The New York herald., 1870-08-27
OUR NATIONAL AND STATE POLITICS
GENERAL WALBRIDGE'S IDEAS
Grant for tho TSaticn-Greeley for
the state.

l
the state.
1 To rae EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
SIR take the liberty Of an Old democrat to bring
| 10 your attention one or two views on national
| matters which may not be inappropriate at this
| time.
The general tendency Of the country is to look at
the measure OF success that has been gained by this
administration. We have seen enough of President
Grant to know what manner Of man he is and what
he has done to justify the confidence OF the country
He has been In power for nearly two years, ana as
citizens we should ask whether he has kept his
pledges served the general Interests Of the people.
anu executed tho laws according to his oath.
We all know the difficulties which must einbarass
the President OF Q party. In the modern economy
OF American politics party is necessary to the
presidency The peop.e create party machinery to
carry out their wishes The danger OF sacrificing to
the party what Is due to the people is present.
and only men Of broaa views cast in liberal mould,
can arise above the temptation.
My first impression or General Grant Is that he
has, eminent degree, carried out the wishes OF
the people, and at the same time justified the hopes
OF the most earnest republicans. pay no attention
to the camors OF men who contend that he has not
been governed by the viii OF the party in some Of
his nominations to great offices. His theory Of a
Cabinet, theory that seems to be in consonance
with the true idea OF our constitution, is that the
President Is chief In the eyes OF tho people, while
his secretaries are merely counsel0rs and agents of
his Will II this Is an arbitrary rendering OF the
theory Of Executive power ana responsibility we must
remember tnat Mr.. Lincoln was even more arbitrary
when he directed Mr. Seward to write to NAPOLEON
that the almost unanimous resolution OF the House
Of Representatives simply the harmless expires.
nf hya hp1v
That precedent ought not to be forgotten by those
who the President for doing as he pleases In
the choice Of his Cabinet.
We have had an eminently sound administration.
II has been healthy in all its parts. There Is an air
o. peace and steadlness and smoothness-a sense
that necessary work is being wei and quietly done.
We have had peace, and We sorely needed peace
We may have felt at times that the administration
would be mere popular and could cnliven and In
spire the country by accepting some OF the romantic
schemes Of craftsmanship which are ever tempting
enterprising statesmen. We might have had little
more rolling Of drums and sounding OF trumpets and
attendant clamor and enthusiasm. But we had Sc
r,ous work to do, and it has been wen done. The
. financial administration has been honest and
straightforward. The debt has been steadily paid.
collected. We hear no more OF those unlawful
rings, which, In their extent and power aud mis-
Taxes have been removed ana the countrys burdens
have not Increased. Our credit gains in sire nrth
Our bonds are the best In the world. Foreign capI
tal finds interest and surety in our securities. In
fact this al0ne-this financial result OF General
Grants courage and sagacty-ls one OF those victo-
res OF peace which lar surpass the bloodiest yict0
r1es Of war.
We have, pure. administration. No American
need be ashamed Of hts President. The air has no
suspicion OF corruption ana debauchery.
we have no complications with foreign Powers.
horizon. " We have had the diplomacy Of Common Common
sense, which, alter all Is highest ana rarest states
II we feel that the President has done well. natu-
rally the question arises DO VIC owe him second
term? am very clear that the denomination OF
General Grant Is political and national necessity
II the republicans do not nominate General Grant
they WIN practically abandon their canvass. Ii he
cannot be elected, then we must submit to reac-
tionary democratic the representative Of policy
directly at variance with the best Interests OF the
didafe OF reaction. We must thoroughly paclfy the
Souh. We must decide our grave problem OF re-
construction absolutely that this CONSTANT inter-
mittent, enervating fever which seems always to
play over the surface Of the body polite will end.
Crime musI be repressed with en- even, steady, te-
perate hand--I mean the CRIMES OF rebels who per-
sist In the bitterness OF the war-as well as the
amons tns aa0 people, to Prey On er Suo
stance and store-to seek political advance
bs sy % %nS ss q %
the republican party. President without that
1dence is morally ana politically powerless In the
South. He has no influence with the loyal South
erners-none with the loyal men OF the North. We
saw how speedily President Johnson was stranded
when he surrendered his allegiance 10 his party
how rapidly he drifted upon chaos and destruc-
tiOn.
national creat rising higher and higher every day
with delicate Alabama and international problems
to settlewith the PREVIOUS fruits o. the war st uI
democracy-the country cannot afford to change its
administration. The republicans have no apparent
candidate who would unite nine-tenths OF General
Grants strength. ANY new anu raw candidate
would introduce into the canvass personal or poll
uca elements Of dlsc0rd and confusion There Ia no
statesman, no leader Of party whose position is
30 clearly defined that his nomination would be gen.
Clay among its p0liticans-a man who stood as high
with Its leaders aud followers as Mr. Clay did with
the old whig party-we might feel secure In his
not selected candidate must be created, with quar-
rels and heartburnings and dssensiOns and q gen.
eral weakening OF the party discipline and enthus-
For remember that to all parties there comes
time when continued victory brings weakness. Pa
| tronage corrupts and power eneryates There is o
| popular longing for change, which always Affects
| be. For the republicans to throw aside General
Grant, after his fidelity to every party principle and
the general acceptaby OF his adminis!I alton. and
the hundred struggling rivals who might be named,
is yrtully TO abandon the canvass by squanderng o
The nomination OF General Grant being the duty
and the necessity Of the republican Darty, what is
| tight In the State Of New York. The battle must
| open here on the bOldest and squaresg issue. The
| Empire State must be the battie ground OF the
| Union.
| There are two issues In this New York canvas ss
upon which the people VIII be called upon to pass
The first Is the financial results Of General Grant 9
| administration. The second Is whether, under our
present State government, there s any hope of hav
Ing lair and free election. Although State ques-
ton affects the whole country and In Its settlement
| the country has an absolute and growing interest
Financial integrity and the purity Of the franchise
| are the two planks of our platform,
All other issues must be postponed. Our friends
d,ner on questions Of revenue, tariff and taxation.
The time must come when we must meet these ques-
tions just 1t Is idle to talk Of protection and
free trade as q vital, pressing Issue. We must raise
| 30 much money to pay the expenses OF the govern
ment and meet the interest on the debt that 1t is
| folly to advocate immediate free trade. That be-
longs to the future 1t Is nnwise to anticipate it at