The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-04-15
COLUMBIA, s. C.
Tuesda ~ forming April ID. 1873.

Tuesday forming. April ID. 1873.
PRRsDaNT1An DESIGNS. The New
Orleans papers contain accounts of great
activity at the naval stations below the
oity. Eight monitors have beea put in
readiness for immediate service, and it is
thought that General Grant will attempt
to retrieve the fortunes OF an administra-
tion that has been more blaokened with
corruption and disgraoed by oppression
than that of any other President since
the organization Of the republic. It has
for some time been given out that the
paramount aspiration OF his heart Is for
the acquisition OF territory. Mr.. Jefer-
son. for the paltry sum OF 815, 600. 900.
acquired that vast and fertile agricultural
empire which fringea.our Southern coast.
Mr.. Tyler negotiated The treaty which
added to the Ua:en She. !a:s,7;;s==s .=zer ==FzeerH;
OF county stretching from the Gull Of
Mexico 10 the Pacific Ocean. These
achievements. it Has been said, Are re-.
jgarded By General Grant with ensy. 7.
II Just possible, then, that he Ia coveting
the eve lamb OF Cuba, and is preparing.
under some pretext, to pounoe upon It.
or that he will endeavot to provoke .
state OF affairs which will warrant sueh
6 step. II Is worthy of observation,
too, that war has made the President
powerful and popular. With war all
that is bright in his life is associated,
and it is not remarkable it at this hour,
when he ands the people are making the
important discovery, that what they re-
garded in their madness as genius is no.
thing but stolidity. he should sigh again
for the pomp and circumstance OF his
native element. He should remember,
however, that the triumphs of Mr..
Jefferson and OF Mr.. Tyler were without
the guilt and calamity Of conquest.
There were no red trophies OF conquered
cities hanging from the walls Of the
capital. The fact that there is no war
zant in the. Constitution for alwar OF
conquest, it is presumed, will not affect
Him very deeply, as he has so often
shown remarkable freedom and inde-
pendenoe OF the restraints OF that efete
and Venerable instrument, and it is not
likely to stand in his way. As is sug-
gested by the Pieayune. the condition
:1tsGnba apd of Spain is not inauspidious
a6fssneh designs. But there iss:ans ele-
ment in the North which has always
been opposed to acquiring Southern ter.
ritory. Both Mr.. Jefferson land Alr.
Tyler met with the most ranoorous op.
position from this element, and, though
the chief cause-slavery- stimu-
lated it then is now removed, the hostility
still fingers, and the President would
have to resort to some means OF allayine
it boiore his. designs, il he has ,suoh,
could be put into execution. s.
: Assan Antonio (Texas) correspondent
OF the New York Herald writes:
sage We drifting into q ,wara Is &C.
neral Grant preparing 4he way for that
millennium when the. world shall be-
come one nation, speaking one language,
and when armies and nRvies will no
longer be required.' by adding, nolens
volens, our sick and lawless neighbor on
the Rio Grande to our glorious constella-
ton Of States? IL ID q menace, an army
OF protection or IN army Of invasion that
our troops are concentrating in Texas,
and particularly on its Western bounda.
rye These are questions that are being
asked by every one hereabouts- by those
who for years have been predicting that
such an event would soon come to pass,
as we'll as by those who have laughed at
the idea as ohimcrioal. For the last five
years, war with Mexico has seemed
possible, but never before has it appeared
probable. For months past, an activity
in the military, unusual in these piping
times OF peace, has prevailed in this
State. Troops changing station. repairs
and reattings in the Quartermaster's De-
partment and inspections are the order
of the day. The Rio Grande, between
Laredo and Brownsville, which, notlonp
since, waS almost entirely without cavai-
ry, an arm OF the service most necessary
there. has now the Ninth Cavalry, Ge-
neral Edward Hatch in command, With
headquarters at Ringgold. besides the
Twenty. fourth Infantry, General Double.
day in command, with headquarters at
Brownsville; while at Fort Clark, fifteen
miles distant from the Rio Grande, ten