National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-04-14
A W'OsI 10 NOAost RtEMLli'ams
about GrGs< aNd hts Opponents.
GeNeral Grant had hardly been


General Grant had hardly bee
inaugurafcd President before eel
tain Republican leaders. who, i
good faith, we're bound to lend hi
administrative their hearty aid, com
mencr,l II systematic effort to under
mine his popularity with the party
hoping thus to prevent his reIiolni-
aafion and secure the place them
selves. These Republican aspirant'
for the Presidency are unfortunate
~ numerous and powerful. Each
has about him his friends and allie,
beside II little army Of political dc
pendants, Each controls direct,
some portion Of the mrtropoli ~
press. The rural newspapers, man,
Of them, imaoccmtly copy the ton,
aud initiate the spirit Of city jourm
ais. These aspirants though acting
independently Of each other, ar.
united IN the purpose Of destroying
confidence IN the President, and tlieil
action has lin efficiency of concert
ed effort. 1t has already proved
partially successful but turns GU,
that the fidelity of Grant has 50
identified his administration with
the Republican party that the ruin
Of the one is the stiuciiOn OF the
other. Keen sighted Drmocl ats
early perceived this sp' nit Of crili-
cism in the Republican leaders tow
a their cliei. nhd for some tiasc
after the Presidents ilangui alton,
the Democratic press poured U1nn
him the most Ul~,n,c adulation,
hoping to win his administration in.
to the service Of their party. But
Genera! GIant, although elected
without pledge, and never before
identified with any political party.
was too straightforward, and hon
est, and brave. and faithful, to de.
scrt the principles he was elected to
maintain. Every where he made
his administration thoroughly Re
publican. The last hope OF Undue
ing him to abandon the party fled
when he wrote lis Missouri letter
cOndemning the detection of Carl
Schuriz. Schurtz insisted on a
more liberal course toward the leb-
els. Unable to get amy encourage
mcnt in the regular Republican Con
veutiOn of Missouri, he led of in IL
division of the party. Thiss,ct!or,
SChurtz claimed, was to purify the
party. Grant denounced his action
as certain to throw the STATE into
the hands of the Democrats. The
Boston Jouynai even severely crit
cised the President for interfering
with this German patriots sincere
effort to ictorm and parity the Re
pahIicau party. Schurtz persisted,
and the result of his publication is
a Democratic Governor and lcgisla
tnre in Missouri, and the election Of
Frank Blair to the United States
Senate. Blair's open defence of the
Ku kluX is not, lowcvtr, to day, so
damaging to the country as the
course o. Scnnrtz who still Processes .
to he u Republican. The one is an
open opponent the other is a pro
frsSed friend. stcadil, at work SOW.
ing disSension in the Republican
ranks, Initiating. managing aud 70.
menting the Sumner imbrosl o. and
10y every conceivable means attempt.
ing TO destroy the pnblic confidence
in the Republican administration,
IN order, as he claims, I" pWyy and
strengthen the Repubiicm party
This man who took Frank Blair hy
t he hand aud led him INTO the Sen
ate, is the man who rcSrnlly FELT SO
deeply aud poured >ut $, much Ihrt
Drlc Oh the occasion Of what lle call
I'll "lhe outrage" on Charles Suunn-r
He in fact was the Senator who
opened the debate, and called up
or discussion in the Senate the ac.
ion of the Republican caucus in
merely refusing to renoluilate Mr..
Sumner TO particular committee.
Sumner, like the modest man he is
sat 10y and u.grsted why he should
"a the organization of this new Con.
sreEs. he renor; mated to place the
senate did not think best To give
Iim. The object of this discussion
certainly was not 10 change the ac-
ion of tae Senate, for its Geterm.
ned purpose bad been mos: unmis-
akahly indicated in the caucns.--'
rbe object WAS simply 10 divide the
'arty, to enlist some Of Summers
dlnirers into the opposition. and il
to make Sumner appear