Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-06-12


10 the citation Of instances to show the
presidential Siil in constant operation,
with little regard te precedent or reason.
Other Presidents have entered upon Office
with a certain modesiy and distrust. He
had none. The just expectations of the
party which elected him were set at
naught in the selection Of his Cabinet.
This personal government lowered N the
Navy Department, where a gift-bearing
Greek was suddenly changed to a Secre-
tary.
MIR. Sumner condemned the Presidents 5
appointment of military dependent to
the New York general order business /;
the nomination in disregard of law, of A.
I. Stewart as Secretary Of the Treasury /;
the establishment of military headquarters
at the Executive mansion; the taking
away from their proper duties of officers
of army to make them Presidential Secre-
taries, in defiance of Law, the subordna-
ton Of the War Department to the Gen.
eral-in- Chief; the attempt to devolve the
duties ofthe Navy Department upon a
deputy. so that orders were to be signed
"a. Il. Borie, Secretary ofthe Navy, per
d. d. Porte-. Admiral" the efforts TO
absorb the Indian Bureau into the War
Department military interference at
elections the efforts to secure the repeal
of the tenure of office act, which limited
Presidcnt'spower of appointment, and the
Presidential interference with political
questions and party movements in distant
States, from Louisiana to New Y ork.
Mr.. Sumner also again referred al
length to the San Domingo question il
terms of condemnation.
With sorrow unspeakable have l made
, this exposure of pretensons, which, fol
the sake ofrepubican institutions, every
good citizen should wish expunged from
history. But l had no alternative. The
/ President himself insists upon putting
them in issue. He will not allow them t.
by forgotten. As a candidate for re-elect
ion he invites judgement, while PAL itizan'
acting in his behalf make it absolutel,
nc cessary by the brutality of their assaul
on faithful Republicans unwilling to Sc,
, their party like the Presidential office 1
personal perquisite.
If his partisans are exacting, vindict
i've and unjust they act only in harmon,
: with his own nature, too truly repreresen
&. ting them. There is not a ring, whethe
f military or senatorial, that does not de
! rive distinctive character from himself
Therefore what they do and what the,
: say must be considered as done and saiC
by the chicftain they serve.
; After characterizing Grant as grea
: Presidential quarreler, he said the grea
S question OF duty is now presented to th
Republican party. Can we take the fear
ful responsibility of the prolonged empir
D of our ambitious Caesar? With th
adoption of these Presidential pretension
the party loses Its distinctive characte
and drops from its sphere. Its creeC
ceases to be Repbulicanism and become
partisan. Its members coase to be Repub
lcans and become Grant men. 1t is n
longer political party, but persona
party. For myself, l say openly am N
mans man, nor do belong to any person
! al party.
Mr. Sumner also made argument in ia
vor of the one.term principle, and con
I cluded as follows: | wait the determine
tion of the National Convention, wher
are delegates from my own much-honorec
commonwealth, with whom [ rejoice t.
act. Not without anxiety do | wait, bu
with the earnest hope that the Convention
will bring the Republican party into it
ancient harmony, saving it especial,
from the suicidal folly of an Issue on th
personal pretensions ofonc man.