New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-14

the Brodhead letter to the Senate. Do you
wish to see this repeated on great scale in
the national politics!
The President ia. the most important
officer of the government; the choice OF the
President is the most important political
duty the people have to perform. As long
as Presidents are eligible for reelection, no
proper estimate Of the fitness OF the actual
Incumbent for reelection can be formed
without careful consideration Of the man
per in which he has already performed The
duties of the office, and the proper time to
form this estimate ia, of course, the last
year of his term. To form it any sooner
would be unjust to him. to form it any
later would be useless, except for historical
purposes. Nevertheless, if you attempt to
form it in the last year by either investiga-
ton or discussion which seems likely to
lead to an unfavorable conclusion, you are
accused of foul play. If you attempt to
lay before the public the shortcomings of
his administration. you are accused of
seeking to prevent his denomination, as
if this were sufficient reason why you
should not be listened to, whereas this object
of yours furnishes almost your sole excuse
for saying anything at all. You are told
that to try to demonstrate the Presidents
unttness for the position is to attack the
administration; to attack the administra-
ton is attack the party; to attack the party
is to prepare the way for its defeat: to de-
feat it is TO throw the country into the
hands of the Democrats, and SO on in a
viscious circle. How, then, under the cir
cumstances. are reforms to be effected with
in the party lines! If we may not, in the
fourth year of his term, discuss the qualit-
cations Of President for reelection. when
should they DE discussed, If they may not
be discussed at all, and the mere fact that
man does not believe that President should
be reelected is sufficient to deprive him of
all claim to a hearing when he attempts to
give a reason for his belief, is not this viz
tually converting the term of four years
into eight years
1t is said that the debate which has been
going ON in the Senate and III the press over
the customhouse investigation and the
French arms investigation is really the work
of the Philadelphia convention, and that
the indictments should wait till that body
meets, lay their plans before 1t, and abide
by its decision. But the fact is that the
Philadelphia convention, as everybody
knows, will, like all conventions, be guided
in its action by opinions already formed by
its constituents. Delegates are already
being chosen in every direction, and, by the
use Of the usual machinery. pledged to vote
for General Grants nomination-that Is,
pledged TO support him, NO matter what
may be said at the convention. TO argue
with them would be as useless as to argue
with the master of thirty legions. In fact.
the main business of the politicians who
support. the administration is now, and has
been for several months, so as to arrange
matters that the question Of renominating
the President shall not. at the convention,
be an open question. Those, therefore, who
doubt the expediency of renOminating him
can only reach the convention by creating,
if they can before it meets. such an opinion
adverse to him as shall render him in its
ewes not available.
Whether they can succeed in doing this
or whether it would be well if they could
succeed, are matters on which we now ex-
press no opinion. We merely wish to point
out the unreasonableness of the cutlery
which is raised against all discussion of the
claims Of possible candidates. and particu
larry the claims of the President, in adj
vance of the meeting of the convention. At
tempts to show that he is not good man
for the place. or that some one else would
be, are not the base and contemplate work
that some people would have US believe.
" President -1naking' is by no means out of
place during the next three months. On the
contrary, il is about the most important
business in which an American politician
can engage. Saving that man who ar
raigns the administration for misconduct or
ought not to be listened to.
because he SeeFs TO prevent General Grants
is very like saying that you
ought not to listen to a mans arguments
because he aims at persuasion, or to listen
to testimony because its object is proof.
d" Why, you're trying to corner me-" said
the gentleman who found his antagonis.
getting the better of him in a discussion :
and So also some of eur office holders, when
you accuse them Of malfeasance, declare
that, as your aim is 10 get them out of of
fee, nobody ought to mind anything You
saw.