Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-04-12
Life, america and the Americans" "Notes fo
Readers Ont of the Way" &c.
Letter from Washington.
IconEspoNDrNcE OF THE WORCESTER srr.l
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 10, 1871.

WASHINGTON, D. c., April 10, 1871.
CONVINCED BY ONES FOES.
Frank Blar's rhetoric or logic or both, must
have wonderful charm to some men. Where
they find it l cannot tell, for, to me- it is the
emptiest sound and fury, only relieved from
being the veriest bosh by reason of the social
magnetism of the man himself. Yet, there are
republicans who seem to have been converted
by him, not it is true, to an acceptance of his
political policy, but to the view which he has
given out Of President Grants character. Ac-
cording to Blair, the president is a man with
more than the reserve attributed to Tiberius,
and more ambition even than julius Caesar or
the great Napoleon. We are in great danger of
the direst efforts, according to his theory, for
the establishment of military power,-the in
auguration of imperialism in our midst. This
bosh actually finds believers, or those who pre-
tend to fear that there is some truth in the aecu-
sation, among men here who are of the republic
can faith.
These men are terribly jaundiced. No act is
done by the executive which is not seen "as in a
glass darby" Everything has the aspect of
inscrutability with them. Soue deep Interior
purpose covers all the presidents acts. Some
of these cavaliers really believe this absurdity.
The majority, however, are too shrewd here
abouts, at least, TO accept such twadde other
| wise than a cloak.
| MAN-woRsHIPPING INTERESTS.
Really the anti. Grant abuse, emanating here
within party lines, has but one impulse and one
motive--a design to forestall public opinion
| -,
ton. This is great center of president-making.
Besides, there is always on hand a more than
sufficient force of "clacquerS" who are tied on
| the tail of some favorite--as Salmon P. Chase,
for instance. There are many intelligent men,
some even of pronounced intellectual abil-
ity, who hold to the idea that a man
of his imposing inches and pretence
has natural right to be president, no matter
what may be the services of any one else. There
are plenty of men who think gifts, culture,
personal presence, etc., give their possessor a
fee simple deed for position and place. 1t is
hard for such people to accept the genuine DEM
ocratic doctrine, that possession of gifts physi-
cal and mental, give only right to serve; never
constitute any title to command. Such men are
highly indignant that mere tanners son,-but
eleven years ago himself clerk in tanners
store,-should become president of the United
States. ga mere fighter" said one of these
worthless in my hearing yesterday, "what folly
to make him president, when we have gentle
man like Charles Francis Adams, with the blood
of statesman in his veins, and himself with the
habit, training and mind of one."
Here spoke the aristocrat or-the toady. Now
all the twaddle against the president, so much
of which we've heard of late, is born of this
feeling, or fostered by the would-be president
makers. l am not speaking of the larger strife,
but of the "gbbering idiots with straws in
their hair" who from here and elsewhere have,
as journalists, ETC., given undue importance to
trivial acts, and exaggerated differences that
might easily have been arranged without mis-
understandings.
WANT OF TACT WORSE THAN CRIME.
A good deal of the alleged unpopularity of the
president grows out of want of tact, not only
in himself, but in those about him. Setting
aside Dent, who from pOmposity has come down
to humility, there is not man about the presi-
dent who seems to profess particle of that
fine art which makes men feel themselves
of some importance in the estimation
of those they come in contact with. l have
been as much ANNOYED, in my small way, by
what the Washington letter-writer, in the last
"Old and New" so aptly styled "want of
felicity" as characteristic of this administra-
tons acts, as any one else could be- And en-
quiry establishes that this fault of manner a
disagreeable one it is true but not criminal, is
at the bottom of nearly all the criticisms made
against the president. / heard a gentleman
give some of Carl Schurz's reasons for oppos-
ton, as he heard them himself from the sena-
tors lips, and nearly all resolved themselves
into deficiency in tact. Schurz's complaint
seemed to b. chiefly contained in one cry, Gle
IS no gentleman"
But the president is really gaining strength in
spite of Cumbersome of which appear worse
than crimes, even. The simplicity and direct
ness of his nature forces itself more and more on
the public mind, and compels recognition
which dwarfs the mere faults Of manner, tenn
permanent and training. The admirable tone of
the San Domingo message, in spite of the last
paragraph, is strengthening the administration.
The republican party is really stronger to-day
than it has been for many a day before-even
when it claimed that overwhelming majority
which it has not now.
SPEEDY ADJOURNMENT AND AFTER.
The senate will have agreed to the kuklux
bill almost by the time this letter appears in
type, as the democrats are not anxious to debate
its provisions, and the republicans are unit in
support. The probability is that congress will |
adjourn by Friday of this week.
The work of the southern investigating COM |
mittee promises to be of great importance. |
There appears a determination to carry it out
thoroughly. Your correspondent expects to
go with them, as usual, being ito the fore" in |
these "scrimmages" OBSERVER.