Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-09
An English View OF American Politics.

1t is rather bold to predict who will be the
favored representative of any free community
twelve months hence, but there is every reason
to believe that our Philadelphia correspondent
will be borne ont by the facts of the future when
he oreells that General Grant will certainly be
reelected president Of the United States next
autumn. In the first place, the republicans
already command a large majority of the
states, and the recent elections have tend
ed to increase rather than to diminish
their strength. Then, again, the states
which are thus devoted 10 the party are
also the most populous in the Union, and
will therefore have the largest number OF votes
in the college Of electors to which is nominally
contided the duty of eecting the chief magis-
trate of the federation. These two facts may APP
pear sufficient to explain General Grants assur-
ance of reelection, but they are themselves
capable Of explanation. How does it happen
that the republicans have been able to retain
the majority they possessed at the end of the
civil war; and, stranger still, how comes it that
| General Grant should remain the fayoTite of the
| party? The reelection of Mr.. Lincoln during
| the war was recurrence to the early practice
Of the republic, which has almost died out of
memory; and the circumstances of that re-elec-
| ton were so unusual rs to afford little warrant
| for thinking that it would soon be followed
| The imDOliCy of changing horses while cross
| ing a stream" was as Mr.. Lincoln himself said,
sufficient TO make his reelection almost neces-
! course of the nation is over the smoothest of
| plains, where any freaks the most wayward
| caprice may suggest could be tried without risk
| Of serious damage TO the country There is alb
soluiely no question prominently before the peO-
| pie The democrats themselves have taken a
new departure" and under this title have put
| forward a programme OF policy which cannot be
| distinguished from the republican platform.
The happy states are disturbed by no theories of
| foreign policy, for they have no neighbors. No
| liberation society, using ieaousieS as a fucrum
seeks TO givepure and undetled religion resting
| place among the ruins of diSestablished
| church. Ifthere are educational difficulties rap-
| ing within the federation, they affect the sepa-
rate states alone, and do not disturb congress or
| the federal government. Such questions as exist
| are of a subsidiary character, which NAV one
| day come 10 the front, to the perpexity of poll.
| ticlans, but are now immature. All the more it
will be said, is there room for personal intrigues
and for struggles between riva of the same
| school for place and power. Where there is no
| principle as stake the degradation of political
| life into scramble for office is certain and
rapid, and yet it is said that Gen. Grant is al
ready as good as president until 1877.
| We believe that, if the truth be searched out.
| 1t will be found that it is we who have made
| ten. Grants reelection secure. The treaty of
| Washington is the recent achievement which
| prevents all successful opposition TO his claims
| The president was elected in 1868 because he
| mad restored the unity Of the nation He win
| he elected in 1872 because he has reconciled the
| United States with the United Kingdom. In
| consenting TO send the Alabama commission to
| Washington, and in ratifying the treaty drawn
| up between them and the American negOtiators
| we sealed Gen. Grants term of office for four
| more years. OF course, we did it with no sucb
| motive, and can take no credit to ourselves for
| the result; but we may be well pleased that a
| treaty which has disposed Of all the difficulties
| between the two countries should incidentally
| have had the additional effect of renewing the
| term OF president whose tenure of office has
| been so beneficial to his country. Gen. Grant
| has had no inconSiderable difficulties i'm main
tanning order in the south without countenanc-
| ing the policy OF the republican partisans who
would have treated the states of the south as
| conquered provinces He has had TO keep down
| the perpetrators of kukluX outrages on the one
| hand and TO hold back with the other those who
| sought 10 exclude all the white population of
| Virginia and the CarOlinas from the exercise of
| political privileges. Congress threw upon him
personally the discretion of intervening with al.
| most deSpouc power whenever intervention
| seemed 10 him necessary, and he has discharged
this delicate duty with degree of fact
and temper which has scarcely been sui.
| nclehtlY recognized in America Wise as
| MS administration in the south has heen
1t Is not reckoned among the successes
| Which nave Kept the republican party faithful
! TO MIN. More attention has been Maid in the
states to the financial policy of his government.
| and this has, in truth, been marked with no
| great degree Of wisdom. The debt of the conn.
| try has, indeed, been greatly reduced and ca
| has the taxation of the people; but these are
| results for which Mr.. Boutwell, can claim no
| credit. He might as well take TO himself tbe
| merit of a good crop Of corn in Illinois When
| Mr. Boutwell, became secretary of the treasury
| he found in existence an elaborate system oi
| taxation, very burdensome to the people. hut
yielding large annual return He refused as
| long as he could to reduce the burden thus
borne, and the alterations which were subse-
quehty made were due to external pressure act
M through the house Of representatives The
| reformed taxes have continued to yield a MONTH
| ~ surplus over expenditure but this result was
not ioreseen by the secretary. Mr. BoutwelPs
own policy was displayed in the premature at
Tempt to float five per cent loan at par AZ the
uihe that six per cent bonds were at a discount !.
Dut, as the attempt was sanctioned by the nub
ilc opinion OF the Union, Mr. Boutwell, cannot
NC exclusively condemned for its failure The
ihouthly bulletin announcing a snroIus III
income over expenditure has thrown ali other
lncldehts oil his administration into the shade
ana, next to the settlement of the Alabama
question, the friends Of President Grant anneai
10 the amount Of reduction that has been eAect
ed in the public debt since ne entered unon off,oe
as his best claim to reelection.
Cen Grants success next autumn NAV h,
regarded as morally certain, vet there l. an,
contingency which ought TO be taken mt az
count as possibly diminishing the magnitude q
the majority he will secure. II is eaIcnIate,
| that out of the $500 900 who NAV he egneots,