The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-03

simple-minded soldier, somewhat too easily
influenced by the astute politicians who have
undertaken to manage him"
Nothing is further from the truth than this
theory of his character, and nothing is more
offensive to him than such publications
respecting it. That he is largely influenced
by unsound and utterly untrust tworthy per-
sons we do not doubt. But he is very far, in
his own estimation from being the simple
minded, unretecting, slow-witted victim he
is represented to be. On the contrary, he
fsncies he is the controlling spirit which
fabricates great measures of public policy out
Of the crude suggestions of others. The in
cense offered to him on the surrender of the
armies of the Rebellion, and the adulation
thereupon of politicians seeking only their
own selfish interests, were too much for the
uneducated but quite practical sense which,
up to that time, had in army matters been his
main stay.
The effect of these two influences, acting
with terrible intensity would have been less
anywhere outside of Washington, which was
his headquarters when the war was over.
The atmosphere of our Federal Capitol con-
trihuted greatly to hasten the elimination
and crisis of the distemper which threw his
mind out of bias. 1t is to something akin to
this that the extraordinary spectacle of well
coming every possible form of gift which
could be made to him is referable. Coming
for the first time into condition of social
life in tbe great cities quito new to him. he
betook himself to the idea that with fine
horses, furniture, library, and objects of
art he could become in all respects like
those born or bred to such things. So it was
when President-elect He neither sought
nor needed the advice of those who had, in
this country, traversed the ways of public
life. He cared for none of them. He
spurned the ordinary means of acquiring ad-
ministrative knowledge. Thinking he knew
all, be was in fact a conceted pretender in
public business. Hence his first Cabinet.
Hence his selection of Mr.. Stewart, whom
the law excluded. Hence the announcement
in his inaugural address of what he thought
great primal truths of administration, bat
which he now practically spits upon every
day. Of this character was what he said
about rigid execution of bad laws, and having
no policy against q real or constitutional ma
jority of either branch of Congress. AS
without any requisite study or learning he
! got along in command of the army without
being found out, so he thinks he can with
like success discharge any civil function
whatever And, by the way, it is a new and
| interesting field of inquiry what class of
| qualities, mental and physical, made sue
| cessful GENERALS in our civil war, and why
men conspicuous in civil affairs, like But
Ter, Banks, Schenck, Schurz, and hundred
others, Failed therein. Grant would with
! out moments hesitation, undertake to-mor-
row, if necessary, to discharge the duties of
Attorney-General or Secretary of State. He
knows by intuition what another learns only
by experience and observation. His talent
supplies the lack of labor, reading, study,
and all else. The office of Lord Chancellor
of Great Britain, or even Pope of Rome,
would not embarrass him. Doubtless he
would undertake to give six lessons on a
trombone before breakfast rather than admit
his inability to extract music from that
melodious instrument. His apparent indif-
| ference as to what persons are members of
his Cabinet, or how long they remain therein,
is referable to the same cause. In the mat
ter of San Domingo, Canada, and all foreign
| questions, his action illustrates what we are
saying. He prides himself, for example
on having once been a Democrat. Sc
do a great many of the dominant patty in
Washington. That is their chief claim tc
glory; and they think great thing is done
when they select man for Office who once
voted for Democratic candidates. Grant has
most of the vices and none of the virtues o.
the Democracy. AS years ago there was {
''Young America" faction in that organiza
tion, of the George Saunders type, who woul(
delude the people by cries for indiscriminatt
annexation of every outlying place, so nov
Grant really thinks that cry constituted th
basis of the success of Jefferson, Jackson
and all the Democratic administrations, ant
will uphold his. He vainly fancies that b.
can win to his support Americans of Irisl
birth by high bullying talk against England
And the joke is that he thinks his foreigI
policy is a master stroke of political fore
thought. Instead of being a puppet o
Butler, his uonceit never permits him t
doubt that the Massachusetts, 'irrepressible
is in his hands as clay in the fagers of tn
potter.