Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-03-26
ABAD SPIRIT.

No one viii attempt to deny the right of
any man to criticise the official acts Of
public officers. This is the province of
every sitiEen of onr free government.
Any attempt to eurtail such privilege,
would very properly be considered an in
novation upon the dearest and most cher
ished rights Of the people, and would not
be tolerated. We believe the public press
should be allowed the most perfect liberty
in its criticisms Of public men and meas
ures. We hold, that we ia no way forfeit
eur claims to the respect and confidence
Of true Republicans, if we should see fit to
Justly and fairly criticise the acts OF lead
ers in cur own party. We claim, this as a
privilege. But while we recognize all this,
We have been panied at the course of GER
tain newspapers claiming to, be Republi-
can, but which have, nevertheless, in
dulged in disreputable and unjust spirit
Of fault finding towards a Republican adj
zninistration. In speaking of the Presi-
dent, they never rise to the dignity Of an
argument, but resort to slurs and innuen-
dos, utterly inexcusable. They never have
aword in favor of any act Of President
Grant, however meritorious, entirely over
locking that part Of his policy which can
be condemned by no party, and INDUCING
In contemplate squibs, based upon the re-
ports Of sneaizing newspaper correspond
ents, whose highest ambition is to invade
the sanetity Of the family circle, and pub
lish to the world that which never occurs.
This portion OF the press scarcely ever
has sword ofcomplaint at the corruption
Of democracy. They seem to think that
this carping and unjust fault-fnding gives
them an air of independence, while in
reality, 1t is only the result of abject
servility TO the opinions of those, to whom
they profess to be politically opposed.
What these papers expect to accomplish
for themselves, their party or their country
Ia more than we can imagine. Ifthey, by
their course, should succeed in putting the
Democratic party in power, they will per-
eeive their folly when tits late, Instead
Of being respected leaders under the new
regime, they will reap the reward of their
imprudence, not to say treachery.
So far as the present Administration is
concerned, it cannot seriously suffer from
Just criticism. It will compare favorably
with any Administration fer the past guar
Ter of q century. With peculiar difficulties
surrounding him, with which no other
President has had to contend, Gen. Grant
has in some respects exceeded the expecta-
tions Of his most sanguine friends. As we
hsvs stated upon former occasion, the
President has will Of his own, and be-
Gauss be failed to sacrifice his own views
10 those Of other men, lie has made some
rersonsl enemies among his own political
friends; but, in the main, his course has
been wise and patriotic, and viii bear the
closest scrutiny from friends or opponents.
If these Journals, which are attempting to
show their Independence by pandering to
the Democracy and petty fault-fnding
spiris, win only resort 70 just and fair
1eers-wiH only criticise IN fair way the
pubIic acts Of President Grant, they will
nsccmpli<h more for the country, and will
min the respect of decent men in all par