The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1871-12-21
General Amnesty,

The Louisville Courier journal under
the above heading, has this to say about
the Presidents recent message.
Taken upon its face, the message of
the President is rather more conssrva-
tive than was looked for, and may be
pronounced II pretty good campaign
document. The clause relating 10 am
nesty is a concession to the moderate
Republicans which General Grant can
readily afford to make an exchange for
it really amounts to nothing, means
nothing, and is, after all, referable to
Congress- which may do as it sees fit.
That General Grant has any definite
idea or feeling on the subject, beyond its
effect upon next years work, is most un-
likely. He simply has the wisdom to
obey a species of necessity. FUr our
Part-to borrow a good old Homeric
tgure-we shall not credit him with
genuinely peaceful intents until olives
begin to sprout from those shoulder.
straps which he has merely temporarily
laid aside. The man is not u man OF
peace. He is essentially q mar Of war.
Secure him the Ku-kiux act and the
Bayonet Election law, and he can snap
his fingers in the face of whomsoeyer he
will.
"When the purity of the ballot is Sc
cured, and majorities sure to elect Off
GERS rejecting the will of the majority
are obtained" he says, 81 DO not see the
advantage orpropriety of excluding men
from Office merely because they were men
Of character and standing before the re-
Lellion." Precisely. "Glye NC" he
means to say, "the enginery 10 control
the elections in the several States, and
what do.you or l care about it ?" II, for
example, Kentucky is subjected to a
machinery which secures the election of
all the Radical candidates, why should
Breckenridge and Machin and Preston
be disabled from holding Offices they
can't get anyhow? The logic Of this
view Of amnesty is Irresistible, and it
proves General Grant to be what his
partisans say he is-a very cunning per-
son.
Our Washington correspondent tells
US the magnunimity of the President
created surprise. A week ago lie was
going to recommend the opposite course,
But we are surprised at nothing nova
days. The ancient miracle of the loaves
and fishes has the most wonderful power
of sudden conversion Mt Washington,
and General Grant is Us accessible to its
influence as any subject from the Capt.
toll to Tie White House. We are no
nearer amnesty now than we were be-
fore. But the conservative Republicans
have a bone to pick which will amuse
and divert them whilst the Radicals 60
forward with their schemes. There is
indeed but little flesh upon the bone
which the President has tossed them.
But lord! what of that? They only
want Il chance to recant the squirt Of III
dependence of last session. We have
heard from Mr.. Irumbull and we slrall
hear from Mr.. Sumner. Carl Schurz
who is really sincere, ard who is also an
able and . brave Inau, will be left away
out in the cold. There will be nothing
for him but our old carryaIl; and it vii
give us pleasure to stop and pick HIM
up as we rattle along, and with him, as
many honest conservatives as are amino
to get ont Of Grants four-horse chariot
ard into Il plain and homely Demo.
cratic vehicle. It
UIan CARRIED uony 4LousonIs