Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1872-10-22


year ago? If his administration
was so sccesfsul and popular, why
were all the Congressman who crit
icised his measures, and questioned
the expediency of re-nominating
President Grant, put under ban,
and insulted, and read out of the
party, if they were not degraded
from positions upon important
committees ! Why were officers in
the Departments, Custom Houses,
and the revenue service, who were
known to be unfavorable to Presi-
dent Grants reelection, removed
from their places, if the people in
the country were so unanimous III
his support : And why was it ne
cessary to pack the National Con-
vention, and pre-arrange all its de-
tails, and reduce its operations to
mechanical routine, even to the
giving of applause at thu sounding
Of a siginal, as the curtain rises and
drops upon the stage, so that the
few delegates who preferred anoth-
er candidate were compelled into
silent acquiesence, if the nation, as
with one hand and with one voice,
demanded his reelection Surely
the people can be trusted, and the
demands of vast majority of in
telligent citizens would necessarily
overpower all opposition and be
met. The fact that the managers
Of the administration party were
unwilling to trust the nomination
Of their favorite to the people, OF
leave it to the contingencies Of an
open convention, gives the lie to
their professions. In fact, Gen.
Grant was forced upon the Repub-
licna party in spite of itself, when
it was known that his nomination
would rcnd it in twain; and not
until the determination at any cost
and all hazards had been manifest
did the Liberals dream of with
drawing and organizing an opposi-
ton.
IL the people are so earnest aud
unanimous in their wish for Presi
dent Grants reelection, whence
the significance of the Liberal Re
publican movement which sprung
up in a day. as it were, which drop.
ped Uniformed out of an invisibl,
but potential dissatisfaction will
the present administration, and de
sire for a higher order of states
, manship and n better conduct o
affairs This immense detection
from the Republican party, organ
; lied at Cincinnati, and growing
every day, is splendid standing
refutation of all this pretence o
Grants popularity. If the people
had been devotedly attached tc
him, and urgent in their determi
nation to compel him to serve n:
f President another term, how doe:
|, it happen that the few sore-headed
and sour-soulcd scceders from the
Republican rank found such {
magnificent following, and drew
!, hundreds of the best men from the
. Republican ranks to their side p
And when the campaign actually
begun, why did the Grant party
find it necessary to put up the en-
. tire Cabinet on the stump, and send
, Department clerks to electioneer in
doubtful districts, and use all 1T
vast patronage and prestige to in
huence local elections, and wiring
T an extra assessment from officehold-
ers to pay for banners and bands OF
music and torchlight possessions,
and freight down the mails with
campaign documents illegally
franked by members of Congress,
and convert the whole government
into vast electionceling machine
to secure his recollection, if the great
body of the American people are
united and enthusiastic in his sup
port. 1t is only necessary to hold
such a pretence as this up in the
light of plain and papable facts, to
see how thin and false the fabrica-
tion is.
The truth is, there is the very
least enthusiasm or interest in
Grant on the part of the people OF
} America. He was q successful gen.
eral, and they honored him for his
) services and rewarded him with
the highest Office in their gift, and
/ all the glory they could bcstow
but he is q political failure. His
character does not awaken admira-
! tion or inspire reflect. He is every