The Portland daily press., 1872-01-01
THE PRESS,
MONDAY MORNING, JAN. 1, 1879.
The Campaign of SIander
[From Harper's weekly.l

lrAoh Aioi iof . Veekly.l
IL is unfortunate that there should have
Deen an Impression, not justified by the facts.
That any Republican Senators wished TO hide
corruption or prevent Investigations of the
methods and expenses of the Government.
There is no such disposition in the party.
There was none such upon the part of the
Senators who opposed Mr.. Trumbulps reso-
luton. That there is none upon the mart of
the President is shown by the fact that he
has put himself at the head of the movement
for civil service reform. 1t is, however, the
policy of those who are opposed to him to
make it appear that in some mysterious way
he connives at fraud. Mr.. Schurz said, as
we stated last week, that no evidence impli-
Gated the President in the alleged abuses of
the general order system. But he also said,
and repeated, and the remark has been dill
gently echoed, that there was some mysteri-
Gus power higher than the Secretary of the
Treasury which sustained those abuses. Yet
what power in that sense is higher than tie
Secretary, except the President? Did Mr.
Schurz mean him? We gave him credit for
plainly declaring that the President was not
implicated by any evidence. But if the SEN
ator had no proof, were not his words an un-
JustlnaDle 1nslnuatlOn?
Ii the opposition to the President hopes to
brand him before the country as dishonest
man, it will fail. There is in politics a legiti-
mate and an illegitimate method of opposi-
tion; one which honorable men adopt, and
one which they reject; and the policy of per-
sonal defamation of the President is not hon
oraDle. But the personal campaign was new
er conducted with such rigor before. Indeed,
the inuendOes at the little details of the Pres
ldents life are SO incessant that it is evident
that the great measures of his Administration
are not supposed to be very vulnerable.
If he were surrounded by a cabinet like
that of the last Democratic President, for in
stance, it might be wisely feared that he was
either coerced by it or in collusion with it.
But the character of the Cabinet is the pledge
to the country OF the patriotism and pure
purpose OF the Administration. Or, if the
Administration in details were proved to be
generally extravagant or corrupt, there would
justly be deep distrust upon the part of the
country. But while there have been-as un-
der the old system of the civil service is inev-
itable-unfortunate appointments and defal-
cations, they are in no sense the rule of the
Administration; and it would be found, upon
inquiry, that many of the instances of this
kind are due to the characters of the persons
whom the President did not personally know,
but who were pressed upon him for appoint
ment by some of the very gentlemen who now
urge against him the character of some ap-
pontments that he has made. We shall be
very much mistaken if the same gentlemen
do not receive the Presidents project of re-
form of the civil service with smile of utter
incredulity, not because think the scheme OBJ
jectionable, but because they do not believe
that he will put it into execution. When he
does that, it will be remarkable if the Presi-
dents action, however sincere and honorable
Is not derided as Intentionally Inefficient In
deed, those who have declared that they
think the President unfit for denomination
are not likely to own that they were mistaken
as the day for the Convention draws near.
If before the Convention meets it can be
shown that he is directly or indirectly respon-
sible for the abuses which may occur in any
of the offices, those who wish his renomina-
tion will not be very large number. But ii
the attempt fails, they will be the entire Con-
vention. For an effort to discredit the Chief
Magistrate of this country does not end with
its success or it's failure. If it succeeds he is
utterly disgraced. If he fails, those who at
tend it lose the respect of honorable men,
We must not be understood as charging ma
lignant motives upon those who sincerely
move for Investigations into alleged abuses.
But the character OF the President belongs to
the country, and when that character is
stained the country is sullied. Therefore the
investigation of the charges which have
been made must be, thorough and unsparing.
The gencral-order system must be and will be
completely exposed. If abuses are discover
ed, and the blame can be justly laid upon the
President, there will be reason to denOunce
him. The noble warfare upon his cigars and
his horses wi then end, and we may all well
be aghast at re- reasons of opposition.
But meanwhile he President is not harm
ed in the judgment of candid men-and they
are the great majority-by SANDER and mis-
representation. Although he smokes cigars,
and likes fine horse, and owns stock in Sc
neca stone from which he has no dividends,
and house was presented to him as a token
of patriotic gratitude, and there are dozen
of his relatives in Office, some of them not ap-
pointed, but merely not removed, by him
although these things are true, it is also true
that the great results of his Administration
are such as the country contemplates with
pride and satisfaction. 1t sees its wise and
humane Indian policy, its reduction of taxa
ton, and the diminution of the debt; its
peaceful and honorable settlement of foreign
questions, its protection Of all good citizens
every where, its amnesty, and its reform of
the civil service; and the country forgives the
President his occasional drives and his daily
cigar. Indeed, when the real services of Gen.
Grant to this country are considered, the pit
iful character of the vituperation to which he
is constantly exposed becomes still more des-
picable. And if any Republican who unwill-
ingly believes that there must be serious
reason for such insinuation and slander will
only trouble himself to analyze the stories,
and to reflect npon the immense misrepresen-
tation to which every conspicuous public man
is subjected, he will be rejoiced by discover
ing that if the falschoOd and the exaggeration
are removed, the personal gossip about the
President is as causeless as it is contemplate.