The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-04-09
A Sensitive Government.

The account we print this morning OF the
interview between the President and the rep
resentatives of the South Carolina taxpayers
NAV afford some further information, to any
who are in want of it, of the strictly private
and personal character our Government has
assumed. This body of gentlemen, represent
ing the intelligence and decency of the State,
ali of them people who have honestly accepted
the results of the war; and who are striving
with a patience and energy worthy OF all
praise to save something of their States e1ls-
tence from the thievish bands which are rapid
ly destroying it, sought an interview with the
President on Friday last to lay before him the
sdeplorable state of affairs among them, and to
ask if any aid could be given by the General
Government. They were treated by him with
gross rudeness and discourtesy, for reason 30
trivial that it is almost incredible. During the
recent session of the Taxpayers Convention
in South Carolina an obscure and Drained
delegate got the floor and made speech per-
sonally dis!espectful to the President. There
is no pretense that he embodied the views Of
the Convention, or that his harangue met with
their approval But this speech, dexterously
thrust into the Presidents hands by one of the
Ring politicians just before the delegation
called upon him, was enough to make him
forget his own duty and dignity and insult an
important body of citizens who were no more
responsible for it than the President himself.
We do not mean that they were asking for
anything practicable. On the contrary, VIC
can see nothing but evil in any interference of
the Government so long as it remains in the
present hands, with the administration of the
States. If Gen. Grant had not made the Incl
dent the occasion for an indecorous outburst of
arrogance and passion, we should be inclined
to congratulate him upon having made long
step forward in the theory and practice Of
constitutional law, since the time when he lent
the whole power of the Federal Government
to the knaves who were throttling and robbing
the State of Louisiana. But the animus which
prevaded his refusal to aid the honest people
of South Carolina was such as to render it i'm
possible for any one to believe that his action
proceeded from anything but the same passion
ate and selfish caprice which induced him to
do precisely the contrary thing, when Casey
and Kellogg wanted their hold tightened upon
the throat of Louisiana. In fact, IN this per-
formance we see once more what has been so
long evident, that President Grant has never
associated any idea of duty or responsibility
with his acceptance of the Executive office
He was elected the first time to pay for his
services in the war; and the second time, ne
THINKS, 10 answer tne C[lI1ClSihs vi tnooe "Ho
tn ought him unfit for the place: He regards
all criticisms as disloyalty, and looks upon
sharp attack, like that of the harum-scarum
South Carolinian, as thing so monstrous as
to taint and disqualify for the time being, the
State in which it occurred. We cannot say
there is anything new in this. Two years ago,
Mr.. Sumner made a great historical speech, in
which the Presidents character was drawn
with fidelity rare in cotemporaneous writings.
He was there held up as habitual transgres-
sor of the commandment most binding upon
Presidents -'Thou shalt not quarrel" 1t is
too hard a lesson for the present incumbent to
learn. He has not magnanimity enough to
overlook controversies; he has not public
spirit enough to avoid them in the interest of
the country and he has not taste enough to
know when to quarrel with decorum.-M T.
Tribune.