The Portland daily press., 1870-12-07
IT FIF PRESS
Wednesday, Morning, resem 7, 1870
Oar Dem oralixed President.


mere smoking machine whose acts are all me-
c1anical, and whose existence is that of an
altomaton which is artfully contrived to DO
certain things without thought will or emo
ton, should read with particular care the
part of his annual message that treats Of the
acquisition of San Domingo. The most dis
tingnished orators and lhetonciars would
lind il hard to sum up the advantages to be
gained by the annexation of that island with
more visor, conciseness or even eloquence
The fire that is hidden under the calmness of
Grants manner bursts out heie with such
energy that it forever sets at rest the question
rs TO whether he is made of ordinary flesh
and blood. He does not propose to throw
himself second time upon the mercy of the
Senate, where he was SO unsuccessful at the
last session, but craftily avails himself of the
traditional rivalry and jealousy of the Repre-
sentatives by proposing that annexation be
effected by means of joint resolution of both
HouseS
But the San Domingo matter does not fur
hish a fair test of the moral attitude of the
administration. We have for several months
past been assured by such 'radical" authori-
lies as the New York Post, Chicago Tribune,
ST. Louis Democrat, Springfield Republican,
Portland Adrertiser, and by all those who de-
light to call themselves "Revenue Reform
ers,' that the President has been captured by
,lnregenerate and willy counselling politicians
since the adjournment of Congress, and that
he has sold himself to them by as irrevocable
contract as that by which DR.. Faust sold
himself to the Devil. 1t is with no common
curiosity, therefore, that we look at the mes
eage for the purpose of discovering therein
evidences of that spiritual ruin which has un-
happily overtaken our chief magistrate, and
which has already placed the depraved Della
no in the place of the immaculate Cox, and
the debauched Ackerman twhere shone a few
months ago the peerless Hoar
In the discussion of our relations with for
eign nations this Generalization does not dis
close itself-keeping itself in reserve, proba-
by for home topics. The cold shoulder is
turned to Gen. Butler in the matter of the
Alabama claims. In the brief allusion 10
them. the impression is given that the govern
ment will allow Great Britain to reopen ne
gotiations, that country assuming meanwhile
the rather dangerous responsibility of the
continued pendency of our claims. The con-
viction is forced upon us that in this matter.
as well as in the conduct of our relations
with France and Spain, the President and
tie State Department have acted wisely, and
that the great food of wickedness and in
competency has not yet permeated every nook
and corLer of the administration. The out
RACES committed upon our fishing vessels in
Canadian waters are resented with proper
spirit, but still with statesmanlke temper
ance. Our right to the navigation of the St.
Lawrence is also insisted on with great energy,
as it certainly ought to be, under the circum.
stances.
But in our search for demoralization there
are certain places where we are sure to find
it, if it exists. Wicked Copgressmen are
quite uniformly opposed, either openly or cov-
ertly, TO the repeal of the ranking privilege
though the Postmaster-General says that it
would make his department self-supporting.-
But the President happens to be sound on
this particular question, and We must look
elsewhere for evidences of bis depravity.
Wicked congressman, and, we greatly fear,
large number of good ones, are opposed to
the competitive examination of candidates
for positions in the civil service. But the
President sagacionsly plants himself squarely
on civil service reform platform. But let
no one be misled by the tricks OF virtuous-
seeming politician. He will yet show his clov-
en- foot, despite the carnal wisdom he exhib-
its in hiding it.
There is the financial queston-a question
which in an infinite number of cases, though
not in all, serves as a touchstone for the trial
OF spirits, and discloses rottenness otherwise
unsuspected, causing men to talk of payment
of interest or even the national debt in green
backs, of a permanent paper currency, of tax
ing government bonds or Withholding their
interest, and finally of reputation itself
how does the President stand on this ques-
ton? He says very little about it, but what
he does say is unquestionaby right. He de-
slres speedy return to specie payments,
and he has shown by his acts that he
believes in paying the debt. There is nothing
upon which to found charge of malfeasance
here.
But the revenue REFORM is the crucial test
after all. What of that? Here Gen. Grant
deals very frankly, and if we detect the least
possible trace of sneer at the professional
revenue reformers, it may perhaps be forgiven
in consideration of the sound doctrine enun-
ciated. So far as revenue reform means
reduction of internal taxation till it finally
reaches the vanishing point, revenue tariff
with incidental protection and a reduced ex-
means direct taxation Or any kind of repudia-
ton, he is opposed to it. So far as it is moon
shine he laughs at it. "Not guilty." then,
must be the verdict so far.
But he shall not yet escape our tolls. Gen.
Grant might well profess virtuous principles
the better to conceal the notorious venaly
of his private character. His personal gains
would be larger by reason of the friendship
OF some powerful lobby assembled to force
through an appropriation for aprivate scheme
or for some great enterprise of aswinding cor
poration than by any general public immoral
ity. So far as his message is concerned it
would only be necessary for him to pass over
the subject of railroad subsidies in silence
But strangely enough We are at fanlt here
again. The message explicitly discourages
grants of either land or money to States or
corporations. The public lands he would re-
serve for the occupation of settlers under the
homestead act and for the announcement of
education.
AS for the Indian peace policy that is the
pride and boast of the administration. and
there is nothing but praise to bestow upon
that A large sized nest of swindlers was
broken up when the old system of appointing
Indian agents was abandoned.
Our astonishment at the failure of our re-
searches SO far is redoubled ON reading what
the President has to say on the subject of
American commerce. We had supposed that
he had gone hopelessly wrong on this subject,
and that Capt. John Goldman and others of |
the same stamp had got his ear. 1t was
gwen out beforehand that he would in his |
message recommend once more the registra-
tlon OF foreign vessels. But, on the contrary.
ne speaks only in favor Of encouraging the
building oil vessels here, and we infer from
the general tone of his remarks that he is in
with the select committee of which
Mr.. Lynch is chairman, and will coonera4o
with it.
a.