New-York tribune., 1872-07-20
THE PRESIDENTIAL ISSUE.
REASONS FOR A CHANGE OF ADMlNIsTRA-
Tl0N

TlON.
. pArRIoT's yIEws-THE NEED OF HAkMoN-
IzrNc THE CoUNTRY-ARGUMENTS IN fAVoE
OF GREELEY.
To me EditOr or Tine I''p""''
Sp am not a politician I; am simply an
interested observer of political events ana an earnest
,,rer after the hest interests Of my country nave
never made stump speech written an elechoneer-
inc article though have written ana published much
ON other subjects 1t seems TO me, however that tne
great parties now competing for preeminenee ial 10
take the best mode OF influencing very large class OF
the voters OF the country.
They are magnlfying into o mountain OF guilt every
noocadllo of the nominee TO whom they are opposed
and Mt the same time they setting forth the virtues
Of their favorte ooors too glowing to elicit conn
dence from thinking men. III the two candidates
now before the public have as many elements
of popularity their respective friends represent they
ought neither of them be eected and OF course they
ought not, II as bad represented We do not want
men for President whose popularity such as to enable
them to override the Constitution and tho laws As
Daniel Webster said. To the Union as well as 10
civil liberty every interest which we enjoy ana vaue'
to all that makes proud OF our country, or which
renders our country lovely in or dear 10
our ow hearts nothing DO more repugnant nothing
more hostile, nothing directly destructive than e1
cessye unlimited unconstitutional confidence In men,
The man whose popularity is such as to enable him 10
represent the people to tho extent Of deyng the laws
is dangerous occupant Of the Presidential chair'
Now do not think that Grant is such man, nor
do think Mr.. Greeley ia. Why should the irehuS
OF the one or the other mako this campaign hinge Oh 'he
norsonal defects or exceencles OF these meni can
djdate fitness for the Office is Of course fair subject OF
discussion but after all, the success OF MS party IN
electiDg him often depends more upon exraheOs unu
ences than anything in tho man himself was not 80
with Polk with Pierce. with Buchanan and even with
Lincoln at his first election Political squbs and
gIg n
able means of enabling tho people to judge OF candi
dates fitness for Office. Both Grant and Greeley are 100
well known to need this line OF argument
The reasons for change OF Administration lie In quito
another direction They are Independent OF the one
term idea for which much might be said. They have
even little to do with the alleged defects OF GRANTS AL
ministration. voted for him, and am not
disappointed in his Administration. IL has Its
errors but what administration has mott The
ouestion which should rule in this election Is
which ticket will do most to harmonize the conhictng
sections of the c0unryf 1t nearly IL years since
the Southern have had hand In the formation OF
the General Government except so far as the coored
people and carpetbaggers have acted in the matter
And the latter arc specially odious at tho South having
involved their treasures in bankruptcy and rum The
native whites have felt themselves compelled to submit
to the spOation and to the inexperienced rule OF ther
former slaves by the strong hand of central power In
directing which their counsels were not asked, and
legislation at Washington committees adudlcations In
yesgations or embatted egions thence emanang do to
cure evils till leading men of the Southern states
who are experienced in public ars are brought to act
as of DID, forming and administering the central Gov
ernmentf This, at the present crisis is the great de-
sderatum ia the politics Of our country This should de-
eide our election of President We want Govern
ment in which all the sections share. and partcu
lrly that section which must be concated In order to
| insure general peace and prosperity =. ,,..o. ,,a.
Tt lilo IN that
they have involved the country ia terrible war, and
that they have forfeited all rGht TO share IN te honpIs
his first inaugural The two sections stand face 70 lace
nta aDv oher nostion" We cannot repress Southern
action the affairs OF the Government nor disregard
affairs OF the country IL is our object to punish the
South by dsregarding their wishes in electing Pres
dent, do not punish ourselves as well Is not the
state Of South great calamity to the country at
large, and 1t be otherwise till we admit them to
toni Have they not already had punishment enough
to correct the evils of which we complain II punishment
read in my paper, this morning that Mr.. Greeley
ought not 10 receive the votes of the people because
Wade Hampton, Beauregard Raphael semlnes. Vance.
Beriah Magoflin, Fizhugh Lee, Harry Gimer. Robert
and Blair are in favor of his election Now interpret
this fact directly otherwise III the leading men OF the
and that candidate no more Objectionable than Horace
Greeley, that is the very reason why would vote for
the leading OF the South have active participa
| tion. And If not yet ready to admit them to
fOar S%Hr Years. Of military rule % with all its eyi,
| before we come to to it in the
| end must, before have sure position.
The talk about the danger Of admitting the Southern
leaders Is absurd Danger OF what Rtestabshment of
| Slavery doubt whether such measure could com.
mand 10 Southern votes Danger of saddlng upon the
country the debts Of the SJuth Have the Southern
leaders influence enough TO carry measure like this
against an opposition 80 overwhelmingi was IN Rich
mOnd for weeks after its capture by our armies, and
c0nVersed freely with leading men and influential 0fclas
| under the Confederate Government aud found them
entirely disposed to accept the situation. saw Mr.
Lincoln also at CITY Point week before he was shot and
a that had he lived course Oi legislation would
| have been adopted that would have saved
| the country much of this trouble with the
| South which have had the last eight years
! The two candidates before the country both
OF them true have known Mr.. Greeley nearly 50
years from the time he apprentice boy learning
his trade and speak with confidence of his ability,
integrity and experience In the Affairs OF the country.
believe he wOuld make excellent President in him
self and apart from all consideration OF his being the
OF the Southern leaders hope therefore, that
he will be elected. We have elected lawyers. military
leaders, diplomasts and secretaries 10 this high posi-
ton, and why not now take man from the editorial
fraternity, class influential TO be regarded ia En-
gland sort Of fourth estate OF the kngdOmi Aud IL
editor is taken, who has precedence Of Mr. Greeley
I0fTyt0UH, July II, 1872. r. c.
VIEWS OF REvERDY JOHNSON.
REVIEW OF GRANTS ADMINIsTRATIoN-ITs
FAILURES-SUPERIORTTY OF GREELEY-HIs