Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1872-06-14
Grants Unftnoss for the Presidency

Grant, says
81 protest against him as radically unfit for
The presidential Office, being essentially mill
tary in nature, without experience in civil life,
| without aptitude for civil duties and without
knowledge Of republican institutions, all OF
which is perfectly apparent, unless we are
ready to assume that the matters and things
set forth to-day are Of no acconnt-and then
declare in further support Of the candidate
boldly thai uepotism in n President is notn-
ing that gift-taking with repayment in OIL
cial patronage is nothing, that violation OF the
Constitution and Of law international and nu-
nicipal is nothing, that indigniiy to the arr
can race is nothing, that quarrel with pollilcal
associates is nothing that all his presidential
prctensiUns in their motley aggregation, beng
a new C;csarsm or personal gorernmcnt. are
nothing then is the Republican party nothing;
nor is there any safeguard for republican IN
stitulions.
APOLOGIES.
Two apologies hear.
The first is that he means well and crrs from
want Of knowledge. This is not much. II
was said OF Louis the Qlarrcicr. that he
meant well nor is there - e.ltr aea1-stone in
any village battle-ground Eat does not record
ms much Of the humble iUdger .,ue,tn. some
| hing more is needed for a President. Nur
can we afford TO perpetuAlc po~rr in n ruler
who errs so much from ignorance. Charity
for the past concede but no investiture for
the future.
The other apology ia that his Presidency hag
been successful. How When Where ? Not
to him can lie attributed that general pros err
ity which is the natural outgrowih Of our
people and country, for his contribution is not
traced in the Astounding result Our golden
fields productive mines busy industry, d.Fer-
siied commerce owe nothing 10 him. Show
then, his success Is it in the finances? The
national debt has been reduced but not 10 so
| large an amonnt rs by Andrew johnson in the
same space Of time. Little merit is due TO
either, for each employed the means allowed
by congress. To HE American people is this
| reduction due, and not TO any President And
while our President in this respect is no better
than his predecessor, he can claim no mer;
| for any systematic effort to reduce taxation or
| restore specie payments. Perhaps, then, it il
in foreign relations that he claims the laures
he is to wear Knowing something Of these
from careful study and years of practical ar
quainlance, | am bound to say that never be-
fore has their management been so wanting III
ability and so absolutely without character.
In every direction is mnddle-muddle with
Spaia muddle with Cuba, middle with the
Black Republic, muddle with distant Corea,
middle with Venezuela middle with Russia,
middle with England-on all sides one diver
siGcd inudde To this condition are we re-
duced. When before in our history have we
reached any such bathos as that to which we
have been carried in our questions with Eng
land Are these the aurcls for a presiden-
tial candidate? Bat what they Are
they found on the Indian frontier Let the
cry of massacre and blood from that distant
region answer Are they in reform Of the
civil service ? Bat here the initial point is
the limitation of the President 10 one term, so
that he may be placed above temptation bu,
this he opposes Evidently he is no true re-
former. Are these laurels found in the adj
ministraton of the Departments Let the
discreditabe sale of arms TO France in viola
ton of neutral duties and of municipal statute
be the answer, and let the custom-houses OF
New York and New Orleans with their tales Of
favorilsm and Of nepotsm, and with their
prostitution as agencies, mercenary and politi-
cal, echo back the answer while senatorial
committees organized contrary to cardinal
principle of Parliamentary Law as a cover TO
these scandals, testify also Where, then, are
the laurels2 AT last find them fresh and
brilliant in the harmony which the President
has preserved among Republicans. Harmony
do say2 This should have been his congo
NAL task; nor would any aid or homage OF
mine been wanting. But instead he has or
gained discord operating through succes-
sion of rings and for laures we find only
weeds and thstes.
9 FIRST IN QUARREL WITH HIS CoUNTRYMEN.'
Anxiously, earnestly the country asks fol
reform and stands tiptoe TO greet the coming
But how expect reform from n President who
needs it so much himself2 Who shall reform
the reformer? So also does the country ask fol
purity but is it not in vain TO seek this boon
from one whose Presidential pretensons are
so demoralizing? Who shall purify the pur
fer? The country hsks for reform in the civ
il service. Bat how expect any such change
from one who will not allow the Presidential
office to be secured against its worst tempta
ton If he fraternizcs with jobbcrs and Hes
} slams, where is the limit to the Decentralization
that must ensue? Necessarily the public ser
vice takes its character from its elected chief
and the whole country reflects the President
His example is law, but bad example mus
be corrected MS bad law.