American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-06-01
Grant as as Statesman.

WHATEVER Grant may have been as II
military man, or however truthfully he
may have won the title of " Cncondition-
al Surrender Grant," il is patent to every
observer that he is not success as a
statesman, but that he is the first to make
an unconditional surrender to the de-
mand of any power that asks it. Take,
for instance, the Alabama matter, and
when did any other President ever make
such a botch of it ? A great fuss and
buster was made about the time the ten
men were called together, representing
England and America; these men were
months engaged in the business of draw
ing up treaty, and then did not know
exactly how they disposed of class of
claims which called for hundreds of
millions of dollars. This was a proce-
dure which is entitled to rank as one of
the strangest facts of history. We can &C
count for it only on the assumption that
either amazing stupidity or objectionable
duplicity had seized upon the one party
or the other.
1t is now a matter of record that neither
party to the treaty supposed that instru
ment contemplated the consideration of
indirect or consequential damages in CON
nection with the rebel cruisers. Every
day makes it more clear that the incor
poration of indirect claims with the
American case was intended as a sharp
political device, intended for effect at
home Fish and Bancroft Davis ''putup
the job to use a sporting phrase, not be-
caused they believed it would receive any
consideration from the Board of Arbitra-
tion,- but in order to curry favor for Grant
at home. In fact, it is stated that they
intended the American case to be one
grand electioneering document in favor
of the re election of General Grant
But often the best laid schemes of men
miscarry, and prove an impeachment to
progress that almost results in annihila-
ton, as in this Alabama matter, it can
readily be seen that Grant, Fish, and
Davis overreached themselves England
resented the pettifogging device. Its pro-
er that Gladstone had a game at stake as
well as Grant, and that a trump card for
the latter might have the effect of euchre
upon the former The American tease"
might possibly have reelected Grant, but
it must at the same time have deposed
Gladstone. The instinct OF selfpreserva-
ton, therefore, aroused the deepest hos
tility on the part of the English Premier,
to the pettifogging and preposterous
American ease" English indignation
was excited to fever heat and the Gov
eminent declared that it would never sub
nit to arbitration until the case should be
amended by leaving out the claims for
consequential damages.
John Bull demanded of the American
Government an unconditional surrender,
and our great military President, con-
scious of his weakness in this matter,
has yielded thereto, and is now vigorously
eating humble pie. Gladstone drafted a
supplemental treaty, in which Grant is
not only made to ''back down" entirely,
but to beg pardon of England besides.
And our Government is actually
considering the propriety of adopting
such a treaty! But at present it seems
impossible for our Government to eXtri
cate itself from the mire without soiled
garments and compromised national
dignity. For this state of things the
country is indebted to its laundering Ad-
ministration, bent only on perpetuating
its rule. The Treaty of Washington,
which was held up as the model pacifica-
tor, and which was to rebound to the
eternal glory of Grant, has thus turned
out to be a wretched fiasco, owing to
the personal ambition of the man who
stupidity kicked over his own dish. And
the attempt will be made at Philadelphia,
next month, to continue the folly of keep
ing Grant in the White House for four
years longer, to perpetuate the farce of
the past Does any one suppose that
with Horace Greeley in Grants place,
such stupidity would have been exhibited
as has been all through this treaty bust
ness? We know it would not, and we
furthermore believe if fair expression
of the people is had in November, Grants
occupation of the Executive Chair will
cease with March 4, 1873, and in his place
we shall have statesman of enlarged
views, and one whose foreign policy will
not be disgrace to us as a nation.
Grant, in the role of a statesman, has been
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elements of craftsmanship Chicago Daily
Ners.