Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-04-04
General Grant.

GENERAL GRANT was called to the
Office which he now holds, not through
any solicitations of his own, or manage
ment of political friends, but by the wish
of the voters throughout the North. Is
there any evidence that the great body of
intelligent citizens regret their choice,
and are disposed to put some other man
in his place? That there has been much
fault found; that many thoughtful men
have severely criticised the real or sup
posed deficiencies of his administration;
that many able newspapers have contest
ed the wisdom of re-electing General
Grant, is true. But is there any evidence
that he has lost the confidence of the
great body of Republican voters through
out the North? or that, taken as whole,
they are dissatisfied with the result of the
past three years? 1t is our belief that
when the people come to the very busi-
ness of selecting the candidate for the
next Presidential term, the more they re-
fleet upon it the more they will be inclined
to renominate and elect General Grant
When he was originally selected, it was
without any guises or false pretenses on
his part. His education had been for the
army, and his great achievements were
military. Every one knew that he had
been without experience in political af-
fairs. Indeed, that very fact weighed
with many. They had the impression
that better President could be made out
of candidate who was unhackneyed in
politics, and who should bring to the
Office good sense and impartiality, not
warped or biased by the intrigues of party
politicians.
If when Grant assumed the reins of gov
eernment, he was under the delusion that
politics had nothing to do with govern
ing, that a man without experience in
civil administration was more likely to be
skillful and honest than one who had been
educated to the conduct of public affairs,
he only erred as tens of thousands erred.
And if, in the early period of his admins
tration, he attempted to carry ON the gov
ernment by Cabinet staff, as he would
conduct an army in the field, he only did
what he was expected to do. The result
of the experiment was what might have
been foretold. He was not a Cromwell
| But the faults of Grants early selection
of advisers arose from an attempt to full
fill public expectation, and bring into his
counsel men not much versed in politics.
Yet, in spite of the vice of this principle
of selection, his Cabinet has been ia the
main excellent. The Department of State
| does not suffer in contrast with the more
snowy, but not more wise, administration
of Seward. The Treasury has nothing to
fear in a comparison with the great Treas
urer under Mr.. Lincoln. There will not
be two such War Secretaries as Mr.. STAN
ton in the same age; but, happily, peace
has required other service than that
which has rendered Stanton's name for
ever illustrious, and the Department has
been wisely readjusted to the gauge of
peace.
| Uu,o ella Co. b-;lI;o,,+ .or,-;o. -,.ox, a.
the other members of the Cabinet has not
been great But it is certain that here
after, when men look back dispassion.
ately, they will regard General Grants
Cabinet as one eminently practical, wise
and safe. Indeed, comparatively little
criticism has been made upon the Cabinet.
To be sure, the Secretaries have been
blamed for want of energy in discipline.
In particular instances, their deliberation
has been thought to verge upon federation
of corrupt men.
But, considering the state of the public
mind, this Cabinet has been pre-eminently
a reforming one. All wars more or less
demoralize the business habits of a peo
pie. The great civil war developed vas
jobbing interest, and stimulated lawles:
and immense speculative greed which
could not be cured in day. But if one
compares the progress OF a1alrS IN the
States, with the administration of Fedora
affairs by the General Government, HI
will find vast and complex system O
affairs, involving almost incomputabl,
treasures, and offering boundless oppor
tunity and temptation to fraud, admins
tered on the whole with fidelity and in
tegrity which have won the confidence o
: business men throughout the world.
is not just to judge of continent by tn
2 condition of an acre here and there.
General Grant has learned much, ant
has suffered much in learning. We ap
preciate the just criticisms which hav
been made upon him. We are not his in
discriminate eulogists. We have marke,
: his faults, and we clearly perceive his dc
7 hclencies. But in what other man vii
/, be found all excellencies and no faults
S Where can we find a combination O
! qualities which have, upon trial, pre-
s duced, on the whole, better results? II
n is far better fitted to-day to exercise tn
l executive functions than he was when h
: was enthusiastically selected. If he is
t slow scholar, he is Il scholar who retain
all that he learns. 1t may be pity thI