The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-05-29
.Despoti.m, Corruption, Nepotisn and
Imcapaoity."

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ton in the indictment against Grant and
his administration, recently drawn mp
by one OF his former friends and sup
porters in q neighboring State, and
which carried the thousands of similar
disgusted Republicans to Cincinnati.
For the charges thus made are suscepti-
BILE of the plainest proof, and as palpa-
bly, perceptible as the light Of day.
Never since the formation Of this Go.
vernment has there been at the eame
time 30 rotten and corrupt and 30 cynical
and shameless an administration of the
Government, both in its greedy luut Of
the profits and jobs procurable through
high position, aud the utter disregard of
public policy for private ends.
Let as take up these charges made
against Grant by his Republican friends,
who held coroner's inquest over his
body at Cincinnati, and see whether
they be merited or not. Aud first as to
the despotism. La it not undeniable
that this has been and is shoulder-strap
Administration, from his personal at
tendants mt or near tho White House,
who are all Generals and wear the army
livery, as we'll as the President-giving
an air of eneampment to the Presidential
mansion-down to his military satraps
whom he has procured to be returned to
the Senate from States he has not recon
structed in the South?
Has not the military ring at Washing.
ton become as notorious aud as nauseous
to the public as ever was the deceased
Tammany one it has initiated and sur
passed in the practice of public plunder-
ing? Has not despotism stamped every
act of the stolid soldier, who has tried to
play statesman, but has only succeeded
in acting tyrant? The mingled chorus of
groans and curses which has come up
from the persecuted and plundered
South during his three yenrs' reign Of
terror over that section, can best respond
to that inquiry.
Nay, passing from that conquered pro-
vince, (as he regards it,) coming North,
do we not see the manifestations of his
trampling upon the cardinal doctrines of
his own party. and suppressing "free
soil, free men and free speech" when
ever he has the power?
Nor, content with this, has he re-
Trained from assailing States rights, as
we'll as individual, and the "growing en-
croaohments of the executive power"
have formed the thome of eloquent ex-
postu!ations from Republican Senators
on the floor of Congress.
AS our ancestors said Of previous
despot, against whom they successfully
rebelled: "a monarch, who has commit
ted acts like these. is unfit to be the
ruler of free people'-yet he was &C.
knowledged as a king!
The second charge is corruption!
Here 'the offence is rank, and smells to
Heaven" It would be as absurd as idle
to produce proofs or cite instances in
confirmation of fact so notorious, and
already 30 repeatedly proven against the
President and his clique, who control
the policy and share the plunder, through
which, III three years. time. coming into
Office as poor as Pharaoh's lean kline,
they now lard The lean earth with their
fatness; and becoming insoent with
prosperity. like Jeshurun's ass, "wax fat
and kiok," crying aloud, Great is
Grant, and our profits; shoot the de.
sertersr'
Against the charge of nepotism-the
gorging Of the whole house of Grant,
with Dent attachments, with the fat
drippings from the Presidential larder, it
were equally idle for any of his partisans
to make denial. The record proves the
fact, and the long list of family pension
ers, like the royal line of Banquo, seems
to the astonished gazer, as it passes in
review under his eye. to ''stretch out to
the crack Of DOOM"
Net otherwise much mindful of the
Scriptural precepts, Grant certainly has
obeyed. and exceeded, the admonition
to ''provide for his own household" at
public expense. On the general charge
of gross incapacity, his whole policy,
foreign and domestic, convicts him. He
has neither succeeded at home in recon.
structing the Southern States, which he
has given up as prey to his military
and carpet-bag jackals. nor in his TO-
reign policy, which has been a series Of
bnllyings in the beginning and backings
out in the end.
Witness this last most humiliating
conclusion OF the English treaty, where
the preliminary roaring of the lion has
toned down into the whining of the
whiPt cur, and our country stands hu-
inflated by boastful threats succeeded
by unqualified surrender.
Well may England address our Presi-
don't in the language Of her Shakespeare:
$50, doff the lions hide,
And hang calf skin
On those recreant limbs"