The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-08-03
Not SO FaSti

Mr.. Argus My amieble frieAd. 1 snatch
the first leisure moment to answer yon Con-
slstency is enc thing, obstinacy another. Heav-
en- forbid that, as one grows older, he should
not grow wiser. You have heard of Benedict
perhaps-not Benedict Arnold, but Benedict
the married man." ''When said should die
a bachelor" says he, 81 did not think should
live to be married" .-
All that said in the passage you have quoted
from the Yankee of Sept II, 1928, the correct
moss OF which admit, although have no time
for verifcation, I say now. would not vote
for successful, honest and popular SOLDIER not
even for George Washington himself were he
alive to-day, and candidate for the Presiden-
cy, If could help it. r.- -.,s4sV.
l voted for Grant, because if the Republicans
did not the Democrats would. 1t was the
least not of two evils only, but of many evils
He was not the man L should have chosen
could have had my choice, but in my judy
ment, with all his dsqualifications, he was the
best man we could be sure of.
My objections to him as civil magistrate
were very serious, and they have not been
wholly removed, but, on the contrary, some
have been exaggerated and confirmed by his
administration. To say all in a word, General
Grant was, and still is, too much counterpart
of William, Prince of Orange, not only in his
generalship, and in that unconquerable stub
bornness by which we profted so much in the
war, but in his imperious temper, in his habits
and associations, in his long continued seasons
of silence, amounting to sullenness, if not sui
kiness; in his limited acquaintance with gener-
history avid L.
usages of society, and in his reported smoking
and drinking with low companions; though, be
it understood that do not believe a 1.-THE of
the stories in circulation about his habitual in
temperance, while I do believe in that of Mr.
Gratz Brown, who, if Greeley should be elect
ed and happen to die off, as Harrison and Tay-
Tor did, or be killed as Lincoln was by some
Southern patriot, would be our next President,
notwithstanding his drunkenness and BIAS
phemy-nay, becauseo of these very qualifications
perhaps, -
For Harrison and Taylor I voted notwith-
standing my objections to popular military
man for President-and for like reasons
They were not what wanted, but how could
do better? We had only Hobson's choice
''That or none" And so, unless I should
change my mind for good reasons, myself being
the only Judge, shall vote for Grant-notwith-
standing. -t 4. .G
As to the charge that 'Honest Horace Gree
ley is in favor Of pensioning rebel soldiers, all
| have to say at present. until I know whom to
believe, where both parties and all parties lie so
abonlinably through most of their party organs
all have to say at present is, that want
MI
equivocation, from Honest Horace Greedy HIM
self before let go of the letters and afidavits
have seen upon the subject.
Honest is he? Nobody supposes that Mr.
Greeley would steal your spoons if he were I'M
vited to sup with you, or cheat in making
change; but when man promises in advance
to yield opinions which he has been laboring for
a lifetime, in the case of protection, and not
only to yield, but to enforce contrary opinions
if out-voted, by signing the bills; when he vol
unfairly puts himself into position where he
must forego his most cherished opinions, what
must we think of his honesty? M
Yet more. When we find man bargaining
for office with his enemies, while protesting to
be altogether above the temptations of Office,
and this for months before the mask is torn off;
and suddenly foregoing the exposure of mons
trous frauds like those of Brooklyn, worse, if
possible, than those of Now York, after enter
ing upon the business with uncommon zeal and
much noisy denunciation; and all this, just be-
fore he strikes hands with his political ADVERSE
ries, men he has been Safeguarding and abus-
ing for twenty years, we are inclined to ask
what is meant by calling him honests Has
language no meaning in politics? Other like
abandonment of settled convictions, if we may
believe the man himself, might be mentioned,
but we forbear. Sufficient for the day is the
evil thereof. JOHN NEAL.
August g 1872.