The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1871-05-13
THE ELKO INDEPENDENT,
SATURDAY. NAY ~, ,s7r.
Grant and sta,..u,.n.hip-

ties. Aristotle, long ago, made the wise OBJ
servatson that the true Office Of the legislator
does not exist in enactipg the best, the abso-
futety good. bat in enactibg 30 much of the
good as the people will accept, 30 much of the
Best as can be executed. The progress OF man.
kind implies am advancement from a lower 10
higher civilization, from less to more knowl-
edge, from weaker b a stronger sease of
justice. Without making any search for the
laws that govern progress, We may remark
that the process is slow and can not be greatly
accelerated by legislative -euass-nents. The
gTess statesman is one who sees, and we NAV
add feels, with true instinct the condition Of
his country, and understands the signs Of the
times. With AN enlightened common sense,
that Is far wiser than any logic, he adapts
measures to the nseds OF the hour, and thus
keeps the State safely in harmony with the
general on-going of the world He does not
regard 1t as his business to reconstruct man.
kind. HS takes society IS he finds it. and
practically believes that the Almighty knows
what he is about in his management of the
ages. The true statesman does not regard il
as his duty to undertake substitution of
human laws for the primary, vital forces that
underhe the evolutions Of history. In the
light of this great principle we are prone to
inquire into those remarkable words of q. s.
Grant. when he said, II have no policy to en-
force against the will of the Eeopls." Such
language certainly strikes the mind as being
the sentiments of good craftsmanship. Every
thing of this import in this country should be
measured by its true and ultimate merit
How President Grant has fulfilled the above
utterance N Hrs administration Of the Govern
ment. is written in words so plainly that any
person whose mind ranges above mediocrity
can easily perceive 1t is weil known, that un-
der his administration, the rights that once
belonged to the States have been trampled
upon and set at naught; be has usnrped
powers delegated to the people by the Consti-
tuition in relation to enactments that have
been enforced upon the people of the South.
And when General Grant said, LET us have
peace" it was not presumed by the people
thai he merely ueac; iney should become sub
servient to the dictatorial measures he mipht
be pleased To enforce upon them. Neverthe-
less, the result has shown itself TO be the Off
spring Of contention. Is there no significance
IN his endsavors to curtail the powers of the
Supreme Court, that that august body, like State
laws and constitutions, might become merely a
nullity? The notices of Grant have proven
as false in principles as they have resulted
mischievously in their practical tendencies.
1t is said that Grant has been formally an
nounced as q candidate for re.eIection to the
Presidency of the United States; and it is fur
Their understood that the partisans who have
decreed the announcement will use their en-
deavors to place at his disposal the navy. army
and militia, to secure his grasping wish Such
a candidacy must he very pleasing to those
who well know that under his administration
the industrial pursuits Of the country have
languished and become almost completely
crushed. Under him, enormous defalcations
have continually prevailed, and corruption
has held high carnival; honesty, fitness and
moral. worth have been discarded that truck
ing knaves and dishonest. tools might bold the
positions that should be places of trust, COM
posed Of men who would bend the knee to the
decree, and do the Bidding, of their mas
ter Grant has exerted the most despotic
power in every act Of his administration. He
has given his aid in enforcing the harshest
measures to influence the minds of the people
of the Middle and Southern States. II is a
fact patent that during his executive transac-
tons hundreds OF millions Of the public money
have been squandered-.wrung from the sweat
and toll of the laboring classes. Grant has
been facile and supple tool in the hands OF
his sohemiDg advisers, and they would con-
tinue him in their nefarious designs for their
further plundcrings -
The nomination of Grant will BE- n blessing
to the nation, for the impulse of Justice would
foreclose the bond infsmy that has 80 long
hung over the liberties of our people, and con.
sign the remnant Of the contentious crew EN-.
listed in the Radical cause to an everlasting
and inglorious nonentity.a The false states
mRnship which his course has illustrated
can never become monument of satisfactory
recurrence to well-nishers Of republican and
democratic institutions. Such statesmRDship
as he has exhibited will leave no beacon of
light for constitutional liberty. Such states.
manship ~ he has inaugurated will pass away
into oblivion. never TO he resUrrected; while
the lamp of progress shall burn 10 illume the
pathway Of the rcgeneratng element that will
yet build up the broken fabric that now totters
under his guidance. The edifce Of coustitu-
tional rights will yet be rebuilt by artihceis
who will prove themselves superior statesmen
- II a..