The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-26

90 bsi0He as public NEE r.
|ceseed bospitaiissies and othe sayora Rom
I'd siil fse people do nos fear
that the residents surrounding atsf1self
With military attendants meanssa design TO
hsubyert tsle GoSernn1eH t bit JEALOUSY of
military surroundings and manners belongs
to free Institutions aud the spirit OF Tree
peoples, and the disregard Of this shows
lack Of perception ,efT popular sentiment, or
q, contempt for it. It is true that Congress
| is Iaggard and reluctant In the work OF
lcivil.seryice reform; but the President has
lfnot the stranlmels5 that bind congressman.
He can i'wieid prevailing influence in
promoting the needed legislation. He can
nut the methods Of reform into practice
| by retaining and promoting capacity, fdel-
lity, and experience, and by. refusing to
remove. any capable and faithful officer to
make place for partisan retainer without
waiting for legislation. But while he asks
of Congress legislationsto eoerce him to re-
form the mode OF appointments to the civil
service, he presents TO the country such a
| scandal as the New York custom-heuse, with
| its digrepuable official service and its unofi-
| cial leyies upon the merchants, regulated by
| his own baud. Tt is true: that when the Pre-
sident caused our case to be presented to the
Injuries extended to the cost of the war, he
went no further than the speech of Mr.
| Sumner and the almost unanimous vote of
the Senate and the general acceptance of the
country. and that his late competitor went
beyond this with wild proposition that our
claims should be made the ground for de-
manding the cession of Canada; but it cam
not be forgotten that between these events
the Presidents ostensible reason for the per-
emptory dismissal of Mr.. Motley was that he
stated to the British Minister the case Of our
injuries too strongly, although it came far
short of the case presented at Geneva. The
Republican party did not seek a statesman for
President when it chose General Grant, for
it could not have expected a statesman in
him. It chose him because The glory re-
Elected on him in the popular view by the
military triumph gave him political availa-
bility which would be useful, and which If
not secured by it might be turned against it.
It would, therefore, be unreasonable to de-
mand of him positive and leading policy of
craftsmanship. But it had the right to ex-
pect from him an example of duty, dignity,
regard for law, and high selfrespect which
would have a benefcent influence on the
other branches of Government and on the
whole executive service. Yet there is a COM
mon impression that General Grant takes o
low view of the presidential office; that he
looks upon it as personal affair ;Fthat he
makes calculation Of what is due him from
the value of the office he gave up to take
this and that he regards it as n reward of
merit. All these things and others have
made the labor Of the recent contest much
greater to the Administration party than
itowould have been with any Repubi-
can of fair standing, without an Administers
ton record, for a candidate. The election
having givensto General Grant another term
Of office, this feeling in his party should have
free expression! His friends cannot do him
a greater service than to subject his conduct
at every step to severe judgment. At the
best he will have q difficult part to play.
Whether he shall show an amenability to in
teIligent public sentiment and shall rise
above the personal view of the presidency,
will govern the event whether he shall con.
tinue to have the support of successful
party and shall leave it in the control offthe
country when he retires to private life, or
whether his reelection shall precipitatc dis
Indignation of the Republican party which
will make his administration helpless and
will leave him to terminate his official career
followed by the reproaches of the party that
elected him and with none to do him honor.