Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-28

TO the Imprisonment of ThaddeuS Hyatt, yonr
senior senator made one of the great speeches of
his senatorial life In that mastery argument the
danger to personal liberty which this course
threatened, was amplifed and dwelt upon with
all Mr. Summers rare ability. was reminded of
this in listening to him taking the opposite side.
For one, ii seems TO me the extraordinary power
of sending for persons and papers cannot be
delegated to ANYTHING less than joint special
committee, and then only under circumstances
Of great importance, such as those under which
the committee on the conduct of the war ecner-
ally acted, or those on which the committee on
the condition OF insurectionary states now act.
There has been too much looSeness on this sub
ject, and it is just as well to take new depart
ure.'
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF THE PRESIDENTS CHAR
ACTER.
Any day could take my reader to a score OF
intelligent and even prominent men, nearly all
OF whom would wholly disagree in their esti
mate of General Grants character. About one
fourth would term him stupid, coarse, undigni-
fed, ETC.; one third of the remainder would
deem him able and willy, but corrupt; the bal
ance woald, in expressing their conviction, de
clare that the president is able and honest, SIM
cere in his purpose, and generally wise in his
policy and administration. OF those who affirm
him stupid, etc. generally find most have been
offended by some want of tact, or by, perhaps
over directnesS, either from the president him
self, or more likely some one about him. Per-
haps his most implacable, as they certainly are
his most annoying foes in this respect, are the
larger number of the Young men who furnish
news, comment and gossip for the press of the
country from this whispering gallery" of the
nation. am confident that this feeling of an
tagonism is generally due to something which
has occurred at the White house, and
which they have regarded as a personal
slight. They certainly have not failed in so
rescnting it. In most eases what has been con-
strued by them TO mean dislike of their profess
sion has been either indifference, Ga still more
objectionable sin to the morbidly sensitve,) or,
what is more likely, desire to act fairly to all.
Public men are slow to learn that the fourth
estate is a real force. They appreciate the
newspaper in its totality as a result, but gen.
orally harbor contempt or dislike for the jour
nalist Individually. | suppose it must be ac-
hUONl6uHtu luut iHt genus huohh luS
Washington Correspondent" is of rather an
exasperatng character. He is generally
young man of first rate ability, but not of real
convictions, yet eminently practical and patr-
Otto according to his lights He feels that he is
in place where he can exercise strong per-
sonal influence. Being generally a full and
even belligerent believer in journalism being
N hat tic liouitN CHI bn
recognized, "our correspondent is always
ready ito go for" any one who does not accept
this Somehow the White house appears to-
tally oblivious of the idea that a newspaper has
any personality to be offended or notified Its
inmates have suffered from this lack of appre-
citation. But 10 return, newspaper anta9o-
nists began by declaring Grant stupid. They
now affirm him dangerous. Most of them are
highly offended because he has no "style." He
walks unattended up and down the avenue,
smokes his cigar, puts his hand in his panta-
looms pockets or, clasped behind him, and with
head bent saunters along, ''inyiting his soul,
as Walt Whitman might say, "to loaf
| and take its ease" Grants female an
| tagonists are very much offended be-
cause he has "no dienity"-that is, he
is not like Robert E. Lee or Salmon P.
Chase, perhaps, always posing himself for
an historical portrait. Grant does not appear
| like man who is at all afraid of the worlds
| finding him in undress. The saying that no
man is hero to his valet would have no terrors
for him, for it has never entered his mind to es-
| teen himself hero, and therefore, valet OF
not he would be natural alike TO ALL
CONCURRENT TESTIMONY.
| With all this divergence of opinion about the
mental characteristics of the president, it is very
notable to observe that those who know him
| best like him most. The highest estimate Of
his intellectual capacity has come from enemies
| Prank Blair, for example.
But take the opinion OF men who are about
| him. George s. Boutwell,, secretary of the
treasury, says that Gen. Grant is man greatly
underestimate by many. He has stated several
times that, in cabinet. the president almost al
| ways leads, that he has distinct ideas, and val
liable ones, on all the mulhiarious topics of i'm
portance which come under consideration, and
that, instead Of being silent or in any way
stupid man, he is ready quick and almost al
ways well and even infinitely informed. Gov
Boutwell, is not regarded as at all enthusiastic,
| vet even he warns when speaking of the presi-
| dent.
| Secretary Robson, very shrewd and keen
| sighted man of affairs, declares that Grant is
the leader of his cabinet on all important topics
In the main he has taken the initiative on all
the principal features of his Administrations
Mr.. Robeson's praise is reaffrmed by others.
George William Curtis has several times ex-
| pressed surprise at not only the comprehension
OF the civil service question shown by the presi-
| dent, but his very complete mastery of its de-
| tails. When Mr.. Curtis first came, he doubtless
expected he would have both to convert and in
| struct the executive. OF course that gentleman
has never said this, but he stated he was very
much gratifed, as well as astonshed, to find
Gen. Grant very well posted, not only on our
own but the civil service system of other coun-
tries
Other gentlemen whom know well informed
| on distinct topics, have at times expressed, in
| my hearing, their surprise to find the president
so well informed on their peculiar specially.
The matter of kuklux outrages, and legislation
| thereon, is another one of these examples Sem
ator Scott, or Representative Stevenson, the two
members of demonstrating committee who may
| be deemed most thoroughly informed thereon,
have said, over and over again, that the presi-
| dent understands the subject better than they
do. Senator Scott stated last fall that he was
| the best informed man in the country on this
matter. could 90 on and spin this letter ont
with concurrent testimony, but forbear.
| know what will be sad-that there must be