Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-11-21
Is Grants Reelection the Doom of
the Republic

tHO uOpuuuO
Now that President Grant has secur
ed his reelection, his course will BE-
watched with interest by the country
We would not judge him harshly. liz
is not so bad man as Morton. He il
merely selfish, and determined to keer
high office, regardless Of the means
Morton is morally a worse man; and
so, no doubt is Butler. But Grant
such as he is, is now fastened upon the
country for at least another term.
Easy-going, and careless of the ten
dency OF the government III the hands
of intriguing and INSCRIPTIONS men to
whom he has given up the practical
shaping of affairs, he thinks more of
his personal ease and enjoymen, and of
his revenues, than he does of political
principles, or theories of government.
TO General Grant this new lease of
power presents itself as a pleasant as
surance Of plenty Of money, and an
unlimited indulgence in creature COM
forts, and pleasure derived from Jour
neyings to and fro, and summer life at
the seaside He doesn't like to be an
noycd with bothcring matters of State.
lie prefers to leave all such things to
others. Even in his annual official
messages he lets "Morton put that in. i"
His administration will be one protract-
ed nigh carnival Of plumber and self
emoIument among the Camerons,
Blaines, Buffers and lIartranfS, most
numerous crowd, who will now have
ample opportunities Of amassing i'll
gotten wealth. The enormous excess
of revenue brought into the Treasury
under the Tariff, and the hundred
sources Of that wealth for Washington
suckers which is derived from heavily
taxed people, will supply the material
for g gigantic schemes Of plumber to be
put through Congress, and large private
grabs" those who have gained the
toothold to reach the money. With.
out being himself more especially COR
rupt than many Of his friends, and far
less so than some, Gen Grants admin
istration will be Of general, if not open,
corruption and plumber.
His Republican competitors for the
otfice-BoutwelI, Blaine, Colfax, and
some others-wilin due time ascertain
whether he means to resign the office
at the end of this second term, or not.
If he retlres on the 4th of March, 1877,
it will be to some life office with a bio
salary, which Congress will supply for
him. Gen. Grant, unlike Jackson, I'M
like johnson, unlike almost any of his
predecessors, will retire from the Pres
ldential office q richer man than he went
into it. He has already amply enrich
ed himself: he will still further add to
his financial means. And those who
surround him will all line their pockets
for life. They are entering upon
long and sunny harvest, and they will
all make hay while the sun shines.
Ihe people pay for the entertainment.
Senator Schurz, who knows the Pres
dent, made a speech in st. Louis, in
October, in which he declared that if
.'rant was reelected the country would
witness the most corrupt administra-
ION 1t had ever seen. lie denied that
mere was freedom of elections in the
south, and prophesied a time when
hey would have to fight fire with fire,
orce with force, and the country would
witness the deplorablc results seen in
Mexico and South America. He said.
'foW years from now they might be
orced to elect Grant for third time,
md they would not be able to help
themselves, for in that time he would
'e able to elect himself" He stated
hat he had always been Republican,
ways advocated the principles of that
,arty, always endorsed its course, and
hat the principles which he advocated
$ a Republican are his principles and
is course still. But he could not shut )
is eyes to the truth, nor could he af- I
ord to conceal his real apprehensions.
cannot be denied that an Admins
alton which has shown itself capable |
f such acts as this one has resorted to +,
the elections in Philadelphia last :;
lonth, and New York this week, is
lpable Of almost any act of usurpation
t corruption. -Hurft0yT Times ~