American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-09-14
Grant and Robson.

1t has been decided by many high au-
thorities that one of the surest signs OF
great man is the ability to discover ana
employ greatness in others. Ii tins the,
DRY be correct-and we are not disposed
to question it-thcn President Grant mas
a claim upon the admiration and applause
of his countrymen which has never yet
been sufficiently recognized. Much has
been said in regard to the composition OF
his cabinet and all parties agree that a
more contemplate cabinet than the pres
ent one. for the purposes which c;iblnets
are designed to serve. was never seen Ill
this country. or perhaps in any other.
But it must be borne in mind that the
group of sO-cal,ed constitutional auvls-
ers'' which his eXcellency has called about
him. are not selected with reference 10
the wisdom and discretion which are sup
posed TO enter into the composition OF
able and upright counsellors. lie does
not need advice from them, and if he re-
uuires the article ut all, seeks and finds it
in his Kitchen cabinet'-that valuable
institution made up of such spotless pa
triots as Morton, Cameron, Harlan and
Butler. The heads of departments are
chosen for one particular object and no
other, and that object is the reelection OF
Grant. Viewing them from this stand
point. none can deny that they are worthy
the confidence of their master. Fish eN-
cepted-whose liability to vertigo pre-
vents him from mounting the stump-the
several secretaries are very fair speakers,
and not only understand how to tickle the
ears of a crowd, but also how to arrange
the delicate machinery which manufac-
lures votes of the right kind at the right
place and right time As set of skilful
.'log rollers for whom nothing Is too
| hot. too heavy or too dirty, Messrs. Bout
well & Co. are a glorious success, and
prove beyond possibility of doubt that
Grant is a good judge of tools. and when
| the tools are obtained, knows how to
| work them
Among these specimens of presidential
| genius we are rather inclined to prefer
Robson. This jolly son of Neptune
| knows no more about naval affairs than
| he does of the lost books of Livy, or the
| location of the ten tribes; but he goes
through the motions of knowing with a
| nOnchalant grace quite amusing to con-
template Occasionally, too, he executes
maneuvre which. though not laid down
in the regulations, is at once original and
| astonishing. The sending of the u. ).
steamer Tallapoosa from Washington tC
Portsmouth, n. H., with the secretary
carriage and horses on board, WIS very
neat trick, and ought to entitle the trick
| ster to the thanks of the navy and the
| taxpayers. But our estimation of Robe
son is not based on his ability to convert
| a ship of war into a floating livery stable
we admire him most for his skill in
| vote making, and the honest way he has
of compelling the nation 1t large to pay
the expenses of the process. Let us illus.
trate. The country is at peace with al
the world, and there is not the slightest
need Just now of unusual activity in nava
| matters !; yet one would suppose we wer,
| going into a desperate war within ninety
days, Judging from the operations in pro
gress at the principal navy yards. Al
BROOKLYN, for instance, orders have beer
received to put the Hartford i'll commits
sion by the 18th of October, and there art
already $50 reliable Grant voters engaged
in cOppering the bottom of that historic
vessel. Then there is the Swatara to &c
on the stocks, and the Minnesota and Sus
quehanna to be repaired, and preparation:
male to construct two steam torpedoes tt
blow up some enemy yet unborn. All o
which, it is thought, will require at leas
i LOO hands during the coming month
every man of whom will cast his vote fO
Grant. After the presidential election
we are informed. business at Brooklyn
will be so much reduced rs to demand bu
three hundred men. What is done at thi
navy yard. will, of course, be done a
others, so that it is safe to calculate Robe
sons department will produce severa
thousand votes for the Radical ticke
which would otherwise have been lost
And the joke of it is that these voters ar
bought and paid for out of the natiOna
treasury.
Grant evidently knew the jewel he wa
getting when he picked up Robson ant
son is gallant fellow, knows what j
what and where and how to get it. I'll
ought to be appointed captain-general O
the horse marines.-Erchange.