Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-03-20
Grants First Tern,

NJ nation of President Grants fit. md
u Inauguration of hisssecond, Mrrnz las
Chief Magistrate of the nation. His en-
tlance into Office four years ago was sur
rounded with the most fortunate circum-
stances for a future brilliant by contrast
with the past His predecessor Presi-
dent by reason of an unparalleled act of
atroclty, the assassination of Abfahat1
Lincoln-had endangered the peacesof
of the country, but lately restored
through victory over 'the'rebelIio1i, ibtRsia
violent and unwarranted antagonism to
the reconstruction poliey of Congress
and of the people had been impeached
of high crimes and misdemeanofss bp the
House of Representatives and tried by
the Senate, barely escaping conviction,
and had retired from office with the inef-
| fectual brand of Judas in politics. a
shallow trickster in statesmanshipo and
an Inscriptions, dangerous man in pub
lie station. The luster of Gen.
Grants military renown shone the
brighter against the somber background
presented by the infany Of the freoArd.of
Andrew johnson. His election was
hailed with the most profound satisfaes
ton by all classes as the guarantee of q
degree of peace, stability, and progress
which had been fatally interrupted under
the administration of Mr.. johnson.
whereby the credit of the Government
had been impaired, the industries of the
people Frustrated, and the permanencv
OF our free institutions seriously threat
ened. To say that'the first term of Pfesi-
dent Grant has realized the just expecta-
tons of the masses of the people issoh1y
to express, less emphatically, the verdict
of reimbursement pronounced at the polls
last November. -l,3t~ S/ {g
On the 4th of March, 1869, the new
President found gold worth 1914: his
second term commences with gold atl141.
-Four years ago United States bonds were
worth in London 81, and In Frankfort
SGT. Now they are worth 9S4 in Lon
don and IS! in Frankfort Upon inau-
guration day in 1859, the public debt
was 81, 544, 1886, 904 On the 4th of March,
1873, it is only 81. 1J7, 1880, 700. The four
years OF President. Grants administra-
ton representa- Reduction in the prenlii----
UNI on gold of 10! per cent, an advance
OF II per cent. at London, andof IL per
cent. at Frankfort, on the value of
American securities and liquidation
OF 1868, $50, 204 of the national debt. No
comment could add to the force of this
financial exhibit, except to direct atten-
ton to the equally gratifying fact that
during these four years, while the Cox
eminent credit has steadily appreciated,
as shown by the decreasein the gold pre-
MUM and the advance of American secu-
rites IN Europe; and while taxation has
been maintained at point sufficiently
high to enable the Government to dis
charge fifteen per cent of its entire obi
cations, the general prosperity of all the
people has increased rather than dimin-
ished
The amelioration of the political con-
dltlon of the country has not been less
decided and gratifying than it's financial
improvement has been unexampled and
benehcent. President Grant found the
South, under the i1nalign influence of
Johnson's reactionary policy, discomfort
ed, turbulent, and again rebeliious. He
commences his second term with every
State fully represented in Congress, and
a reign Of peace and an apparently hon
est purpose in every part of the South.
Louisiana alone excepted, to return to an
unqualified allegiance to the Union and
the Constitution.
In his foreign policy the President has
been equally wise. Against an intrigu-
ing hostile faction in the Senate he
steadily adhered to his early announced
determination to bring about settlement
Of the Alabama claims question, and
finally succeeded, against the clamors of
a dictatorial and hypercritical press, and
the bitter opposition of clique Of anlb1-
tious and designing politicians, whowere
willing to endanger the peace of the
country rather than permit an admins
tration, towhich, they were inimical, to
reap the Just credit due to an honorable
settlement of long outstanding difficult
ty. But in this, as in all the great cues
tons which have demanded solution at
the hands of the Administration. the
people have recognized the honest pur-
pose, enlightened wisdom, aId,firm In.
tegrity of President Grant, and have lent
to his efforts the saction of pronounced
and authoritative public sentiment. Z.
The close of President Grants first
term leaves to tie country as an accom-
plished fact the invocation OF his inaug1l-
raj ''Let us have peace" It is no
more than just to him to declare that the
renown of his military achievements has
been fifty and honorably supplemented
by a civil career dnexcelled in the praeti-
cal results of wise craftsmanship by that
of any one Of his predecessors. If at the
end of his second term, upon which he,
enters so auspiciously to-day, it can be !
truthfully said that it has been as success
full and as prosperous as the first, he may
retire from public life with a degree of
satisfaction equal to that expressed by
the first President upon similar occa-
sion, and be greeted with like testimoni-,
ais of affection and regard by. the whole
people, aay .---, asfl,. ,.,., 49,,
se, Alex. HI. Stephens. ~ 900
An incident occurred recently, which,