Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-10-22


our opponents at last show some indication |
that they have determined to abandon the
assassln-lke campaign that they have been
conducting and to give us canvass moro In
accordance with the spirit Of the age, more In
accordance with our standing as an eulight-
ened nation.
The journal in which we notice this sign
OF improvement Is the New York World In
q recent issue II cndeavors to give some rea-
sons why Mr.. Greeley would be q safer Presl-
dent than General Grant. And FIRST Of all our
learned New York contemporary assures US
that Mr.. Greeley Is fertile In ideas, and has
uncommon gifts Of exposition, and that he
would address bis recommendations and rea-
soning to a hostile Congress, and could
secure the passage Of no moHuru unless II
were Of such obvious utility that unfriondly
critics could discover no tenable objections
This Is all very well so far rs II goes. No
one will deny Mr.. Grceley's ability, but at
the same time no one will maintain that bis
temperament IA such a. to admit OF reason.
able difference Of opinion. lie Is too dog
matte. lie Is too much welded to his own
ideas and theories, too apt to consider, as he
so often considered the World, every man
born idiot who docs not think as
he thinks. Mr.. Greeley has won
dcrful command OF slnewy English, aud
here can DO no doubt In the world that u
House Of Representatives or a Senate should
run counter to his peculiar notions we should
find him hurting some Of his most select cpl.
thots at either Of them tue very first oppor-
tunity What such a course would lead to
we all know.
But the strongest point that the World
makes in favor Of Mr.. Grccleyis; "IIo proba-
bly, knows more men than any other citizen
Of the United States. The personal discus
sious with which he cnliyened tue politics
Of the Tribune attest his keen interest
10 the character Of public men, and the
minute abundance Of that kind Of lniorma-
ton which the cast Of his mind leads him
to acquire. He has looked quite through
the deeds and character Of every prominent
man, and most Of the minor politicians In
every part Of the country" The meaning Of
this, In plain English, Il that Mr.. Greeley
knows almost every man in the country and
that he will appoint only good men to office.
Just here a great difficulty confronts us, to
surmount which we acknowledge our utter
inability. Mr. Greeley has the reputation Of
being q very honest man, and the World de-
clares that owing to his intimate knowledge
of mon he would appoint only honest men to
Office. Now, why is 1t that with all Mr..
Greeeys honesty, with his intimate knOwl-
edge OF politicians, with his wonderful capa-
blllty to discriminate between those who
should and those who should not be
appointed to office, he has always selected
prisons who have with scarce an exception
proved 10 be defaultors, or who were men Of
VIGOROUSLY bad character9 Let us take three
or four Of his proteges. There Is Norton, Of
the New York post office. Norton was
turned out Of office slSSy eight months ago,
after he had been car the act OF swind.
ling the Government su there Is Joshua
F. Bailey, the collei the Thlrty-second
New York internal "a district. He abb
seconded with hundreds thousands OF dol.
lars, and Is to-day fu from justice at
Montovideo. Mr.. Greei was on his bail
bond. When grave charges were preferred
against him be defended him In the Tribune,
aud never ceased IN defend him until the de-
tectlves were uuavaillngly on his track
NJ. Greeley recommended that notorious
scamp Vanderbilt it,, for Office,
aud begged and entroated that the
Immaculate Benjamin F. Camp might be
appointed TO some post Of honor and trust
We could mention tho names Of several
others, but these arc sufficient. Look at bis
associates to-day. They arc for the most
part men who arc known to be dishonest and
corrupt FentOn and Mcclure and John
Cochrane, and q thousand others.
We have not the space or the inclination to
indulge In these facts aud "Reminiscences
which arc known OF all men who know any
thing about politics. Mr. Greeley always
has been vlctlmlzod and Imposed upon by ad'
venturcrs and charlatans. lie Is surrounded
by them to-day. they are running his cam
paigu, advocating his election upon the stump
and conducting his newspaper organs To
| claim that under his administration, II he
should DO elected, they would not DO the 70
ciplonts Of his fayors ls to say that he Is ut.
terly without gratitude. But there Is another
point which the World does not secm able to
sec. Tho theory Of checks aud balances IL
oil very well, but tho people prefer to have
oil the departments Of the Government In
harmony. They do not desire to sec ono
branch Of the Government fighting another
The Congress cannot afford TO be eternal,
watching Mr.. Greeley. The President ammo
be all the time watching Congress. The
country desires peace, opportunity to devote
Itself to greater and higher questions thar
those of mere office and Office holding. OF
hce-holders have been the bane OF the coun
try, and the people mean that our Congresses
and our Presidents shall, In the future, real
lie that there is something above and beyond
1t all.