The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-11
sEECuER ON PARTY ORGANIZATION

In the last number of the Christian
Union, Henry Ward Beecher makes
strong argument in favor of party organi-
cation, and one from which it will be diff
cult for even the most captious non-parti-
san to take any valid exception. He re-
CARDS party machinery as necessary to car
nv into effect the mind and will of the ma
jorty of the people, and deems every effort
to weaken, disintegrate or destroy it, as
tending to evil rather than good. lie has
strong faith in the people, as every one
should have who has any abiding faith IN
the principles Unpopular government; and
while recognizing the present detection
among the party leaders, and the unseemly
contention which many of them have
shown. he does not regard it as having ex-
tended to the rank and file of the party
On the subject of the Presidency, he says:
stThe fact is that there are about seventy
excellent gentlemen in Washington and
elsewhere who wish to be President, and
as but one can rule at time, it is serious
question who the unfortunate wretch Shall
be. Several of us here at home are conf
IDENTIFY looking for the same position. Oh,
to be President of the United States Alas
for the sixty-nine at Washington and the
uncounted expectants at home! Theparty
is like Northern sugar-camp. Hundreds
of trees are tapped and running, and the
caldron is bubbling and boiling. But when
the nominating convention shall have boiled
down the floods of sap, all the trees will
find their contributions sugared off to one
cake, and then, after some hesitation, they
will put out their leaves again and go on
growing as if nothing had happened. But,
besides the call which every man has to be
the next President, there is q vast deal OF
disturbance created by the question, who
shall own the President, who shall manage
the party, who shall apportion the affairs
and influence"
And in reference to President Grant:
at is objected to General Grant that he
has no power to control his party. But
who among all the eloquent Senators has
shown any such power? They are mighty
to divide but powerless to concilate or con
solidate. No one is leader of men whc
has not the power to conciliate, or to com
pei unity. Has there appeared among al
the so-called chiefs of the Republican party
any man who thinks so broadly, and has
such gifts of leadership as to win and hole
men together without any sense of seryil'
submission? We have good men. Blu
those who can conciliate are not strong
Those who are strong of thought ant
scholarship and political knowledge hav'
not the slightest talent for uniting men
They are disintegrators. They grind well
but do not know how to knead. VIII
among all of the politicians and statesmen
has shown himself good leader? Al
able speech is not able generalship. Goo
oratory is not good management. Genera
Grant may not be good political leader
as compared with an ideal leader, but a
compared with those around him he is tn
best of the whole. -r... ...
Mr.. Beecher has a large place in h
heart for the good of his country, and non
for peasonal grievances, and what he say
may be regarded as the honest, outspoke
sentiment of the great body of the Repul
lican party, situated as he is in reference
the different party contestants and disa
fected leaders, at this time.