The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-20

Monstrosaties.
General Grant is reported to have said ON
Friday last to some prominent republicans who
called upon him at the White House: 81
begin to think it is time for the republican
party to unload. There has been too much
dead weight carried by it. The success of our
arms during the rebellion and the confidence
that the republican party was strong enough
to hold up any burden have imposed all the
disahection in the Gulf States on the admins
tration. l am tired of this nonsense. Let
Louisiana take care of herself az Texas viii
have to do. don't want any quarrel about
| Mississippi State matters to be referred to me.
| This nursing of monstrosities has nearly OK
hausted the life of the party. I am done with
! them. and they will have to take care
! of themselves These words from such
speaker are of the sort to ''give
us pause. There Is, of course, no
doubt that they spoken as indicated.
and in the absence of definite statement to the
contrary it is to be supposed they we're
remembered by some one of the prominent
republicans referred to and repeated outside
with substantial accuracy. The authenticity
of the words being thus reasonably clear of
doubt, we are of opinion that none of General
Grants famous utterances will prove more
memorable than this one. From the time
when Grant informed a rebel commander that
he proposed "to move Immediately on his
works '-when the country first became
clearly acquainted with his name-the few
words of this silent man have had greater
effect upon the popular mind than the orators,
with all their speeches. His accidental ex-
pressions have been caught up and conned
over, and have generally been found to cover
the whole case they dealt with in
that rapid yet complete way that is
almost national with US and the
secret Of the success of Grants
phrases Is precisely in the fact that
they an exaggeration of the practical
spirit in speech of people that hates to waste
words and wants what is said to be thoroughly
to the point. They are neat statements of
thoughts that find general acceptance because
of the keen perception they indicate, or be-
cause of their apt relation to existing circum-
stances. And the utterance given above is in
character with those heard before, and will
have equal influence in giving definite direc-
ton to wide and vague public opinion on
the subject it handles. 1t is summary Of
the condition Of the dominant political party,
and it indicates the most threatening symp-
tom and the practical remedy, and deals with
| the subject too in tone Of resolute impa-
thence that is in sympathy with the feelings of
the people.
From potential source, therefore, we have
these points That the republican party has
been nursing monstrosites, and that these
have nearly exhausted its life; that in future
these monstrosities, which are reconstruction
difficulties, ''must take care of themselves,
as the official head of the party means to cut
them loose; that the party has been carrying
great deal of dead weight-that is to say,
that it has been playing false with its support
ers by foisting into the party purposes and pro-
grammes various issues and facts, that had
no relation whatever to those principles which
alone the people supposed they were support
ing when they voted republican tickets; that
the leader is of opinion the party ought to
unload this dead weight and turn honest; that
| Louisiana, as well as Texas, Unjust" govern
herself; and, finally, greatest point of all, that
| General Grant is tired of this nonsense"
| The phrase nursing monstrosities'' de.
scribes accurately the general activity of the
republican party. If that party addresses it
| self to the subject of reconstruction it solves
no vexed problem pacifes no excitement, lays
the foundation Of no useful progress it only
nurses some monstrosity conceived by profigate
wretches eager to utilize for their own advan-
tage public misfortune or national ruin. If it
turns to the subject Of great national enter
prises, urged by the needs of communication
with the Pacific Coast it does not stimulate
and encourage healthy material progress;
it nurses the Credit Mobiler monstrosity.
And so through the category. One cannot
touch topic of public interest but the action
of the republican party in regard to it resolves
! itself at once into the mere nursing Of some
monstrosity instead of the honest performance
of some Legitimate function. Neither need
one go far into the measures with which the
party is identified to find the dead
weight that threatens to carry it
down. Indeed, it is difficult to say what is
not dead weight-to indicate any one purpose
which the party advocates now earnestly urge
that may fairly be called q vital, throbbing
portion Of the party principle. All the fnan-
cial policy is dead weight, because the party
principle would require strict economy and
the administration of the Treasury in the in
terest of the people. But it is all done in the
interest of iObbers All the Nominations ara
dead weight, for they are bargains. Recon
struction, the carpet-baggers, the usurpation
of power supported by troops-all this is dead
weight, milestone, that if not speedily dis
engaged will carry republicanism to the bot