Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-23
POLITICAL.
Speech of Carl Schurz at st. Louis.
He Takes His Measure OF Grant.
New Revelations about San Domingo
Letter of Horace Greeley on Civil
Service Reform.

ST. LOUIS, July 22.-At the Liberal Re-
publican meeting at the Temple tonight,
called for the purpose of electing county
executive committee, Senator Schurz de-
Iivered very lengthy and elaborate adj
dress, of which the following is mere out
line. The Senator started out by saying:
sFStanding before my constituents, deem
it my duty to give an account of
My Public Conduct,
the motives which have governed it, and tie
ends it is intended to subserve. can Go
this in no better way than by expressing
fully and frankly my views on the events
which have produced the present extraor-
binary situation of our public national sf-
fairs, events in which took a small part;
and also to state what consider it my duty
as a patriotic citizen to do in order to pro-
tect the best interests of the republic. It
has been lny misfortune to displease many
with whom co-operated on the political
field for many years, and from whom Inow,
with great regret, find myself separated.
To the attacks with which some of them
endeavor to overwhelm me, have but one
answer"
He then reiterated what he had previous
" said about never considering his party
the supreme arbiter of his sense Of duty.
He then said:
"When was honored with seat in the
Senate of the United States, expected to
support the administration which then came
into power. The tasks it was called to per-
form were of unusual Importance. The
civil war was over. Its logical results, the
abolition of slavery and the organization OF
free labor and society in the South was just
being reduced to a political form and i'm
bedded in the Constitution of the Republic.
The first great object OF our policy should
have been to
RenatiOnaltze the South,
to revive among the Southern people feel
| ings calculated to attach their hearts again
| to the fortunes of this Union. For let US
not indulge in the delusion that the holding
together by force of its component parts is
a basis upon which a republic can safely
rest or long endure. 1t requires that bond
which binds together the hearts of the peo-
pie, and not their bodies only, anG to create
] that bond was for US the highest Object OF
craftsmanship" sfH
He then refers in detail to the different
acts of the Administration party, going over
the ground traversed by himself and others
| in the Senate. In regard to the San Do
mingo matter he made the following state
ment:
sWhen the San Domingo scheme was
pending, two gentlemen, in intimate rela-
| lions with the White House, came to me-
each one separately, soliciting my support
of the project. They assured me if would
give that support, or abstain flom opposi-
ton, ssta % i'.'
All the Patronage 1 Desired
would be at my disposal, making me, in
that respect, one of the most influential
men in the land. One of these gentlemen
subsequently admitted to me in writing
that the offer was made with the consent o
the President himself"
he said he had withheld this statement &
long time, in spite of many provocations
and made it now only because as the papers
have recently stated, the President himself
put forth the assertion in published inter
view that he (Schurz) has opposed him be
cause he had not received as much patron
AGE as he wanted. He then dwelt upon the
abuse of patronage, and the evils OF the
civil service, stating that there never was
time VIII en- the latter was more like dis
ciplined organization of political agents, o.
when the public interest was more shame
lessly overruled by political exigency. Re
ferring to
General Grant,
be said:
81 should prefer not to speak Of him, dit
he not stand tie embodiment and personi6
! cation of the pernicious system which de
riyes from his individuality its peculia
character. Gratitude for his military servi
ces and respect for his Office have long re
strained many from expressing their rea
opinions concerning him. l shall be tn
last man to forget or to carp at the grea
service he has rendered in the field of war
The honors he has won, the laurels he ha
gathered, shall not be touched. But now b
is a civil officer, and he asks US to continu
him at the head of the civil government G
this republic. With this question his laurel
have nothing to do. When he assembled tn
Presidential chair, it may be said the who'll
people surrounded him with cordiS
offer of their confidence, and willing to al
in all he might do to give the country goo
government. There was not statesman il
the republic who would not have bee
} ready, nav, proud, to serve him at his cal
] | He might even have reinforced his support
D ers from the ranks of the opposition. AZ
8 cidental mistakes would have been forgiven
!. | The evidence Of pure motives and homes
4 efforts would have easily silenced factor
Z cIamors. But his career as President wal
rants the conclusion that he had never bee
able fully to appreciate the difference b
tween a military command and the CON
pick duties and responsibilities OF civ
= administration, l doubt whether 1t has e
er become quite clear to his mind what tn
q nkrgra Of N
eminent. When that high Office was pr
+ sented to him he took i as sort ofnation
reward. ar accommodation, place in whit
after his n ilitary exploita he might
Make himself Comfortable.
4 His mind seems to have been but lit
u disturbed by the great duties and perple
ing problems he was to take IL hand.
/ was soon discovered that for bis future su
cess he needed an organized partisan 81
e port. It was easily had. The required a
lfances formed themselves by natural grai
" .ation. Soon we find him surrounded
political managers, the Camerons, t
; Chambers, the Mortons, the Conklings, Z
Buffers, ETC., ready to do his Work If
{ would do theirs, II vas
a a Matter of COngeniality.
\. The interests of the President and OF SUI
politicaN chieftains identified themselv
without difficulty, he adj
them with tie executive infuen
G. in controlling their States for themselv,
I'd and they giving their aid in controlling
to party for him. One,hand washed the othe
This was gradually developed into asystel
al cooperation being welcome, even su
as that Of GOV. Clayton in Arkansas. TIL
n. that peculiar party despotism grew
~ which ostracised everybody who refused
i. obey its commands. 1t gave birth to a NJ
in sort of party orthodoxy, whose first tenei
was that President Grant must be
h. elected. Opposition to Grant constitute
i, high treason -gainst the party, for VIII
n. there was no quarter"
Iy The Senatori iVelt On this theme at gre
If length using the strongest and severest la
~ guage that has been aimed at the Preside
n and his supporters. However, after ref
nj ing to the Presidents nepotism, his appoi
q. ment of Tom Murphy, his fondness for p
10 sonal pleasure, such as that Eve hear fri