The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-09-14
Grant a Military Dictator.

The New York SIN. Republican
newspaper, under the heading "Resist
Beginnings" portrays the danger to be
apprehended from Grants use Of the
military to secure his re nomination, in
the following terms:
Caesar crossed the Rubicon with his
legions in defiance Of the decree Of the
Senate, and thus opened the way to the
imperial crown and the purple robe
Cromwell dispersed the Long Parlia-
meut with his armed Ironsides, took
the mace from the Speakers table,
locked the door of the hall, and then
became Lord High Protector of the
English Commonwealth. The first Ma.
poleon, surrounded by his tall grena-
diers, drove out the Five Hundred at
the point Of the bayopet, and so became
Consul for ten years, then Consul for
life, and finally Emperor of the French.
The last Napoleon, backed by cub
servient army who were deluded by
name, arrested at dead Of night in their
beds all those members of the Chamber
Of Deputies who resisted his attempts
to secure the Presidency Of the French
Republic for second term 10 violation
OF the Constitution, aud thus he be-
came Emperor.
History is replete with warnings
The usurpations of Caesar, of Cromwell,
and Of the two Napolcons were not the
work of a day. A Needless people were
gradually prepared for the eliminating
acts by specious pretcxts which they
failed to detect at the time, and by
consecutive steps which they had not
the courage to resist until it was too
late. lu word, at the critical moment
they were too eager in the pursuit Of
wealth and pleasure, too shbservient to
iactious leaders, too unmindful of indi-
vidual duty: aud SO they fell prey to
plausible pretences, to fraud, to force.
Now, Grant is not exactly Caesar,
but, up to the full measure of his mar
row capacity, he is inspired by as un-
chastened ambition. In great parts he
dwindles by the side Of stout old Oliver,
but he is match for him 10 cant aud
cunning. Far below the first Napoleon
as soldier, he is quite US unscrupulous
In the use of military power to secure
political objects. Aud be is every
inch the peer Of the second Napoleon
10 selfshncss, greed, uepotism, and du.
plicity.
We do not live in times nor in a
country which affect mouarchial insti-
tutions. Therefore Grant does not Us !.
pire to crown. But he is using, and
intends to continue to use, the army
under his command to obtain his re-
nomination to the Presidency ut all
events, aud his reelection for second
term if possible. The man who does
not see this is stupidity or wilfully blind.
Ii the people allow him to achieve u
second term by such means, what will
prevent his obtaining third term, or
even fourth, through like meansg
Grant will never put on the purple,
nor be called Lord High Protector, nor
wear an imperial crown. But if he is
suffered to carry party Convention
into a United States Custom House.
and then summon national troops,
armed with rifles loaded with ball cart.
ridges, and supported by Gatliug guns,
to expel the regular delegates from the
Convention, and pack it with his crea.
lures, and in this mode obtain re.
nomination to the Presidency, then he
will have established precedent by
force of which some future Caesar,
Cromwell, or Napoleon, backed by a
great army, will overthrow the Repub.
lie and erect monarchy on its ruins
1t is the unrebuked precedent that
begins the mischief 1t is the failure
to arrest the first step 10 tho wrong
direction that finally conducts into the
road to ruin. The daring outrage at
New Orleans is full Of warning TO the
American people. Win they heed its
lessons !? Then, applying TO the ext
gency the wise Roman maxim, let
them "resist beginnings" by striking
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