New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-07-06
TIE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

inent or to the fattery Of its officials upon
| every excusabie occasion. Not DESTROYS to
be regarded ha bltual eulogist, we have
| generally left he acts of the administra-
| ton to .iniicate its motives. Besides. we
have found very few occasions in which
i: was a. all necessary to make defense.
and We know very well that the vapor
o: pe.pe:r.a! ..attery is no: an incense
peculiarly calculated to propitiate eS-
ecJ.tive confidence.
1t is not during the official career Of
any rule. that Justice is done to his best
qualities. To have Judged Washington
! by the Giatr!be, Of Calendar and his con-
tenporaries. Washington would have been
Sc: down as naughty aristocrat bent on
the prolon cation Of his own powers and
the establishment Of monarchy. The
character of jefferson, as sketched by the
opponents of republican doctrine, would
have shown him a ibertine in politics
and morals: he was. in their opinion,
visionary and vindictiye enemy OF all
conservative government.
It is the system of party assailant to
examine the political detenses OF his an
| tagonist. He passes without comment the
| impregnable line of character to assail
| some weak point. often not thought worth
| while to fortify. 1t is against these the
abusive assaiIant erects his batteries OF
vitupsration. or mines deeply to explode
the character he designs to destroy. III
the case Of President Grant. the partisan
assailant finds character of early and
consistent integrity. His personal and
family relations are unexceptiouable. He
is liable to no outbreak of TENDER and no
vindictive persecution. Simple. quiet
and even unobtrusive in his nature. poised
on the solid weight Of his OWE achieve
ments. Mr.. Grant has made no SEN
sational efforts at notoriety. Few
men have said as few things that
might as wei! have been left unsaid.
OK done as few acts which his friends
have been troubled to vindicate. There
are several great men in history modelled
or the same possession of tranquil force
and conscious integrity. William Of
Orange, Monk. Duke of Albemarle and
Washington are of this class. and no doubt
MI. Grant will at the close of his career
be ranked Will, them in the possession of
those qualities which endeared them to all
good people.
The Presidents administration Of per-
sonal patronage has been eminently Judi
cious. He does not occupy himself with
dispensing clerkships and contracts. He
has prescribed the rules for selecting sub
ordinate officers The application of those
rules he leaves with the bureaus. He has
thus time to consider subjects of more con-
sequence. He prefers the personal obser-
vation Of public affairs by mixing with the
people at different places in the Union.
He does not sit as Dionysus, the hourly
recipient OF political discomfort, poured
into tyrannicai ear. He formed the
exclusive occupation Of public Office
by members Of the ruling party,
the established rule Of government. For
this be was indebted to the party intoler-
ance of those who proclaimed 'to the
victors belong the spoils,' but the Presi-
dent has shown no sectional intolerance
in this regard. He has bestowed APP
pointments Of trust upon Southern men,
his antagonists in war, but sincere in
their acceptation of a renewed Union.
No instance can be shown in which he has
pursued the Southern people with vim
dictive spirit. From the capitulation
of Vicksburg to the protection of
Lee and Johnston from the indictments
of President Johnson, General Grant
interviewed for the protection of all who
had in good faith surrendered their hos
tility to the federal government. That he
has enforced the laws passed by Congress
is certain. It is the duty of Republican
executive to put the laws in force, and to
interpose no official impeachment to their
execution. This obedience is very high
merit, and tends to vindicate Mr.. Grant
from the ambitious designs and dictato-
rial prerogatives which his partisan
opponent is anxious to fasten upon
him. The foreign policy of the
President is as conservative as his per-
sonal and political action. He has abb
stained from the exercise Of any doubtful
power. He has made no undue use of his
military authority. He has conceded no
public right to the stronger powers, and
exacted no Uni ust concession from the
weaker. The foreign relations Of the
United States are perhaps as tranquil as
they have ever been, and the estimation
in which our government is held abroad
is best shown by the thronging of four
hundred thousand people annually to
enjoy its protection.
With such a current record We do not
see that President Grant has needed either
defense or adulation. His administration
is wearing well. 1t has passed through
its most momentous experience and we
are safe in expecting for rule SO unpre-
tending, SO tranquil and so successful, a
reputation equal to that Of the earlier
founders and guides of the republic.
PRAYERS FOR RAIN.
4 destructive fire has been raging re-
Gently in tie eastern portion of Massa-
chrsetts. A. the latest accounts 1t had