Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-22
40 EsT ER
TUESDAY,. q CTOBER &c, 1878.
Presidents aa,l their CaIumniaIors.

RresE dc uts a thelF Salu N majors.
After all, ytuperation and calumny are not
new in the history % our political contests; but
they have not always appeared in such contin-
uous foods of fouluess as have been set in mo
ton against President Grant and his admins
tration. The calumuy, in this case, has been
personal as well as poll, al; and the presidents
assaiants have not hes tated TO extend their
scurrilous magnity 10 his children. Honest
people wonder why anybody should consider
this method of political warfare useful; but
leading Greeley organ, explaining the uses of
circumstsntial lies, says: "There are some peo-
pie so constituted that when they see a state
ment made with such detail they cannot help
thinking there is something in it, especially if
the person attacked is a man Of wealth and
prominence in his profession"
This being assumed as a true exposition of
one phase of human nature, it follows, of course,
that parsonage so prominent as the president
becomes a tempting mark for Inscriptions cal
umniators. 1t is not now easy to believe that
Washington was assaied in this way; but he
was assailed, and some Of the assaults made
upon him were very ierocious. Ordinarily he
gave them little attention; but his sense of the
foul injustice sometimes found expression in his
private correspondence, as in a private letter
dated in 1896, in which he said;
every act Of my administration is tortured,
and the grosseSt aud most invdOus representa-
tons OF them are made, by giving one side only
OF subject, and that too in such eXagserative
and indecent terms as could scarcely be applied
to Nero, a notorious defaulter or even TO q
common pickpocket."
He was accused in congress. Mr.. Giles, after.
wards governor of Virginia, charged him with
lamentable incapacity, and said his want of
wisdom and irmness" had drought the coun-
try into an alarming situation" Washington,
of all men, charged with disastrous lack of
"wisdom and frmnessl" In our time, this seems
incredible. There was newspaper called "The
Aurora" which was used by Washington's as
sailants; and when he retired from office, at the
close of his second term, this sheet exclaimed,
that the country should rejoice to get rid of
man who was ''the source OF all its misfortunes,"
and went on as follows:
"lr ever there was period for rejoicing, this
is the moment. Every heart in unison with the
freedom and happiness of the people ought to
beat high with EMULATION that the name of
Washington from this day, ceases to give a
Sutl0uSl " pblillCdi lliqutiN3 anu ~ ltGdiiLC
corruption. When a retrospect is taken of the
Washington administration for eight years past
it Is subject OF the greatest astonishment that
a single individual should have cancelled the
principles OF repubhcanism in an enlightened
people, Just emerged from the gulf of despotism
aud should have carried his designs against the
public liberty so far as 10 have put in jeopardy
its very existence. Such, however, are the facts
and with these staring us in the face, this day
ought TO be jubilee in the United States"
In the time of the next two administrations
there was violent fury of partizan passion.
On the whole, we think the assaults made upon
Jefferson far exceeded those now made upon
President Grant, IN fanatical rancor if not in
baseness. He was attacked in prose and verse,
and very barbarous and shameless verse most of
it was. In the personal calumnes he was ac-
cnsed of breaking every commandment of the
decalogue. He was denounced as "liar," and
the changes were Tune on such themes as "Mrs.
Walker "Dusky Sally," and Carriers Noun
tam" Clergymen described his administration
as "diabolica trinity, composed of ThomasJef.
ferson, Tom Paine, and the Devil" The follow
ing, on Jefferson, Is from political pamphlet of
that time, which Brick Pomeroy didn't write
"Who are the enemies of the country? Its
rulers What do they deserve? Hell. Avaunt
thou tyrant. 1t tuon canst not be saved by
reformation, 90 to hgll as thy proper abode. o
thou dlsturber of the peace; thou DESTROYER oil
thousands; what hast thou done? Ask Bona
parte, ask the Devil. Thy grave will not secure
tiny bones from burning
Most of us know wha our democratic and
liberals" say of the temporary absence Of
President Grant, and some of the cabinet
officers, from Washington, during recesses of
congress. We notice that the immaculate Fen
ton, not being capable of doing anything more
important, has been ciphering on this topic, and
reporting the exact number of days of such alb
sences; but he manifestly needs assistance from
the brilliant Upton. The same toyic had due
attention seventy years ago. The following
from the leading federal organ at New York, Of
June1, 1902, has familiar look:
Symptoms of Absence and Neglect of Duty.
the president has retired to Monticello. Mr..
Madison, secretary of state, is gone TO Virginia.
Secretary Dearborn returned on the 17lh, from
an excursion TO the eastward. Mr.. Gallatin,
secretary OF the / easufY, Is on q party OF
pleasure to Pennsylvania and New York. Per-
maps some prChta lie speculation may fall under
his notice, as he has much money at command.
Inc postmaster general has gone, in the mail,
to Connecticut. Mr. Duane. (the particular
friend Of Mr.. Jefferson and in the absence of Mr..
Giles, one OF bis constitutional advisers) has re-
paired to Philadelphia. Levi Lincoln, ESQ at
torney general, was the only public officer, resi-
deut at the seat Of government, for some time
past"
Nothing in the history ofour politics shows that
this indecent and vilanous method of political
warfare has ever been useful TO those who have
employed it. 1t could not, under any circum-
stances, fail to degrade and demoraize them
selves and their sympathizing associates; but it
has never helped any cause that deserved sup
port. The aecusers Of Washington, Adams,
Jefferson, and other EN- inent men Of their time,
are thought of now as base creatures and their
villainous utterances, if remembered, seem TOO
vile for association even with the Newgate Calen-
dar The distinguished men thus assaied, did
not lose public confidence. They were honored
IN their own time, without regard TO the noise
made by their 1iliders; and they are held in
honor now, when their calumniators are not
easily remembered in connection with them.
Gen. Grauts calumniators will be no more sue
cessful. Their frantic rancor can neither change
reality, at the present time, nor control the
Judgment of history, hereafter. Some of them,
we think, will live long enough TO be ashamed
Of II. while portion of them, doubtless, are in.
capable Of being ashamed of anything.
The Pennsylvania Election,