Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-24


feat upon the great issues of the century, and
cOnlesses its errors; also, as il to abjure the
last veStige OF the democracy and wipe out its
very memory, these vaulting managers have
selected as their tigurchead a protested ultra
republican, formerly an ultra whig, and
they ask honest democrats to vote for him
against man born and bred democrat, who
never acted with the republican party till after
the war had raised new issues on which the
democrats divided. The antGrant managers
are daring, If not silly. They attempt TO crowd
down the threats of democrats who fought the
Maine law, the man who drowned ali other
voices in his outcrieS for penal statutes and
Sunday laws, TO stop by force the drinking even
OF lager beer. If a democrat was running or if
democratic principles were in the field, demo-
Gratis might be expected to vote the ticket; but
when the choice is between republicans, and no
democratic principle is at stake, democrats will
be apt to pick and choose for themselves which
republican they will vote for il they vote at all
Mr.. Conkling proceeded to demonstrate that
Grant is not, as some Greeley orators say,
lliterate, quoting letters written to his mother
and father when at West Point and then spoke
of his bravery, modesty aud well acted part in
the Mexican war. His career in the rebellion is
a thrice told tale. While senator's who now
hawk at him were lolling for their fourth term
on cushions, and eyiscerating encyclopedias,
books of quotations and classical dictionaries,
the tanner Of Galena swept rebellion from the
valley of the Mississippi, aud the father of wa
tiers went unveXed TO the sea. He was called to
the department of the Potomac, that Gulgotha
where army after army had melted away, where
he measured no backward step until he set his
loot upon the shattered fragments of the great
est military power an invading army ever over
threw. He solved the problem which had
baftied all others, and preserved a nation
atty after the world thought it had gone
down. The democrats sought his consent to
nominate him for the presidency without plat
form or pledge, but he declined. He did not be-
come unit for president until three years eX-
perience had ripened and enlarged his knowl-
edge. He did not become unfit while the patron
age held out and while unCean fingers were al
lowed to tumble it. Conkling next alluded to
gut taking, saying it was not wrong for Grant,
as general, to accept muni6cent offerings from
the athuent whose fortunes he had saved; and in
giving which they but followed the customs of
ancient and modern times. Wellington Crom-
well, Fairfax, Golden, Bright, Mcclellan, Shcr-
man, Sheridan, and Faragut, were similar re-
cipients. The charge that it wa wrong is an
insult to the nation who witnessed and APP
pauded the proceeding. The charge that
Grant accepted any gift after he
became president or after he was
nominated is wholly false. He has ac-
ccpted nothing of value since his first nOmina-
ton, not even carriage and horses. Only
three, or at most four, contributors to funds
raised for Gen. Grant have ever been offered an
pointments, and it would seem far-letched to
explain the selection of three for a reason ap-
plying TO more than three hundred who were
never selected at all. No man who knows
President Grant, unless he be a knaYe or a
to0l, for moment believes that the president
ever dreamed OF proStitutng his office to pay a
debt of his own, or to bride, or reward or repay
the givers Of money to him.
The liberal idea of deCency and manly war
forces me to speak of another thing which will
CRATE upon your ears. The political ScavengerS
pretend that the president has grown
rich as president by illicit gain, and
they parade his property by millions
We have fallen on sorry times when
the chief magistrate of the country, with
Il fame so great and pure, must give an account
oil his private property in answer to electioneer-
lnS talSehoods The president would disdan to
40 1t; | have no authority 10 do it; do not as
sumo to do it on his behalf; but on behalf of
the party and the cause he represents, venture
TO state the Facts at Galena, where he tanned
hides, he owned a house. aud during the war lie
invested the savings from his pay in some lots
IN Chicago and i'll some shares of street railway
stock. Mrs. Grant inherited her share in her
fathers farm in Missouri, and they bought out
the other heirs with a portion of the hundred
thousand dollars presented by the citizens of
New York. This one hundred thousand dollars
also paid for house in Washington, which was
subsequently sold to General Sherman. and n
cottage and grounds were bought at Lonp
Branch after the Washington house was
sold. The people of PHILADELPHIA presented n
house, which rents for about $1,000 wear. This
completes the property of the president with one
exception. Some years ago he purchased fen
thousand dollars in nominal value of the stock
OF the Seneca stone company. To this day it
has paid nothing, partly because the president
has interierGd to prevent the Seneca stone being
adopted as building material for the govern
ment. One of the plans submitted for the new
state department required the use of Seneca
Il
the president refused to allow the plan be even
considered. The other stockholders complained
OF this, saying they were punished because the
president owned stock The president replied
expressing his regret and saving he would sell
his stock or give it away, but for imputations
cast upon him by political oppOnents hpcause of
his ownership; but he deemed it unsuitable
even to seem to defer such caIumny nv
parting with his stock Here then is the sum
total of the presidents possessions. and tbev
embrace no cigars smuggled in a dispatch bar
no costly works of art or rare wines bestowed
by foreigners, no testimonials sent from other
lands in gratitude for efforts TO tarnisb the fair
fame of his country. Every dollar he owns
came from sources omen as the dav and everv
month oil his presidency has made him poorer
imam the month before; and yet the country and
congress are dls@raced by innuendoes and poi
son0us hlhtS mat vast wealth has been amassed
IN the presidential office. Had wealth gained in
oeeh preSiuenl. AS general oil the army he
stoou tue foremost man OIL all the earth. His
pay was lol ne, ana was nearly, II not quite,
as great annually as the presidential salary. In
money value and money making opportunities,
as wen as III ease and freedom, his position
gheh was immeasuraDly better than the preSi-
uehcy lor lour years or elght. we know the
presidency sought MN, ana not he the preSi-
dehcy. but mad avarlce been his thought, he
would nave refused the presidency and kept the
me place oil general. The presidential salary
mas not lured him.
NOW, we near OF his pretensions and his in
SlstlhS upon Delng candidate, yet first and last
ne never mace himself candidate, and never
10 my knowledge mas he expressed wish to be
re-eiecied' 30 far from 1t that for more than a
year his friends were uneasy with solicitude lest
he should withhold absolutely the use of his
name. In place OF dividing or hazarding the
reputation of the republican party by seeking a
denomination, he never consented to stand
second time until he was assured on every hand
that the party demanded him as the only man
VINO could not be beaten; and my firm conyic-
ton IS that had no asperson been cast upon
him he would personally gladly be mustered
out.
The speaker proceeded to review the San Do
mingo treaty affair, claiming that the part acted
by the president was that of an honest, modest
man, walking in the path of the constitution
and of his predecessors. As to the so called re.
moyal of Sumner from the senate COMMITTEES of
foreign relations, he was never removed at ali
All senate committees are created anew at the
beginning of each session. The committee ON
foreign affairs in either house must be com