The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-08-01
Reasons for Supporting Graus.


Whatever may be the opinion of the
reader as to the administrative capacity
OF Gen. Grant, who has shown such
illustrious ability as military chief,
he will not deny that there are certain
specific dangers attendant upon the
chance of Mr.. Greeley's election, nhich
cannot be boxed for if Gen. Grant is
reelected. S # fE
In the first place, it is as certain as
anything can be that if Gen. Grant is
reelected there win be no general
sweep of Offices. The civil service will
remain in the present hands-not good
hands, it is true, in all cases, but better
than any into which Mr.. Greeley is
likely to give it. The administration,
at least, is not Taninany Republican.
and the mere fact Of b general dismissal
of otficc-holders, involving as it. does
the change in employment of a hundred
thousand people, and revolution in,
the domestic life of many thousand
families, is no small thing. This revo-
luton will be entirely avoided, If Gen.
Gfant comes i'll for o second term.
But emitting this consideration alto.
gether, there is every reason to believe
that Mr.. Greeley's appointments will
be worse than Gen. Grants have ever
been. Gen. Grant at least tried,
when he came into Office, to improve
the civil service. Mr.. Greeley does
not know how to try. To improve the
character of a civil service it is neces-,
sary to select men of better character
for the civil service and to do this it is
necessary to have a knowledge and APP
probation of character. Now, it is
painfully well known that Mr.. Gree
ley's knowledge of character is Of the
smallest. Of this we want no better
evidence than the fact that he is allow
ing himself in the present campaign to
be managed by such men as George
Sanders, his guest at Chappauna, and
John Cochrane.
In the second place, our foreign re-
lations are likely to be far worse man
aged in Mr.. Greelcy's hands than in
Gen. Grants. To take single illus
tration, any one who will take the
trouble to read the extracts we gave
the other day from Mr.. Cushing's re-
marks to correspondent at Geneva,
will see that there are, even among
distinguished lawyers, those who be-
lieve it would be a good plan to revive
the indirect" or. if they prefer it,
the national" claims against England.
Our readers may remember that not
many years ago-about the time of
Mr.. Summers ''great speech on the
Alabama claims-the Tribune (it was
at that time Mr.. Greeley's organ pub
lished two articles advocating at great
length the acquisition of Canada in
exchange for these claims. This idea
may be revived, and if Mr.. Greeley
comes in the Office probably will be,
and if it We're revived in connection
with these claims which, on grounds
Of international law, have just been
denied the right to exist by tie
Geneva Tribunal, il would be Justly
considered grievance by England.
When we recollect Mr.. Greeley's warm
hatred of England, his fierce accusa-
tons of the use of /" British gold" to
publish tracts i'm favor of free trade,
and SO on, it is impossible not to see
that the English question, may be-
come at any moment during his adj
ministration a deeply dangerous one.
Now the English question, if Gen.
Grant comes in again, is1orever at
rest. Not even Mr.. Cushing will go
so far as to say that the Indirect claims
cam be revived by this administration.
Again, awkwardly as our foreign af-
fairs have been managed by General
Grant, it must at least, be admitted
that an administration learns some
thing in four years. Certain mistakes
which have been committed are not
likely to be repeated. But with Mr..
Greeley the case is quite different. He
is very ignorant of foreign affairs, fill
ed with the pernicious idea that it is
the first business of republican govern
ments to foster the growth of republic
can governments in other countries,
without regard to their traditions and
present condition; and, further than
fefn leour rf4yeea be-
tween the representatives ofRtions.-
Mr.. Greeley does not believe in, and
has acontempt for that dignity and
urbanity ofdemeanor which is as nec-
essary for peace among nations as
among individuals. To put the matter
plainly, General Grant has some sense
of decency in manners. Mr.. Greeley
has none.
n To this wc know vely well what re-
ply will be made. 1t is the old reply
which has always been made whenever
objections are made to the want of
character and training in candidate
that we are really hypocritical aristo-
Gratis, who have no sympathy with the
great heart of the people, but who are
covertly bent on getting into Office
what are called "eentlemen." Very
good, let us admit the charge. We do
wanta gentleman for President of the
United States, and what is more, we
intend sooner or later. TO have one
BY gentleman we mean man of char
acter, education, delicacy and honor,
disciplined in the art of government,
one who feels a keen sense Of respon-
sibility, and whose actions are governs
ed, not by sentimental egotism, but
by principle. These are the men whom
the world, and this country, too, have
held in respect in the past, and we do
not believe that they will long hold
any other. Meantime, of two candi-
dates. neither of whom measures him
self by this standard, we distinctly
prefer that one whose egotism is least
offensive and whose ignorance least
egotistic.
In the third place, there is every
reason to expect the most serious finan-
cial disturbances If Mr.. Greeley is
elected. We do not refer to the ques-
ton of projection, though the advent
topower ola man who actually advised
the Liberal Republicans not to nomi-
nate him on the ground that he was a
"ferocious Protectionist" is alarming
enough. But there is another point on
which Mr.. Greeley is understood to
hold views of the most extraordinary
character, which, IL he should carry
them into execution, would involve the
county in frightful crash. The TIL
buae (and this, too, was before Mr..
Greeley Withdrew from IT'D has con-
tinually and persistently put forth the
idea that the only thing necessary to
bring abouta resumption OF specie pay
ment is to posta notice on the Treasury
doors announcing that on certain day
specie payment shall be resumed, and
presto, the thing is done. The gold
with which to perform this amazing
feat is what the tribune calls the .'sur-
plus gold. But everybody knows
that this surplus gold is only a balance,
which is no real surplus, bnt comes
into the Treasury ono day and ,,ooe