Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-03-29

men with their own eyee, make up thelf OWE
minde, AID Indicate their own preferences, more
generally and intelligently than Of cd; and thu
public man who sets himself up for leader
and thinks that the people or party are going tC
follow him through thick and thin, simply be-
csuse he points the way, will commonly find out
his mistake, or bis mistake will find him.
But we know Of no reason why the compari'
son invited by the opposition prefs. should BIZ
avoided by the other side. The rule holds, II
politics, that man is known by the company he
keeps. and the straight forward Republicans o.
the country have certainly no reason to ef
ashamed Of their company.
Who are the prominent snti-Grsnt Republic
ans, They are Sumner, Schurz. Trumoull
Greeley, Gratz Brown, with few others like
sprseue Of Rhode Island and Senator Upton,
who are Of no particular account, so far IS per
sonsl influence is concerned Charles Sumner
is an able man, az all know; sn honest man. ~
all believe; entitled 70 the name Of Statesman
and, with notable exception, Of patriot; ou'
rascible, oyer-bearing, possessed OF al undue
opipiou of his own importance, excessively jeeloui
Of the authority and pFerogstiyes which he con
,iders to belong to him by reason Of his long
public service, aud his almost msrtyrdom in the
cause Of human rights These last qualities
greatly hinder his usefulness, make it difficult
to work with him unless position Of absolute
command is conceded to him, and threaten seri-
ously 20 cloud bis hitherto high national repu-
taticn.
Mr.. Schurz Is slao able Of speech, brilliant
thetorician, extremely ready in debste, Person-
ally honest as We believe, bu, lacking in
breadth Of character, exceedingly ambitious, yet
one who faiis notably and invariably as a leader.
Thus he won no renown as General, and as an
editor (5f the Detroit P5sD he was a fsiluEe.
What be is as ttatetman his resent fAsco IN
the Senste shows.
Nj TrumbaI has long held high position
10 the usrtv. He has perhaps been 8 little over
estimated but We have no desire to decry OF de-
trsc. from his ability or personal honesty and
independence Nj Trumbull seems TO us to
have become sourei becsuse he thinks. himself
not sufficiently appreciated. The Administra-
ton would have been very glad Of bis friendship,
we doub. not. out could not quite permit him to
be its dictator. Mr.. T.umbuIl sides with the
d, Liberal Republicans, as we believe, simply
because be expects the nomination Of TIE Cincin-
nat Convention, snd the support in that event
Of tie Democratic psrty. Ii they should sup
port him ia any event. il would be because they
can use hin but Mr. Trumbull is not likely to
be candidate for President this lime, and when
that il set,l,d. We expect to see him in the Re
publish ranks.
We need not characterize Horace Greeley
His virtues and bic faults sre well enough
known. Had he been accepted as Its leader
there would long since have been no Republican
party 20 lead.
p. Gatz Brown. Of late years, gets all his
prominence by opposing the existing order Of
thiurs. whatever IT Is he fought PRECEDENT
Lincoln if anything more bitterly than he does
Grant. and with the same success. He il badly
sue.ei with the Presidential fever.
Passing TO the organs Of the opposition, we
dnI them to be the New York Tri5aae. whore
c7uasals. if followed, would have permitted the
recession Of the Southern s,stes, and given to
ths enemy the substantial fruits Of almost every
victory won by the Eepublicsa party. and
w4oss giraffe course IS now controlled oy Mr..
Grseley's personal itching for the Presidency;
the Nation. which considers The frs: duty Of a
paYar 70 be .. remorseless criticism 80 Of the Ad-
ministraton, sni governs itself accordingly :
the Chicago Tribune, which is q Kind q Arso
among the press. It's hand sgains; every man.
and which ta1tr the course which will make the
greatest ssusation, be il what may the
Springfield Reysilieaa, which studies sssii-
ou,lv to please its Democratic readers, BY ming
ling with its support Of Republican measures
a}uaisn. denuncisiion Of Republican men.
With tlsse We msy include poor Tilton r
Golles -fge, H-oo4duH q CigfA's WesAly'
and the Democratic press entire.
We cannot, Of course. undertake to enum-
crate the prominent supporters Of General
Grants administration But among them,
selected no; in any order Of eminence,
but as they occur to US, are such men as he Of
whom this vas iaij the other day IN the Senate,
49, ] - .-.,-1 .,,,; re-rs1 .ern-t
d. There is row and then man il the world
who does not want office, yet has it who does
not want reputation, yet gets It. There is now
Gni then a man who spends his time rot IN IA
curing, Whist shall get hat fhsll l have
Where shau I gl7 but the great question OF
whose life il, " hat shall be lie spends he
tine in making il an instrument which gives
HARMONY in time, but the sweetest music OF
whose life is reserved for eternity he gives his
lie 10 Masking character. Governor BuckinG-
ham, il such 3 man. Il be the head OF CON-
u,ittee 10 whitewssh fraud Go tell It IN Con-
peotisut; tell it to the soldiers who have sur
viyed the war. HE name is in al the churches;
tell it there. and a smile Of derisiou aud We
know him., will be the only response
Gov. Buckingham is for Grant. So is Sehuy-
Ter Colfsx,whon come Of those who oppose Grant
3ortder pure, honest ind able enough TO be
President himrelf so is Senator Patterson, Of
whom this WAS said by journal which is com
monty scanty of praise and prodigal Of blame for
the Presidents supporters:
Scholarly. eloquent. iniamed with pure love
Of country and an ambition that has IN it no
thing petty or sycophantic,-with a rare sptl-
-. the OF 4
stain upon lis public or his private life,-sn up
right. broad-minded e1untry-loving, God-tear-
ing man, Mr. Patterson adds honor to the
honorable title Of New England Senator.
ois George Wiilism Curtis. hghmindei, in
oorrupti5le, independent; and Henry Ward
Besoher, who has some reputation for looking at
things with hi own eyes, and wss never charged
with fswning on mortal man and Hamilton
Fish, whose conduct Of the Department Of State
shows craftsmanship Of the highest order and
Senators Wilson and Frelinghuysen and Ed
munds sni Morrill, and Anthony, whore purity
Of motive and high personal character, no man
questions. On the same side sre such men as
Bl.iue and Gar field, and Dawes. snd Gov. Fair
child Of Wisconsin, AMI Gen. Jacob Hawley Of
Connecticut. We might extend the list to
pages. These certainly are men whom no one
need be ashamed to " train - with.
Among the papers On the zane side we find
such heightened journals SIS Harper's H'eekly,
the New York Times, the Hartford CouraHt
the Providence Journal, the -adreriiser, Jour
raj and TrarcHer, Of Boston. the Troy Times,
we might add many others if our space per-
mitted, by name, and we may add the religious
press Sc q class. The position Of these papers is
worth noting. They are entirely clear of mere
ly political influences, and are conducted by
men whose course is shaped by no holding or
hope Of public Office, and We hardly knew Of one
Of them tina; has not indicated its belief that the
welfare Of the country demands the support and
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