The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1872-06-21
Sumner ON Grant.

IL Is surprisingly strange that Senator
simmer still hcsitates as to his future
purse in the contest between Grant, the
1nepotist, gift-taker, and failure" and
1honcst old Uncle Horace" after his
reat speech, from which we extract the
blowing on gift-taking etc;
Here leave, for theprescnt, the enor-
nous pretontions Of nepotism, and pass
to gift-taking, which our President has
ps.umcd an unprecedented form.
GFr-TAKING.
Sometimes public men, even of our
country, have taken gifts, but it is not
known that any President has before
repaid thepatron with office. For public
men to take gifts is reprehensible. For
4 President to select cabinet Of coun-
scllors and other officers among those
from whom he has taken gifts is an ano-
maly in republican annals. The Presi-
dent notoriously has taken gifts while in
public service, some at least after he had
been elected President, until the Gallena
tanner of few hundred dollars year,
TO borrow the words ofmy colleague, one
Of his supporters, is now rich in houses,
lands and stock above his salary. being
probably the richest President since
George Washington. He was appoin-
ted to his cabinet "Greek bearing gift"
without seeming 10 see the indecorun, if
not the indecency of the transaction.
AT least two, ifnot three of these Greeks,
having no known position in the Repub-
lican party or influence in the country,
was selected as counsellors in national
affairs and heads of the great depart
ments of government. Nor does the
case of the first secretary of state appoint
cd as a compliment, differ in character
from the other three. The President
feeling under personal obligations to Mr..
Washburne for his important support,
gave him a complimentary nomination,
with the understanding that after con-
frmation he should forthwith resign. i
cannot forget the indignent comment of
the late Senator Fessenden, as we passed
cut Of the senate chamber Immediately
after confirmation who said: "Who ever
heard Of a man nominated for secretary
Of state merely as a compliment" ?" But
this is only another case Of public SER
vice subserviency to personal considera-
tions. Not only in the cabinet, but in 9TH
cr offices there isreasonto believe that the
president has been made to influence pa
irons Why was he SO blind as to Tom
Mlrphy's custom-house in New York?
With his capacity, as a political engine,
il ygs hsnded over 70 this AGENT WHOA
Vdis o. recognitlen IN the Rsys6Ii R9.ssypa6Iican
party was Qllkbalanced by presidential
ia,or and those gifts which have become
notorious, and when the demand for his
removable was irresistible, the president
accepted his resignation with an effusion
Of sentiment natural toward patron but
without justification the character of
the retireing official.
have now completed the survey of two
typical instances of nepotism and official
ly compensated. In this open exhibition
we see how the presidency, instead OF a
trust, has become n perquisite. A pres
ident that can do such things and not
recognize the error he has committed,
shows that supereminence Of egotism
under which the constitution, intena-
tional law municipal law, to say nothing
Of republican government in its primary
principles, are all subordinated to the
presidential will. Add an insensibility
to the honest convictions of others, and
you have a characteristic incident of this
pretention. Other presidents have en-
tered upon Office with certain modesty
and distrust, but our soldier, absolutely
untried in civil life, entirely new man,
entering upon the sumlimest duties be-
fore which Washington and Jefferson had
shrunk, said in his inaugural. 'The re-
sponsibilities of the position; see, but
accept them without fear"