The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1873-08-02
The Third Term.
From the N. o. Picayune, july %. I

| ltfom the N. D. Picayune, July %
| The fitness of Gen. Grant for the Presiden-
tial office was, before he occupied that position,
to say the least, very questionable. Educated
at the national expense, he graduated without
credit, and entered life as public beneficiary
who had not thoroughly availed himself of the
| opportunity afforded him. Enjoying in army
circles repute far inferior to that of such
men as Mcclellan, Johnston and Lee, he left
the service and entered private life, as it is
generally understood, for reasons which his
euiogists have never cared to particularize.
bis subsequent civil career was in every way
commonplace and unprOmising. At the incep-
tlon of the late war, when other old army of
ticers were hOnored with high and responsible
positions. he obtained with difficulty the col
onelcy of volunteer regiment. After that,
! by fortunate series of circumstances, over
which he seems to have had no control, he
rose to "a high rank, and we find him i'll eOm-
mand of an army at Shiloh, where he was sur
prised and defeated, and where he would have
been compelled to surrender but for the timely
arrival OF the now neglected Bnel. 1t is not
necessary to our purpose to follow him through
the various campaigns of the war with which
the world is so familiar. 1t is generally con-
ceded that the triumph of the North was the
result of superior force, and Gen. Grant, in
the direction of that superior force, achieved
distinction based not upon his merits as %
military genius, but due altogether to a blind,
unreasoning admiration of success. So the
case stood. A man with 10 know ledge of law,
diplomacy, or experience in practical states
manship, without liberal culture or social tact,
he was nevertheless considered an available
candidate on account of his undeserved prom
inenee at the termination of the war. The
people thought this man q worthy successor
OF Washington, Jefferson and Madison. Did
the event Justify their confidence! If nepo-
tism, if ignorance of the proprieties of his sta
tion. if the acceptance of compromising gifts,
if official action based on private pique, can
determine the question in the negative, it has
been answered. But we have lived to see his
reelection. The power of patronage secured
him the Republican nomination, and prejudice
against the party which supported the oppos-
ing candidate ensured his success.
In this, the first year of his second term,
public opinion is already being prepared for u
third term. With politicians, the best man is
the most available man. Gen. Grant has no
personal magnetism, he eXcites no particular
enthusiasm in the more active supporters of
his administration, and they would abandon
him tomorrow if they could do so with safety
to themselves.
1t is his military prestige and his immense
power over the Federal appontees which Sc
cures him their and and countenance. But
why do the people at large continue their ad-
herence to man who has so often manifested
his incompetence to perform Alright the duties
of his office, and his inappreciation of the res
possibilities of his position!
The back pay steal has met with almost
universal condemnation. The journals of all
parties, with surprising unanimity, have conf
bined to eensure the Congressman who par
ticipated in it, and have declared their unfit
ness to hold offices of trust. But the President
is as eulpable in that matter as any man in
the nation. He never said one word i'll dis
enlargement of it, but when the time came he
signed the bill and made it law without syl-
liable in protest.
He has said that he did not desire to embar-
rass his successors by establishing an embar
RAISING precedent. Certainly no one of his
predecessors had SO embarrassed him to the
praise of the Congressman of other and purer
times be it said, no one had the opportunity.