The true northerner., 1872-08-02
Are Republics Ungrateful :

The ingrattude OF republics is pro
verbal, but it is doubtful whether the
imputation is always just. In repre-
sentative countries a continual success
sion of candidates for office is steadily
coming forward, and the disappointed
ones almost invariably assign their re-
lection to ingratitude when it may easily
spring from many other causes. If a
man wants the republic to give him more
than he has given the republic, he Is
very apt to charge his constituents with
ingratitude when they fail TO indorse
his demand. The number of such per.
sons being naturally great, it is equally
natural that the talk about the ingratl-
tude of republics should slip into pro-
verb.
The true test is best attained when
we take cases of unquestionable desert,
and find how they have been treated by
the people For example, were the
people ungrateful to Washington or
Lincoln Are they ungrateful to Grant,
Sherman Sheridan, Farragut? Of course,
there were some who reviled Washing
ton, and some who reviled Lincoln, Just
as their successors Teviled contempo-
raneous heroes; but the proof of national
appreciation must be sought in national
acts and in these we find the trust
worthy measure Of aggregate popular
esteem. Now, on the strength OF the
precedents to be found in history, so far
from admitting the thesis of republican
ingratitude, we may safely say that re-
pubLcs are certain to reward, 10y every
means Ill their power, those who have
conspicuously deserved such favor. The
service done the republic must, how
ever, lie OF a national not Of a sectional
or merely political, character. We can
see how Sllas Wright, or Levi Wood
bury, or Calhoun, or Douglas, or even
Henry Clay or Daniel Webster, failed to
be Presidents without necessarily find
ing in those failures the proofs that re-
publics are ungrateful. On the other
hand, in the reelection of Washington
and of Lincoln to the same exalted of.
tice-the grandest honor the people
have to bestow-we find distinct proofs
to the contrary, which, we feel thorough
ly' assured, will find worthy parallel
in the reelection of President Grant.
1t cannot be denied, even by foes,
that in at least as thorough a sense AS
Gen. Washington created the nation,
Gen. Grant has preserved it. Desert can
hardly go higher than this nor can any
claim more solid be conceived to the
best reward the people have to bestow.
The scope and magnitude Of this claim
may be fairly estimated by contrasting
it, In some detail, with the claim of an
opposing candidate. For example. Mr..
Greeley cried out for submission Gen.
Grant captured Fort Donelson. Mr.
Greeley coquetted with rebel emissaries
Gen. Grant captured Vicksburg. Mr..
Greeley lost heart and declared the war
failure Gen. Grant saved Shiloh and
ordered the march through Georgia.
Mr.. Greeley prematurely shouted "On
to Richmond ~ Gen. Grant in his own
grave, impassive good time captured
the whole rebel army, and entered
Richmond in triumph. Mr.. Greeley
fomented sectional, strife Gen. Grant
assured national union. While Grant
was accomplishing, through good report
and through Ill report, his colossal and
magnificent task OF saving the Union,
Greeley was doing all he could do to in.
spire the conviction of the hopelessness
ofthat task and to dishearten the country
with "saucy doubts and fears" The
Iribune'S fire in the rear on our gallant
army was almost incessant. and entirely
in accordance with the wishes and re-
quests of Mr.. Greeley's confederate cor.
respondents in Canada ard Europe. So
far as it was possible to discourage Pres
ident Lincoln and his Cabinet, as well
as the brave follows in the front, The in.
tlunce of Greeley and his organ was
notoriously strained to the uttermost to
that end. The end hoped for was not
compassed, since the civil war was
brought to glorious close in the com.
plete victory of Gen. Grant and the ma
tional arms but, short of going right
over to the enemy, Greeley did all that
he could do to prevent and to defer that
victory, and, whether ungrateful' or
not, the Republic would be base indeed
that should forget the fact.-New York
Times.
"THE brain, the heart, the soul of