territory is held to belong in the
same category, and it is manipulated as
if it were but part of a private bargain.
Missions to foreign countries are employed
alternately as pay and punishment IL is
the same petty spirit running all the way
through. The elections IN the States
he has come to regard as but
opportunities to be availed of for
advancing his personal plans and assert
ing his personal power. Nothing 80 Of
fensive to the spirit of American treemen
has before been manifested by an Ameri-
can President. A sharp popular rebuke
is the very thing to cure him, and read a
merited lesson to all Presidents who shall
presume to follow such an example. New
York will administer the stern correction
which the Presidential conduct deserves.
His own party in Missouri will eagerly
improve like opportunity to assert the
independence of the people over diCta-
tors. If he thinks he can play with the
Northern States as Congress has empow-
cred him to do with the Southern, there
will be no better time to undeceive and
rebuke him by one and the same act,
which is to be performed through the
ballot.