The New York herald., 1871-11-27
We rsssaAssuaI Canvass-urssvB xsaI
sUensss-Rinancial Disaster Means she
Defeat or the AHmImi.tr. .tlsn 81 ,

- so9eoual Ouuvo9osOro~VU Re01
Dsnsse-Einancial Disaster Means sses
Usssas Of the AlnlnIstratiss.
Ine combinations now being made against
uenerai Grant seem to have taken courage
.fom despair. In some respects more self
sn comDanatlon was never seen In our politi-
Cal history. We recall but two similar in
s'ancss-the attempt Of Burr to gain the Presi-
oency Dy an Intrigue against JetYsrson-snd
the arrangement by which Clay and Adams.
In defiance Of tho expressed will OF thu r.opI.
defeated Jackson aud made Adams PrasIdsnt
These proceedings were immoral In the c.s.
Of Burr, manifestly So more dioer,,
contrivanoe. With Adams there was no poss.
tive immortality, no deliberate conspiracy. far
Clay and Adams were both honorable mcm-
and ell that was dono was within tho stios
letter Of tho constitution and the laws; but n
was in violation Of the will Of the people and
gave rise to grave suspicious. II carried its
own punishment. It enabled Jacksons follow
ers and Jackson himself to allege all manner
Of scandals; 1t almost cost Clay his life In the
duel with Randolph; It prevented his oleva-
ton to any place higher than the Departments
of State. The people are never deceived By
Injustice and however petulant or waywara
In what is called tho expression Of popular
opinion, in tho end they are governed BY
magnanimity. So far, therefore, ~ these
combinations against Grant are the angry In
spirations Of men who have never held oflce,
or the feverish anticipations Of those who
desire Presidential honors, they win have
little effect upon the people. When Mr..
Schurz says, for instance, that Grant In his
St. Domingo policy meant to declare war IN
spite Of Congress, and that his action was
usurpation, nobody believes him, and he does
not believe himself We feel that he is angry
for another reason, and that he assigns pre-
text For however much men may dislike the
St. Domingo business, no one can question
Grants honesty in the matter. Call it mis-
take; only a dcmagogue will call it a crime.
And so down the list of drag-net accusations
and denunciations, all this tavern-gossip about
cottages and presents and appointing rela-
tives to Office. When politicians try to build
a party, or even ''organize movement" in
this way, they have q qulcksand for their
foundation, and the first heavy breeze from
the northwest will mako an end of it. It
means, furthermore, that they have really
no valid grievances with the administration!
Grave and gray and bearded men like Sumner
and Greeley do not stand up seriously and
recite stories like what we read about tho
President when they have principle to de-
fend or some crime against the republic 70
punish. This phase of the canvass is an on
couragement to the supporters Of the Prssi-
dent, as showing the poverty Of the anti-Grsse
leaders. History is full Of other encourage
ments. Remember what was said q
Washington and Jefferson and Jaskssa
and Lincoln by the opposition to their 81
ministrations. We have taken those names
and canonized them in our political shrineS
and in every convention We make our devotions
and honor their memory and mourn over
them a. the true fathers Of tho republic. In
their day they were assailed az savagely and
unrseasonably a. Grant. It is law of human
nature that power must have antagonisms.
ssThey who walk In the sunshine of fame"
says Scaliger, "must be followed by the shad-
ows Of envy" When the night comes the
shadows pass away, even as they have passed
from the early Presidents. The country
hearkened, and not without the joy of mis-
chief, perhaps, to the assaults upon Washing
ton for his aristocratic and monarchical ton
denotes, for his stern, imperious nature; to the
stories Of Jeferson's Jacobinism and atheism,
and the vulgar libels which now only live In
the verses of Thomas Moore; to the furi ous
denunciations Of Jackson a. dusllist, racing
man, an attendant at cock fights to tho mar
ratiops Of Lincoln's impurity Of speech, hin
unworthiness, his hidden sympathies with
rebellion. II We are not mistaken this 10 the
very Mr.. Sumner who arraigned Lincoln for
his infidelity to emancipation-the very Gree-
ley who assailed him for his manifold shoEt-
comings and gave his reelection tardg
and feeble support; and with them afe
united the very men who went to Cleveland
and nominated third party ticket, with John
G. Fremont for the Presidency, and John
Cochrane-the same who Is now by Gods
good providence Alderman Of the city Of New
York-as Vice President. The heroes of the
Cleveland movement against Lincoln are the
men to lead the Observation-Disclosures move
ment against Grant We presume that no
friend of Grant, however, will tremble over
the remembrance.
This being the outlook, we havc to call at.
tention to what seems to be the real danger to
Grant. We pass from the Observation-Disclosures
less movement, as a surface eruption on the
republican body polite, and not to be seriously
dreaded. History shows one singular thing:
no President who had any claim TO the respect
Of the psople was ever defeated for reelection
unless from circumstances arising from finan-
cial embarrassment and mismanagement. So
long a. the country goes along on bright SUM-