Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-31


them ever asked favor Of any person. No
mention is made of the score Of politicians
who did this service for Grant
It is alleged as merit that "both parties
desired him as their candidate-either of
them more than willing to accept him as
its chief" There is more truth in this
statement than almost any one in the arti
Gle. II, however, Grant had been so noble
a man, how could the Democrats who were
willing to accept him be so debased? This
willingness on their part should commend
| them to the favor Of the author. But the
above does not tell the whole story.
Gen. Grant had supported up to this time
the johnson policy Of reconstruction. He
was opposed to the entire policy of Con-
gress. he had been Democrat, and was,
during the early period of Mr. Johnson's
administration, coquetting with both par
ties, and finally decided TO take the Rspub-
lican nomination as it was the strongest
side. Not content with the more than i'm
perial honors of President he bargains for
q second term before he would accept the
first-all the time as ready to accept nom
ination, as gift, from either side. When
Col Forney, by the aid Of Gen. Rawlings,
proved him better Republican than he ex-
pected, he chartered like huckster over
the prospect. The conduct of Gen. Grant
at this time wss so far from commanding
him to public favor that it should disgrace
an aspirant for the honors and emoluments
of bailiff.
This able address states SIS q matter of
history that "Grant reported himself and
| company of men to the Governor of Ms
| souri,, at Springfield, the seat of govern
meIt, early in the rebellion" The iRac-
| curacy of this statement is not more glare
| ing than most of the address or we you'd
not notice it. The fact is that he reported
himself to the Governor of Illinois, at
| Springfield, not 10 the Governor of Mis-
souri,. This is mere oversight, we admit,
and Of no consequence, but the fact proves
no qualifications for the Presidency.
The key to his great qualification for of
| fee is found by the author in his State pa
pers. The first is his inaugural address,
from which he selects striking passages.
81 have taken this oath (oath of office as
Presidency without mental reservation, with
the determination to do to the best of my
abilities all that it requires of me-" We
know from President Grants own testi-
mony that he took The oath of Office with
out mental reservation. Is this striking
| evidence Of wisdom, or is it an isolated in
stance of conscientious regard for the sane
| lions of an oath in that high place? will
| quote from this remarkable State paper au-
other of its gems of thought. "On all
leading questions agitating the public mind,
| | will always express my views to Congress
and urge them according to my judgment,
and when l think it advisable will exercise
the constitutional privilege of interposing
a veto to defeat bill which L oppose.
| The constitution requires the President
''to give the Congress information of the
state of the Union and recommend to their
consideration such measures as he shall
Judge necessary and expedient," but nei-
thsr the constitution nor good sense re-
| Quires such an excessive readiness as that
of communicating tie Presidents views
on all the leading questions agitatiug the
public mind. This is the business OF a
daily joarnaist,not Of President. Happily
for Congress either the Presidents informa-
ton has not served him or bis sanguine
purpose to enlighten it on all leading CUES
tons of the day has abated. Again, it is
the duty of the President, as it is his privi-
lege, to interpose his veto against uncOnsti-
tutional bills and such as may be injurious
to the people, not simply because he oppo.
ses the measure. The executive is the
agent of the people to execute a sacred
trust. He has 20 personality in the per-
f0rmance of his duty. It is unbecOmine
for him to interpose his personal likes or
diSlikes in form OF veto.
There is another sage announcement il
this address. The President says 81 know
of no method to secure the repeal Of bad OF
obnoxious laws as effective as their strin
gent execution" This is method of do
ing evil that good may come, neither good
morals nor coed policy. The President
had not become warm in his seat after ut
tering the above until he asked Congress;
to repeal most sslutary law, as old as the
government, 10 enable him to secure a:
Secretary Of the Treasury one Of his mos
bounteous almoners. His policy is to en-.
force bad laws and repeal good ones, Sc
far as his conduct gives assurance of hi:
views.
The address quotes letter from Gen
Sherman to Grant, as dated 1861. As it j!
not the date, but the letter, that l am con
sidering, will not correct the error o.
date. The letter proceeds:
"You are WdShiRgtOn's legitimate
successor-you are as 6rdre a
patriotic, as great az Wash
ington, as aaSelfsh aud kindteGrted anC
honest as man should be-" This is upon it
face, either insane devotion or superhumaI
flattery. How any man of even Sherman:
reputation for courage could have writer
and directed such manifest 13tteTy or sill
expression ofpersonal alteration can only
be accounted for by his thorough kIoWledg,
ofGrant's character. If Grant had borne
even the image fthe Father of this country
he would have returned this piece of full
some fattery with indignation to its au
thor.
In this connection will quote a passag
for the inaugural not referred to the address
Speaking of the trust conferred upon him
Grant said, 81 feel the responsibilities, bu
accept them acithOat fear" Listen to Mr.
Jeffarsoa tried in all the vicissitudes Of OF
fetal ifes,gifted beyond ordinary mortals
improved by long study in all the learnin
of his days: when he approached the trust
he said, 81 approach it with those anxiOu
and awful presentimeqts which the great
ness of the charge ana the weakness Of m,
powers so justly inspire" "The magnitude
and difficulty of the trust"-awakenad q
distrustful scrutiny into the qualifications
of Washington.
1t was the unconscious expression o
Grants disposition that flashed from hi:
stolid nature like lightning from the dark
cloud. It tears from him the veil of mod
esty and proves him the yelled strumpet
exhibiting the weeds ofmourn!ng wheneve
there is pleasure Or profit.
l must forbear to follow the address, i
its infinitesimals. 1t charges that crimknalit
and origin of the war upon the Calhoun
: Democracy. l shall not attempt the d6fenc
of any party antecedent TO any given epOcf
, l will venture & suggestion in relation t.
: the nature Of party growth and response
biltY and the origin of the war.
i Neither Wing nor Democrat will ventur
to defend the entire history of these voluI
|, tary associations. 1t must be either val
: or sIothful man who has never discOvere
= an error in his life. So prone are men
) err, that they do not demand perfection {
1 each other. Each epoch in history is teste
: by the sentiments and principles peculis
f to it. Its morality is not condemned or az
proved by the rules Of another. Polite
D parties and governments may replace fror
r time to time the exhausted elements
] their social and moral constitution wit
new ones. They follow the order of natuT
: in this respect, and renew themselves fror
r age to age. Mans moral aud political cor
/. stitution is, no moro than his physical
0 buried in unchanging conditions. There