Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-09-22

is well into the third year Of his
+, administration, but no such qucs.
tons are asked now. For every
man in the country knows that OF
AL the men who have been elevated
to the Presidency Of this Republic,
not one WAS ever more true TO the
political questions and issues to
which his party was committed than
Grant. To every issue embraced
in the platform on which he was
elected, he has been as true as
though it were a part Of himself
More than this. Whatever legisla-
ton WAS deemed necessary to give
effect to the measures and princi-
pies involved in his election, he has
never failed to recommend, and,
when enacted, to faithfully enforce.
When questions have arisen con-
corning which Republicans were
divided in sentiment, unlike some
OF his Democratic predecessors, he
has refused to organize an admins
tration faction inside of the party,
to force Presidential views upon the
organization at the expense of dis
rapting it. Pierce made the Kan
SIS Nebraska bill an administration
measure, as did Buchanan the ini;l-
nous Lecompton scheme, against
the wishes Of 4 ma ority of their
party. They lc,! their party to its
death. The Republican party will
die Of no such visitation at the hands
of President Grant.
THE GREAT TRU ST EEPosED IN GRANT
Some extreme Legislation has been
enacted during the Administration
Of President Grant, to insure the
purity Of elections, and to suppress
the disorders and barbaritics so
prevalent in the South. This legis-
lation has placed great power in the
hands Of the Prcsident-power
which we could AL have hoped it
would never be necessary to place
il the hands Of any President
which might be dangerous in the
hands OF an ambitious and eviliy
disposed executive-and still, power
that the ext gencias ot'the times seem
ed to demand. While these measures
were pending in Congress, it was
charged by those who opposed
them, that it would be dangerous to
entrust such power to any executive,
but above all others to Grant-that
his idea of executive duty was de
rived wholly from his military edu-
cation and experience, which would
induce him to execute such statutes
as he would a military order-that
he was OF a despotic tu,n Of mind,
and full OF ambition, and would
abuse his power until the country
would cry aloud for his deposition.
The laws were passed. The Presi-
dent was clothed with the denounced
power. He has held it for months.
Proyccations Of its use have been
numerous, and yet, were not these
measures of recent origin, and the
discussion Of them i'll Congress, and
through the press, fresh in the
minds of the people, the country
would hardly know that such laws
were on the statute books, SO care
fully has the President been not to
use his power except in emergen-
cies so commanding that a failure
on the part of the Executive to as
sert the majesty Of the law, would
seem like a crime. He will execute
these laws just as he has executed
toher laws, firmly but prudently.
In the matter of the settlement of
our difficulties With Great Britain,
the President has done better than
We had reason to hope could be
done, snd he is entitled to the com
menaations of the country for what
he has accomplished in this regard.
While the Washington Treaty is
not just what l desired, in some re-
spects, still, taken as a whole, it is
an acceptable adjustment Of vexed
questions, and has made friendly
two great nations who ought ever
to be friends, but who were in dan
ger Of driitin" into war-a calamity
OF which We have had enough for
the lifetime Of a nation, and which
| hope We may experience no more
forever.
Nor would | neglect to say word
touching the much talked Of
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM,
and the Presidents relations there
to. II is within my personal knowl-
lie that, before his election to the
Presidency, Cen Grant was firm
advocate OF reform in the Civil
Service OF the country, which would
insure the servic of competent
men by means Of some we'll devised
competitive system, enforcing tit
ness for the office as the quaitica-
ton to be required of applicants,
assuring to appolntces II more per
manent tenure than that by which
they now hold. And I was sur
priscd when Gen. Cox retired from
the Interior Department to see that
an effort was making to convert him
INTO Il martyr on the ground that he
WAS forced to retire because he IA
| vored reform in the Civil Service.
and the President did not; and
think Gen. Grant himself was sur
| priSed at the course of his own
| friends. Doubtless he was in favor
Of reform, but not more decidedly
| SO than the President. And the eff.
fort to place him above Grant in
this regard was ridiculously absurd
to every man acquainted with the
facts.
TESTED AND FOUND TRUE.
No man can be found in the
Presidential chair, against whom
objections will not be lodged when
he comes to be tested by the trials
Of actual administration. Oppo-
ncnts will always find fault, and the
man who can please all his friends
at all times, has not yet been born.
Grant has been severely criticised
in some high Republican quarters;
but doubt exceedingly, if his crit
les could administer the Govern
mcnt for three years and give less
cause for ofiense than he. 1t is