The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-01-27
President Grant.


Those who have watched the course of
President Grant regard him as a patient
and ch-enduring man. The important
dispatch from Washington printed in an
other column will go far toward confirm
ing this impression. The views therein
expressed by the President strengthen the
statements we printed the other day as to
his attitude in this whole custom-house
business, his resolution to forward the
investigation in every way in his power,
and to deal promptly and sternly with
every one who has brought the least scan
dial upon his administration. of course,
our former dispatch to this effect has been
angriy denied by those organs who think
that in cchoing the gossip from the Presl-
dents kitchen they speak for the Presi-
dent officially. Now, we have no quarrel
with members of the Presidents official
family, nor would we throw a single I'M
kind thought into his servants hall. We
feel that the President should have justice,
and we believe that the more thoroughly
he is investigated, the more rigidly his
whole life is examined, the more trium-
plant will be his vindication; that he will
come from every ordeal unscathed-still
retaining the splendor of Donelson and
Vicksburg-and that grateful and gener-
our people will re-elect him President of
the United States.
Thus far his enemies have failed in every
attempt to destroy his character. He will
fight it out on the line he occupies if it
takes all summer-and it probably will
take all summer and goodly share Of
autumn. He has made singularly hon.
Ill, sn;c A1 no
ed chief of the Republican party he has
kept every pledge made by his friends with
Roman sincerity and firmness. The most
radical Republican cannot quarrel with
General Grant. Those who were impa-
tient with Mr.. Lincoln even-such men, let
us say. as Wendell Phillips and Benjamin
F. Butler ARE fully satisfied with Grant.
The assaults made upon him are only evil
dences of his strength with the people,
His enemies have no charges against him
but coruer grocery and bar-room scandal
He takes presents, it is said; but no one
has heard of a sentacceptedb by him since
he entered the White House. AS a sue
cessfuI General, some of our citizens gave
him such token of their esteem and graf
itude as was given to Marlborough and
Wellington when they returned from sue
cessful wars; such a token as was given to
Gen Mcclellan, who, when he came to
live among us, was presented with house
in New Yok by several leading Democrats.
He has appointed few relatives to unim-
portant offices; but we shall not feel very
indignant over this, especially when we
remember that not long since MIR. Glad
stone said in the House of Commons that
one reason why an English statesman
could afford to hold the exacting Office of
d.. hot I,l
tunity of doing for his family and friends
what other eminent and able men did in
private pursuits. Certainly Mr.. Gladstone's
opinion will go far with the most fastid-
ious critics among our journalists and
statesmen. Beyond this petty tavern Cos
sip nothing is said; and this paucity and
monotony Of assault form the Presidents
best vindication.
On the other hand, in every respect
Grant has met the highest expectation of
the country. He has, as we have said,
kept every pledge made as Republican to
the party which nominated him. He has
made an honest, patient, resOlute endeavor
to reduce the debt, and although we have
not, in all ways, commended Mr.. Bout
wells methods of managing the Treasury,
we recognize that the Administration has
meant to fund the debt, reduce the inter
est, and release the people from the bur-
dens of taxation. Without absolving the
Secretary from any of our criticisms, we
pass this to the credit of the Administra-
ton. In the question of our relations with
England we have seen the President Crap
pie with the gravest problem in our diplo-
macy and settle it, and in that alone win
for himself an enduring fame. In dealing
with Spain there has been patience,
Ill,
which, although at times vexatious to an
impatient and impulsive public opinion,
has kept the peace and not permitted us to
drift into fretful and useless war. In the
Indian question he has shown humanity
and breath of purpose wonderfully at var
lance with the savage and blind traditions
of former Administrations. Every Chris
tian heart in America must throb kindly
toward President Grant for his humanity
and good temper in dealing with the way
wand children of the forest. In the Nor
mon question he has trampled upon an
evil as gigantic as that of slavery-upon
po'ygamy-which, as theremaining d" twin
relic of barbasism," has been scandal to
our age. And so in every instance of adj
ministratve policy. At home and abroad
he has preserved the honor the flag and
the purity of the Administration. Crime
and malfeasance in Office have been severe
ly punished; and we have a Pre- sident who
will have no parley with roguery or inca
pacity i'll any department of the Govern
ment.
We have said that President Grant is
patient and much-enduring man. He has
shown this in New York, and especially in
our custom-honse matters. Men close to
him, or, at least, claiming to represent
II i,,fr III
tons wher. from avarice or an unhealthy
yearning of power. they have brought scan
dial TO the Administration. This general
"order business" has been no more nor
less than scandal. The merchants of
New York have been held in terrorism. A
custom has grown up which is little more
than the alliance of a gang of freebooters
to stand over every cargo that comes to
the port and exact "tolls.'' In the olden
times bandits were wont to exact what
they called "tolls " from honest merchants
carrying their goods to London, or worthy
husbandmen driving their cattle into the
lowlands. This same custom has been per-
mitted in New York. We have no doubt
that our custom house general order peo-
pie felt they were doing an honest trade:
but the country does not.so consider it
We agree with General Grant, that the
arrangement made by BiXby, by which
SIS, 600 a year went to an officer in the War
Department as ''tols = to the Admins
tration, was an inexcusable transaction,
and we are glad to know, as we have felt
all along, that he was in no ways reponsi-
BILE for it, and that he will visit the offense,
if not disproved, with severe punishment.
The story that there are Senators Oh the
committee who will not examine this cues
ton thoroughly, because it might screen
the President at the expense o! his mill
tary family, is astounding. Certainly no
such evidence as that sent to us from Wash
ington has been elieited by the committee
in their elaborate investigation. Let it be
brought out at once. We can have no
trifling, no concealment in the NATTER
The honor of our President is dear to us,
and it must be protected, no matter who
suffers.
One word to President Grant. He is
said to mediate comp d'etat in New York
politics and among our officials here The
country expects this, and no President has
more certainly answered the country's
expectations. He chung to ST. Domingo
until it was feared he had Numbered. Sud
denly he threw the whole matter into the
hands of Congress and the peOnle Ha