The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-04-15
c-ant and Mr.. Trumbull.

r,,ss ,vo gentlemen are IN WIG" wac co''.' ':ss
-. nacb other. In Gen. GRANT We nav
wiz. ',;,n without wisdom, and IN iRuA-
"'' wc have integrity fortified by Sood
i,5cmcnt, clear head, ana cou,"seV.S
hcart. Gen. GRANT was a man " i"'uo',
,retcns;ons. satisfied with opscuritS ""u
comfort: but fortune has refoiu'ion'-eu
.;,, o- awakened dormant characteristics
which were previously undcreloped. ne
has crown suddenly both avaricious ana
ambitious, while his mind has received no
NOW light to show him the way to crafty
his ambition and promote the happiness
and reace Of his country at the same time.
The rough impulses Of nature have sc'zco
upou him, and he attempts force where he
should triumph by eentleness and conciiia-
ton. He seeks to bring into atIect suomis-
sion a free people, who can only he won by
respecting their rights and promoting their
welfare. In other words, he has become so
eaten IN ny iuordinate ambition that his
better nature has lost all restraint upon
him, and he is prepared to sacrifice both
the Constitution and the public peace to
rrolons his rule over the land.
Mr.. TRuMBuLL has great temptation to
stand by the Administration and to CO.
operate with those leaders who have not
dared to differ with it. But he has too
much honor, too much integrity. to sacri-
fec the peace Of the country and to violate
his oath to support the Constitution. and
therefore he separates from both the Adj
ftn hn n no m.
spring with it to pass laws in violation OF
the Constitution for the purpose of pro-
longing the existence of the Radical war
party. He is not warped in his principles
or his conduct by motive 50 sordld; and
his integrity thus ills him high above the
men who arc pressing the kukluX bill,
which he has SO ably exposed that no i'm.
partial and just man can regard it withany
feeling but that Of execration.
There are other distinguished Republi.
cans who have shown that they are not
ready to sacrifice the form Of government
under which we live, and put an end alike
to State authority and personal liberty foI
the temporary triumph of 4 party. From
his peculiar attitude and great ability he is
most conspicuous, and his conduct has ell
titled him to the gratitude of his country.
1t will be well for the nation should the
day be near at hand when such fcalty to the
Constitution and the national welfare as
he has shown shall be acknowledged and
rewarded in worthy manner.
General GRANTS course has been enlS.
matica, to many. 1t cannot be understood
how he has so changed since 1863, when he
was 80 faithful to his implied obligations to
LEE and his followers, and when he Snatchcd
them from the brutal hands of the UNDER
WOODS Of the land; or since 1865, when,
under the advice of scHoFIELD aud RAW
LlNs, he inaugurated the Virginia policy
which saved this State from the fate OF
South Carolina. He stands now in oprc-
sition to the policy and the generous and
just sentiment he then displayed. His
motto, LET us have peace elected
him; and what says he now? Let the
bsyonet rule. Give the southern people
into my bands. l will crush out the last
vestige of opposition amongst them TO my
reelection. .'Away with Constitution" he
cries, and he demands the power to ignore
the southern State Governments and 10
take away the liberty Of the southern
people.
So great political mctamorphosis has
been achieved by no one in this country
save General BUTLER. Yet, when We con-
slider the vanity with which power may in
fate man whose elevation was rs supris-
in- TO himself as it was sudden, and whose
education and wisdom were not sufficient
TO ioltily him against the arts of corrupt
intriguers and the batteries Of Servlle cour-
tiers, we ought not to be greatly astonishcd
at the present attitude of General GRANT
before the country. He is precisely such a
man as hundreds who have before him
been unfortunately elevated to controlling
postions-men many Of whom were possibly
endowed with kindly dispositions, but were
too weak To resist the temptations Of
powcr--too ignorant and irreSolute to de-
tect and repulse the arts and cunning tricks
of designing political knlvcS, and falling
prey to ambition and corruption, they
became the scourgcs Of society.
The country was kindly disposed towards
General GRANT. The South was especially
So inclined, and had he followed out the
generous policy with which his first public
expressions aud acts were marked, he
might have secured to himself the unani-
NOUS vote of the southern States. We
mean the white vote, not the negro vote.
But he has thrown away jewel, than
which there is none more precious. He
has lost the opportunity of winning the
hearts of the people over whom lie tri-
umphed in war, and of carrying with Rim
out of this world their prayers and bless
ings. lie has done more. He has dcfaced
his own fame-robbed himself of the bright
est chapter in his own life. How strange it
is that men Of renown should so mar their
own glory as to make it the regret of their
friends and their country that they had not
persisted in their greatest act, and thus
saved their fame and honor from being mu-
tllated and torn by their own bands.
Dom este Strife in France.