The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-24
GENERAL GRANTS NEW DODGE.

From the N. y. Sun.
General Grant, having thrown the Repub-
lican party into confusion by the disgraceful
manner in which he has pressed his San Do
mingo job upon Congress and the country,
seems to be casting about for some other
ground on which to rally his broken columns.
He has selected for this purpose the alleged
disturbances and violations of law in some
portions of the late rebellious States, and
especially in relation to the elections.
We warn the Republicans that this ques-
ton will not afford material for restoring the
waning supremacy of their party in that
section of the country. Candid men at the
North, while ready to admit that society be-
low the Potomac and the Ohio may not be
at all times, and under all circumstances, and
in all places, as peaceful and law-abiding as
in New England, suspect that the picture is
overdrawn, and that, too, for partisan pur-
poses; and, in view of the events of the past
ten years, they are rather surprised that
society in that section of the Union is so quiet
and orderly as it is At all events, the great
majority of those who firmly stood with the
Government through all the late convulsions
are decidedly opposed to the passage of any
more reconstruction acts by Congress, and
think the time has fully come when the con-
troll of the Southern States should be confided
to their own citizens, without any exceptional
interference on the part of the Federal Gov
eminent
1t is now five years and eight months since
the Rebel armies were disbanded; and, after
vexatious and seemingly needless delay, the
last of the Confederate States is about to
be admitted to full representation in Con-
gress. Is it not time that the Southern
people were left untrammelled to try their
hsnds at governing themselves? Ought not
the results of the elections of the past autumn
to teach the Republicans that a long-eon-
tinued policy of coercion will finally recoll
upon its authors? Do they believe that they
can forever pin the people of the South down
to obedience to the laws with Federal bayo-
nets Is it not better to put them upon their
good behavior, and, as in ordinary cases, let
pains and penalties follow rather than pre-
cede the commission of offences? Do the
Republicans imagine that by any system of
legislation, or by any muster of military
forces they can preserve to themselves the
entire negro vote of the South, and thereby
carry the old slaveholding States for their
Presidential ticket in 1872?
OF course General Grant, if he thought
that by SO doing he could restore his taxnished
prestige with the Republican party, and re-
vive his blighted prospects for a renomina-
ton, would not hesitate to raise false issues
in regard to the condition of affairs in the
South, and plunge that section of the Union
into renewed confusion. But it will not prove
to be winning game for him, while it may
render it impossible for the party to elect any
one to the Presidency next year. Intelligent
Republicans had better take the management
of the party into their own hands, and not
leave it any longer to a man whose narrow
vision does not allow him to contemplate
anything beyond the promotion of his own
selfish ends.