Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-13

IhInh tIa6 you VIII clearly see, my dear
sir, that if there is any mistatement, or as
you express it, perversion of facts, it is not
on my part. Faithfully yours,
CHARLES SUMNER.
To Hon. A. d. WHITE"
JAMES WATSON WEBB, ON GRANT
James Watson Webb has written caus--
tic letter on Gen. Grant, whom he de-
nounces for his INSCRIPTIONS management
and disregard of his one-term pledge. We
quote the following:
No man entertained higher hopes of what
he would do, or more sanguine expectations
of what he could accomplish, than l did;
and, believing him honest and patriotic, /
did not doubt his ability and his wiling
ness to qualify himself for the Presidency.
I was outspoken in my advocacy of his at
tempt to purchase Santo Domingo, but alas,
it soon became corrupt job, which the
warmest friends of its annexation were
compelled to repudiate.
THE PRESIDENTS INCAPACITY.
We all knew that from the time Grant
graduated at West Point he was more cele-
brated for his attachment TO his dogs and
horses, bis pipe and his boon companions,
than TO books or the study of public men
and measures; but we insisted that with
sufficient energy remaining to become what
he was-a gallant and successful soldier
he should not fail to devote himself to the
acquisition of the necessary knowledge to
administer faithfully, at least, the duties Of
the high station to which confding and
grateful people had elevated him. In this,
however, his most confding friends have
been doomed to disappointment. He is as
ignorant TO- day of the wants of the coun-
try and of the first principles of statesman
ship as when elected to the Presidency.
His sole idea of the duties Of his high
station appears 10 be concentrated in max
ing provision from the Public Treasury
for bis immediate family and its connec-
ton, and in prostituting the public pat
ronage to securing denomination, and, if
possible, a reelection, forgetting, apparent
ly, that while his officeholders might secure
his denomination, the people only have the
power to re-elect him. His proceedings in
this regard have been so b2refaced aud
shameless that i is only necessary to point to
the removal of the Hon. Moses Grinnell to
silence those who would gainsay the allega-
ton.
But add to this his admitted ignorance of
the duties of his position, bis shameful ne
potism, prostitution Of the public patronage
to achieve that which, under the circum
stances, it is infamy to accept, together with
his systematic degradation of his own high
position, and it is difficult to conceive how
it is possible for the great Republican party
TO sustain him.
GRANT SOCIALLY CONSIDERED.
From the inauguration OF George Wash
ington till the elevation of Gen. Grant to
the Presidency, believe it is a matter of
history that no Chief Magistrate ever ac-
cepted of an invitation to dine out Of the
| White House. The present Chief Magis-
trate has reformed all this. With whom
has he lot dined? And so universal is the
knowledge, both at home and abroad, of
the manner in which he has prostituted the
| dignity of his station, that an anecdote, cur
rent all over Europe, may not be out of
place. When, as is known, the President
| Through ignorance or inadvertance no
| doubt) negected to invite the Grand Duke
of Russia to dine with him, or as the Rus
sian saying is, "to break bread with him, :"
as an evidence of Friendship, the En-
peror and all st. Petersburg felt out
rGged. And when, subsequently, the
President telegraphed to the Grand
| Duke at st. Louis to return and dine with
| him, and the Grand Duke tele-
graphed to st. Petersburg inquiring what
| he should do, the answer was s'decline
peremptorily." Of course, this was a sub
ject of everyday discussion in st. Peters
| burg, and on one of those occasions Rus
| sian gentleman who had been at Washing
ton quietly responded, elf our Alexis had
been the owner of fast horse, or a passa-
bly, good groom, doubtless Gen. Grant
would have invited him to dinner"
Mr.. Greeley is not the man whom |
should have selected from all the great and
good men of the United States to have
headed ticket pledged to reform, and to
the exposure and punishment of CORFU D.
ton in the administration of public affairs.
And yet l verify believe that with the peo-
pie he is popular, and will poll more votes
than any other candidate who could have
been named.
MIR. GREELEY'S MERITS AND CHANCES.
Being by universal admission both hon
est and capable, and having, as | believe,
acquired the experience which comes with
matured wisdom and study, and much mix
ing with the void, l do not entertain a
doubt that if elected hei will prove as able
and as safe President as the most patriot.
ic advocates of reform could desire. l be.
lieve, too, that if there are politicians who
think that Greeley, when elected, can be
easily nodded to their wishes, they are DIES
tined to be greatly disappointed. Right Oh
wrong, he will, if elected, be President; and
hemmed in as he is on all sides, by public
life in which he is fully committed upon al
questions of national policy, he cannot &C
astray if he would; and I believe him toe
honest to entertain any such desire. lie il
committed to the some term principle" anC
therefore he can have no purpose but t
build up for himself the reputation of hav
ing faithfully served his country, and ably
and honestly discharged the duties Of Chic
Magistrate.