Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-02-01
THE STUBBORN PEOPLE.

The President is fortunate in having the
zeal of his aSsailants SO greatly exceed
their discretion. 1t is impossible now to
look into Democraticpaper,i in full stand
ing with the politicians of the party with
out finding it teeming with the most vio-
lent abuse of him and his friends. To be-
lieve even portion of the charges pre-
ferred, one must accept the President as a
man after the style of Jim Fisk or Tweed.
He is accused of sharing in the most out
rageous frauds, of encouraging corruption
in subordinates by retaining them in po-
sition after their crimes are known, of re-
ceiYing gifts from men in consideration of
bestowing upon them official honOrs and
emoluments and of want Of capacity for
his high position. These charges, and
many even worse, are constantly made
and seriously urged. If these complaints
are true, the American people are certainly
incompetent for self-government, for after
three years experience with him, they
seriously contemplate entrusting him with
the same grave responsibilities for four
years more. If he is reelected with such
a record as above pictured, would we
not deserve the contempt of the world. If
the'charges are not true; if the President
deserves, as he certainly enjoys, the conf
dence of majority of the people, what
respect ought to be entertained for the men
assailing him as we have described.
But we are serious in this matter, 1t is
not question to be disregarded. Does
any sensible reader believe that if the
above enumerated charges were true in any
respect they would not be capable of proof?
If such corruption and incapacity existed
could it be hidden from the public? Does
not every sensible man know it could not
and would not be? We are warranted,
then, in concluding that the attacks upon
the President are the rawlings of desperate
men about to sink with bad cause. Even
in such straits their policy seems to us
silly one. The public man unjustly assail-
ed grows stronger just in proportion to the
zeal and intemperance of his assailants.
The innocentman vehemently DETAINED, al
ways comes out of the struggle with Il
character better than when first slandered.
When the war ended. General Grant ac-
poorest General this country had ever
known. Every victory he won only con-
firmed rebel editors in their impressions
that he fought without policy or skill.
When he was laundering before Rich
mond he was a butcher who led his
men to victory contrary to all pre-
scribed principles of war; and
i T
surrender at Appomattox it was well un-
derstood throughout the South that he was
the biggest humbug of general ever
known. Yet, Notwithstanding all these
severe criticisms and assaults, there were
in 1865 enough deluded mortals in the
country, who thought his services as a
General obligated the people to honor him
with their highest and best gift, and he
was accordingly chosen President. So far
as we can see, he fares as President, no
better fate than he did as General. His
victories of peace have been as substantial
and brilliant as his victories on the battle
field, but every peace triumph only con-
firms him an imbecile in the Judgment of
his opponents. Upon the record made by
his administration his party triumphed
signally in every important election of
1871. And to-day, when the Democratic
party is so utterly beaten, because of the
success of his administration, that its
leaders seriously propose to disband its or
ganization and fight under the banner of a
few sorehead Republicans, its retreating
demoralized speakers and editors write
the President down as a statesman with
out brains and leader without a policy or
party. The Democracy seem doomed to
20 down with this 'fgnoramus" still en-
joying the confidence and respect of the
people. They will die contending against
the popular verdict as the proverbial jury
man who could not persuade his eleven
stubborn associates to agree to a sensible
and just verdict.
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