Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-04-19
HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

The effect that scenery produces on
the mind depends greatly on the point
from which it is viewed. 1t presents as
many aspects as there are points OF OBJ
servation no two having any striking
resemblance. As we pass along the
highways or through the forests, certain
aspects appear in front Of us. If we
turn back and travel over the same
ground the general effect Of the same
objects is wholly different. No doubt
the Grant administration has taken Its
observations of public matters from only
one point, aud has never taken the
trouble to ascertain how they would APP
pear if viewed from many. Let 1t make
the experiment for the good of its con-
science, and, possibly, for the salvation
ofits hide and tallow. Things as they APP
pear in advance of us are often decep-
tive. and sometimes fatal. Let it turn
its glance backward. Let it look be-
yond the reeking chasms.of war in which
il was born, and contemplate the past Of
administrations and of parties. Let 1t
linger moment upon the history of the
rise, progress and fate of parties in this
country. Let it linger a moment at
their cradles and their graves, and, If 1t
be sober enough, sum up the result and
draw the moral. The first lesson it will
learn is that no party is omnipotent;
that the American people love liberty
and hate rogues and tyrants. 1t 1t pur-
sue its investigations little further, 1t
will discover what it seems now to be
ignorant of-that in all the great Presl-
dental contests from the beginning OF
the government down to 1860, divisions
among the leaders and masses of party,
as to the proper person to nominate,
never worked the corruption OF the
blood of one division or the other. The
Wing party was divided between Clay
and Harrison, but that did not al
feet the standing Of Wings. And
so the fact is with reference to
the candidates of all parties. Will
this blind, vicious, corrupt, intolerant
administration consider how far 1t has
drifted away from precedent, and how
far it is trampling on the good old usages
of other days? Why, look at the bear
ing of the Grant party towards those
Republicans who oppose his nomina-
ton. Because they prefer another can
didate, while they abate no principle OF
their creed, they are beset with a storm
of abuse and kicked out of the partT
General Grant will recognize no man as
a patriot in his party who resists his
nomi-ation. The Cincinnati Conyen-
ton, in his eye, is a reasonable body,
but it might be going too far to declare
marital law over the city, suspend the
habeas corpus, charge down upon the
Convention with Federal troops,
arrest the members, throw them into
prison and try them under the pro-
visions of the enforcement law. No
doubt all this has run through bis head
But the experiment would be dangerous,
and therefore will not be tried. II a
Republican is not free to choose his own
candidate for the Presidency, for what
on this earth is he free2 There was
never anything like it before 1t re
verses the natural order Of things. The
people used to be the party; but Out
from the dun.rolling cloud Of war and
the havoc of battle came the royal order
that the President is the party. Very
well, within very short time we shall
see