Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-08-23
San Domingo-The Tribune's Defence
of President Grant.


Il might be well for Mr. Sumner, and 'ne
other Greeley orators who are endessof'hs 10
excite oiium against President Graft Tor MS
position on the San Domingo business, 70 re-
member for moment that the n. l. Ifi'Hhe
squsrey defended the Presidents course In't
and some other points touched upon, make the
following extract from the Tribune interesting
reading lust nov. Il will he observed that Mr.
Greeley takes occasion in it to assert his hos'ii-
~ to President Grant. ard that be gives his
opinion purely as a disinteTested and wsll-in-
formed observer. The article is in response to
. rebuse from the Springfield Republican, snd
appeared in the Tribune of May G, 1871. Il Is
SIS follows
Since this Journal is charged above with "eon-
celled uufriendliness' to President Grant, II e
clear tina, we need not defend it from any pof-
sible imputstion Of servillty or sJcophsney
And it is certainly true that We are not seeking
the re- election Of General Grant as President.
Should he be the Republican candidate, we shsll
Of course support him to the best Of our ability :
but, pending the nomination, we may be fairly
charged with unfrerdliness " to running him
or any other nan for President while be wielis
the vast patronage Of that high oihce. lie II IN
ders.oo1, then, now snd eyermore, that what
the Republican terms our unfriendlIneSs to
General Grant is, st all eyents, not concealed.
And now that our freedom from undue bias or
thrifty fswning lie established by the Repu6ti-
caa's testimony, we sre impellei to say that the
treatment Of the President AMI his sdministra-
ton By tie :eiEstyled g independent kepuoh-
can press" has fo- month"; been ungenerous
and unjust We have had greater Pfesiieais
than General Grant, but scarcely one Who less
deserved the running FIRE Of invidious carping
and fsult-fnling to which he hss been SUBJECT
Cd by these " independent oracies-
ssnto Domingo, through it's only ruierr,
sought our government, and preferred aansxs-
ton. The president gave no encouragement, till
after IN interval Of months the prefer Tss re-
ncweI, and sction upon it urgently solicited
Then the president locked carefully into thr mat
ter and decided that cur country's well being
would be promoted by our acceptance OF Bstz's
Dropcsition. Peihdps Tia Uls an eTror an
iufymerf, THOUGH WE CANNOT 50 RE-
GARD IT. Had he decided differently, We be-
lie7e the president would have been far more
yeheuenty ssssiied than be hsz been. Just
consider what Democratic howl would have
zone up if. after we had offered SO m.ny millions
Tor CuSs, General Grant had refusc1 to accept
Domngo yirtuslly for nothing. That cfy
irould hare been raised If General GrGHi hgi
stood timely By chile Sdget orerraE SGHio Do
rqingo, crying, down with the traitor Who
has .oll his country to The Yankees - It Is
not fair to bold the President responsible for the
tupe-seryicesIle zeal ard ezcsptiousble demon
ftrstions Of some OF cur naval and other func-
tionaries in the Wee. Indies. BIT should an
asrati0n fail Eotc, and the Democrats come
into p0icer. irs predict that THEY iriH take
Saut5 Dgn.iggo at their rcry first Opportunity,
ia defiance Of al they ror 'ay against General
Grants doing so.
Such are the convictions which compel Us &c
say, as ce fcel that the Independent press treats
the administration h4Tshly, cspiiously, unjust
w. We would fsn induce lit conductors 10 re-
consider and modify their c5urse. They nay
fancy thst they are ouly iiscoursging AMI veal
enipg General Grant; but hcy are iHtaci iH-
dermiaiay and sutrc-tiag da Rp9t'ieaa pr
~.
This va before the Tri5aae sold Itself to the
o5aspirators who wesc intent on 'u-lerniuins
suI .ub,e.t.Dg the Republican party anii;
proves oonolusiycy that Senator Sumner, with
the ''iniepenieut press, treats tie alm.nistrs-
ti5u L.rsh'y, cap,ioasiy 4nl unjustly.
1t also proves that HORACE GREELEY WAS
A SUPPORTER OF THE SAN DOMINGO
PROJECT. AND THAT He ILLpGED The
DEMOCRACY TO IT. IN SITE OF THEIR
PRESENT HOSTILITY.