Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-16
.. r. ON .. 5.


1 lux ARLINGTON, MATCH IL, 1OfU. Jay
before yesterday his serene Highness
Ulysses S. Grant, got down from his very
high horse, and walking to the Capitol
| politely requested an interview with the
Committee on the Judiciary in the Sen
ate. 1t is said that he offered to compro-
misc upon the obnoxious Judge. But
what is said is totally unreliable. When
Senator reports confidential interview
| he impeaches his own testimony, and
when one of our reporters undertakes to
| give the details, will make my affidavit
! that they are untrue.
But the visit is significant. His serene
Highness of the sweet cigar set out with
the understanding that he was to keep clear
of politicians, and his success has been
| very remarkable. He has kept al0cf
from politicians, and the politicians, with
the same success, have given His Excel
lency wide berth.
But there came time when into bis
| darkened brain there crept tie notion
that, after all, the politicians had their
uses. The Senate, for example, has,
under the Constitution, the right to con-
firm. This right, under many admins
tratioDs, had fallen into disuse. The pol
| iticians of the Senate and the politicians
of the White House acted together to one
| common end-each end looking to the
success of the party generally, and to
| the success of each in particular.
But when U. S. Grant ceased to re-
spond to the common prayer. of "Grant
us, o Lord,n and pulled his contempt into
| the faces of these Senatorial Solons, and
permitted his venerable daddy to appoint
collateral Grants to Office over the heads
| of Solons from the Cave, they hauled off.
One day thereafter his Excellency, driy-
| ing past the Capitol, found his friend,
the judicial muff, from Massachusetts,
stranded on the curbstone, and split all
to pieces. And the only reason given
was the one so often found in the Fog
bank, ''Don't like him."
Then again, when the gold investigation
came off, and drove the dirty business to
the very door of the Executive Mansion,
his Excellency found a politician he had
ridden over in the appointments of his
district with the intensest contempt, held
his reputation in his hands; and, forget
ting the past, and looking only to the
good name of the Government, this poll
tician carried the President safely through.
Experience is an expensive school, but
some Presidents will learn at no other
AS his Excellency reads no papers, and
permits no one to approach him who can
or will lell'him the truth, he is forced to
drive his unhappy executive skull against
the stone wall of experience.
For the first time in the history of the
United States, we have President who
draws his salary with healthy regularity,
and is in every word the King Log of the
fable. We had been so troubled with the
King Stork and his eternal and internal
policy, that to have President who
knows nothing, and did not pretend to
know anything, was refreshing. But
since King Log has turned all the powers
of the Administration over to seven gen
tlemen, and those not the wisest in the
land, and we find ourselves possessed of
seven different policies, some of them
conflicting, the change is not so refresh
ing.
For time here the all absorbing ques-
tons were, Who runs the administration,
cOnundrum dried out for lack of interest,
for twas discovered that Grant had moth
ing to do with the administration. The
King smoked and said nothing, and the
Government run itself.
''If this matter belonged to COx's De-
partment, said an influential gentleman
TO me, one day, che could accomplish
something, but it pertains to the State De-
partment.
'But can't We get some influence TO
bear upon Grant2"
ut would not do any good. He would
turn it Overat once to Fish, and that would
be an end of il"
''But, are not grave questions like this
discussed in Cabinet, where Cox and Bel
KNAPP can have an influence2n
''Well, yes, when the head of Depart
ment sees fit to introduce it. But each
member feels that he is running his own
machine, and there is an understanding
not to interfere with each Other."
On further investigation found this to
be the fact: We have seven Presidents :;
Fish controls the State Department, with
out reference to any one; Butwell is
lord of the Treasury; Cox conducts the
interior, and Belknap the War Depart
ment; and so throughout. The Presi-
dent is solemn, silent, smoking figure
head, with abundance of time to put on
a white choker and swallow-tall, and at
tend every entertainment to which any
one may invite him. meet him fire.
quently upon the streets, incoming along,
withcigar in mouth, and ungloved hands
behind his back.