Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-02-21
rHE CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE ADMINS.
TRATlON

oarrying ont ludietoua gystem OF lmprove-
ments."-PrertdsAi Grdnfs Message.
THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST The ADMINS
TRATION.
Tho discussion In the Senate win have the
effect Of clearing the political sky. We have
all manner Of fogs and mIaamAs, lntrigues,
ambitions, personal gricfs-the disappointed
varieties Of men who have not succeeded In
improsslng the country with their estimate
Of their services and character. Wherever
there Is power and responsibility there must
be heartburning and weakness. This ls os-
pecially the case with the Republican party.
That party represents the intellect and en-
orgy Of the country. Discipline sits lightly
upon men who think and work. Under Dem.
ocratic administrations conventions were
managed as sheep are driven TO tho shambles,
and all discussion ceased whom the chiefs Of
the party recorded their decrOes. The Repub-
llcans think, AMI men who think arc apt to
differ.
So long as these differences confined them
selves TO questions Of policy or the fitness Of
men for Office no one complained. Whether
we should have protection or free trade, an
income tar or increased duties on imports, a
contracted currency or enlarged issues Of
grecnbacks, amnesty or Acknowledgement,
came within the limits Of natural and gene
rOus discussion. And as TO the merits Of can
dldates for Office, the widest criticiIm was
invited. Some prefer Grant because Of his
eminent fitness. They reason that as he has
done a. we'll rs Washington, jackson, or Lin
coin, he should be honOred as they were
honored, aud that he should complete the
work he has so well performed. Even Mr.
Greeley has put 1t on record that General
Grant would make better President In 1871,
than In 1862. But others may prefer differ
ont candidate. They have the right TO this
opinion, even II 1t takes the sentimental
phase Of desiring Mr.. Greeley and Mrs..
Woodruff. In free country every citizen
has the constitutional privilege OF becoming
candidate for the Presidency, conscious that
II not too modest he Is sure OF at least one
vote. No discussions OF men or measures
have been permitted TO disturb In the least the
harmony Of the Republican party.
For our own part we have never been
disposed to interfere with these discus
sions. Let them have tho widest range
This Senate debate shows, however, that
there arc men high In rank In the party who
mean 10 destroy or betray Ii. Mr.. schurz
has put himself on record Us q Republican
Senator who will not vote the Republican
ticket for the Presidency unless the candidate
Is another than Gen. Grant. Yet, Mr.. Schurz is
man who has been fondled and exalted by
the party and covered with rare honors. He
has never supported Gen. Grants admins
tratiOn. One reason for his anger Is that the
President removed q brother-ln-law from
Office. Al we know Of this officer is thai
when appointed 1t was In place of one Of the
brayest generals In the army, and II we
were disposed TO crtlclse Gen. Grant II
would be for giving place 10 German ad-
venturer at the expense Of the gallant Gen.
Corse. Another reason for the anger Of
schurL Is his horror OF the military ring"
Upon this we have to say that tho time
was whcn the country would have been In "a
deplorable a condition as Prussia after the
battle Of jena but for the Vaccinations OF
the military ring. But for the military ring
Of Germany-of which one Moltke Is IA
nous member-LOuls Napoleon might now
bo holding q conqueror's court at Berlin.
Mr.. schurZ, 1t Is due TO his consistency 10
say, has always showed his anupathy 10 NIL
itary rings. When in the army he kept aloo
from them and desplsed their proceedings
We hnd no record Of his ever having been IL
their company. For this military ring, be 1
remembered, had 4 way of going 10 the front
and commanding soldiers and exposing thell
lives and shedding their blood.
Mr.. schurz never intruded himself int
their company, or disputed their right To dC
these things, and II Is fit that he should carr
this antlpathy into civil life. A soldier who
was made major general by Mr. Lincoln IL
one Of his whimsical moments, who never
we suppose, knew the difference between
cannon and knapsack, and whose militar,
services were generally on PennsylyanlA ave
nue. and among tho suffers wagons Of the
army, this general Of dress-parades and ora
tious may well detest a,milltary ring headed By
q mere soldier like Grant who went Into rea
battles. and exposed his life in the most un
statosmanllke and reckless way for tht
country.
b The time has come for US to deal yeTJ
plainly with this section Of mAlcontent ad
venturers who propose TO serve the Democracy
In the gulse OF RepubllcEnism. The desperA
ton Of the cause represented by Mr.. Schurl
is seen in his present attitude. The issue h'
has made Is neither for Grant or against him
II Is an Issue against the party. A man who
announces that he has made up his mind "a
betray party cannot be permitted 10 speak
for II or lead II. II Gen. Washington had
taken Benedict Arnold he would have hanged
him. According 10 the Tribune, he should
have given him an important command il
the revolutionary army, and retired himscl
to produce harmony"
We do not believe In such discipline no
have we any patience wI!h the towards an
time-seryers who would counsel further Al
llauco with men like Senator sehurz. 1hs
gentleman has gone over to the enemy, an
as an enemy VIC must treat him. II the Re
IpublleNn party Is not strong enough 10 shoe
dsserters, or at least drive them out OF II
lInes, the sooner II dlssolyes into 4 mob tn
better, for 1t Is no longer pAsty, but moi
without purpose or mission as an organiEa
I tlOn,