The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-03-08

FSSGlBdllOl Will prove 8 1allufe, ana,
if it does, it viii strengthen Gen.
Grant. One Of the Presidents most
inveterate enemies, and a Republic
an, too. said the day that Mr., Sum-
ner introduced his resolution, "Our
friends must take care, or they will
help Grant more than they will hurt
him. If they overdo this business
of investigation, the country will
look upon the President as a perse-
cuted man, and, instead of harming
his prospects for the Presidency, it
williucrease his popularity" There
is force in that view of the situation.
l have spoken of the resolution and
the debate as "a movement against
Gen. Grant" and, in so doing, per
haps 1 have done injustice to Mr..
Sumner and Mr.. Schurz, but l have
spoken as everybody else does here
both the friends and enemies of
the President Henry Wilson, who
is quick to catch the popular breeze,
was quite positive before he left for
New Hampshire that this movement
would help the administration in
New Hampshire and CONNECTICUT,
for fair minded men would regard
it as unjust against the Secretary of
War and the President. Mr. Wilson,
was equally positive that the New
York Custom House investigation
had greatly injured the President,
and he refused to go to New Hamp-
shire to engage in the canvass till
the President pledged himself that
great reforms should take place.
Gen. Grant promised some things
which have not got into print, but
unless there is treachery somewhere,
before many weeks there will be
changes in the Custom House which
will be decidedly unpleasant TO the
rascals who have had a good time of
it for the past ten years.
THIS WEEKS DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
The debate yesterday and to-day
in the Senate is but the continu-
alton of the political set-to of last
Friday. Conkling attacked the mo.
tiyes of Sumner and Schurz, know
ing that it was the best thing he
could do. OF course he is no match
for Schurz in genuine debate, but he
did about as well as anybody could
for that side. He saw that more
was to be made in trying to place
the President in the attitude of a
martyr than by taking any other
course, and / think that q consider
able portion of the public are in
duced to look upon Gen. Grant as
persecuted man, and the moment
that Is the case he gains by the at
tack upon him. The Senate Cham
Der has not been so crowded for
years as it was this afternoon to lis
ten to Mr. SchLrz's speech, and the
effort was exceedingly ingenious and
able, yet it was not entirely success
ful. The people do net believe that
Secretary Belknap carelessly and
negligently violated the neutrality
laws. He is not that kind Of man
in truth he is practically the most
conscientious member Of the Cabi-
net, and he is surprised and panied
at the great debate over his acts.
He knows, however, that the attack
is not really aimed at him, but at the
President, who is responsible for the
acts OF his subordinates. Mr..
Schurz was, then, both successful
and unsuccessful. He made a
splendid speech, and replied effec-
lively to Conkling and Morton, and
yet tonight not a hundred persons
who listened to him really believe
that the administration is guilty of a
violation of the neutrality law in
the sale of arms.