American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-11-02


honor and assure us early triumph.
SAMUEL j RANDALL,
Chairman Democratic State Committee
\. *. MCCLURE,
Chairman Liberal Republican State Committee
Temperance and Truth.
We have long since liberated our souls
on the question of the personal habits of
President Grant. 1t is not question
which we care to see debated in the pub
lie press. President Grant is the Chief
Magistrate of the American Republic, and
there is kind of national indecorum in
dragging before the public gaze any faults
or foibles of the man which do not neces-
sarily or directly affect the conduct of the
magistrate. His friends, or rather those
persons who style themselves his friends
because they esteem his continuance in
the Office of President to be vital to their
own interests, have been sadly superser-
viceable on this point. Torush into print
about him. as Mr.. Stuart, of Philadelphia.
the other day did with a declaration that
he has never been seen ''stupidly drunk,
is to invite the popular mind to grave
discussion of the question precisely how
drunk a man may be without being ''stul-
pidIy' drunk. Why should such ques-
ton be discussed in connection with an
American President? If President Grant
were in the habit of initiating that Ca
naanitish king of whom it is recorded in
the Scriptures that he ''sate in his tent
with his captains drinking themselves
drunk - he would still be President of the
United States, and it would still be decent
and wise for us to wash our national
dirty linen as unObtrusively as possible.
For we are not in the position of the poor
woman who could confidently appeal
when injustice was done to her by the
tipsy King of MacedOn ''fiom Philip
drunk to Philip sober" The ignorance
and recklessness displayed by President
Grant in his official conduct when adj
mittedly sober have on many occasions
been so complete and deplorable that one
might almost wish he could plead even
the poor excuse of inebriety. But as we
have said. all discussion on this subject is
as superfluous as it is disagreeable. 1t
was begun by the ''teetOtalers," whose
creed it is that in the private lives of pri-
vate citizens as well as of public men
there should be nothing sacred, who de-
ny that a mans house ought to be his
castle, who appear honestly to hold the
dogma that il, is as heinous
an Offense in Il President to imbibe a
cocktail as to sell an office.
But if the ''teetotalers'' have behaved
and fOOlishly, as we think, in
raising this particular question. they have
incidentally raised with it another ques-
ton which it is neither fanatical nor fool
ish to discuss. TIL, Y carried their demand
for information as to President Grants
manners and customs, naturally enough,
to one of their own brethren, whose name
is now joined with that of Grant on the
Presidential ticket of the Radical party.
Henry Wilson, of Massachusetts,, ''tee-
totaler'' himself by calling and election,
was of course estopped from refusing to
this demand OF his fellow-Ianat-
les. He at least could not pretend that he
the question of President Grants
habits as one not proper to be in
truded into a political canvass. From the
Henry Wilson point of view there is no
question not proper to be intruded into
a political canvass, from a mans haptis-
NAL name to his bank account. So Henry
Wilson was compellcd to entertain the
demand ~ upon him; and in enter
tanning that demand Henry Wilson has
raised a question concerning himself
which others than ''teetotalers" may be
pardoned for insisting upon with some
energy.
Henry Wilson has deliberately declared
that he has never at any time or to any
person impugned the habits of the Radi-
cal standard-bearer in the matter of sobri-
ETY.. This declaration has been pronounced
by persons of Henry Wilson's own politi-
cal faith to be distinctly the reverse of the
truth. One of these persons, a clergyman.
the Rev. Charles DenisOn, Of Washington,
has already stated this in print and over
his own signature, and we have it on au-
thOrity that two other clergymen of the
most respectable character, in this vicin-
ity. stand ready to prove that Mr.. Wilson,
in the city of Brooklyn. did distinctly as
sert OF President Grant precisely what
Mr.. Wilson now denies that he ever as
of Mr.. Wilson'S formal
statements affects the question of Pres
dent Grants manners and customs it
IS utterly without interest. we repeat,
for us. But it is not without interest for
rs, nor should it be without interest for
my honest and right-minded man, so far
Is it affects the question of Henry Will
sons veracity or unveracity. That high
of the American Government
should sometimes emulate Tam O'Shanter
when DER all the ills of life victorious is
not a thing to be commended. doubtless.
But that high functionary of the United
States should deliberately say the thing
hat is not is n most scandalous and dam
lable matter. 1t is recorded of a certain
wise though perhaps somewhat worldly
minded New England divine, that once
Ipon time at his hospitable table lie
pressed a glass of rare old Madeira upon
/ brother of '-teetOtal'' pretensions. The
brother of teetOtal pretensions politely de-
'llneu the tempting beverage. WIFI the re-
mark that he chad not touched glass of
vine for ten years" His host gaZed at
lin fixedly for moment, and replied. |
Brother T.. it is not six months since l
aw you, with my own eyes, take off three |
classes of old particular port at the table
If our friend w. Now, do not disap-
prove your taking his port, mind you,
hOugh it was not to be mentioned with |
ny Madeira. But this | do wish to say /: |
f we like wine, let us drink wine, thank |
Tod for a kindly and genial creature
omfort. but-iet as not lie about ~ Now.
We do not say that if President Grant likes
whisky he ought not to drink whisky either |
With or without devout thanksgiving.
;ut we dc most earnestly say that Henry |
wilson ought not to-say the inaccurate |
hing about it! Temperance is a virtue.
nd one of the most estimable and useful
f virtues. But truth is the life OF all the
irtues, and a man without truth is not IA |
nan fit even to answer the questions of
much less to preside over the
enate of the United States.-N. Y. World,
let. IA.
The Democratic Electoral Votes