The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-07

seems he needs them less nowl, the Re-
publican party came and called him away
from all these comfortable things, making
him believe that 1.-THE public good" re-
quired him to make the sacrifice" AS
it is quite certain that General Grant but
a very short time before he consented to
make this heartrending sacrifice" of 1.-The
rank" and THE emoluments" of the Office
Of General created expressly for him"
(but since meanly given to General Sher
MANI held and expressed political opinions
entirely opposed to those Of the party
which called him, why in the world did
he make the ''sacrifce?" How could any
man not Republican in politics, as Gen
eral Grant certainly was not, De made to
believe that the public good" REQUIRED
him to accept the candidacy and leader
ship of the Republican party unless his
own personal vanity was such as to per-
suade him that no other person IN the
country was capable of filing the presiden-
cy? He may haye honestly believed this,
~ he snre But if General
Grant really thought himself so much
more fit than any other person in the Uni
ted States for the presidency that he ought
not to hesitate for moment to take 1t
from any party which was strong enough
1 to get it for him, is it not clear that he
would have been guilty of gross direlic-
ton of duty had he declined it? And, this
being the case, can anything be more
shameful and unworthy than his complaint
about the sacrifice" which it cost him
Put this querulous letter beside the silent
graves of the myriads of brave men who
also at the call of their country gave up g
life position" not in exchange for the
presidency, but in exchange for death and
cold obstruction, and in how abject ligh
its author grovels before the country which
!, he reproaches!
1t is true that President Grant if We ar,
to suppose that his letter to the chairman
of the Pennsylvania convention represent
his real sentiments, thinks otherwise, |
is true that General Grant regards tn,
life position created expressly for him
SELF. with its permanent rank" and 1T
permanent ''emoluments," as more val
liable consideration for services rendered
to the Union than the presidency for tw'
terms, and it is true that this life posi-
ton" has passed from him to General Sher
man. But the vast majority of high-splrl
! ted and ambitions Americans. and Genera
D Sherman himself among them. would prob
s ably be of another way of thinking. The
n would probably include, as General Gran
: does not include, the honor and the hig
, opportunities for public usefulness Of tn
i chief magistracy of the Union among tn
= grander and nobler recompenses and acl
II nowledgments of large patriotic services
y They would hardly think of charging the n;
n ton with ingratitude which should twie
&c elect them to the seat filled in the past
e George Washington and Andrew jackson
l. They would be slow, we suspect to intimat
q that 10 recei.ing this lofty testimony to tt
d confidence and the affection of their fellow
d countrymen they had made sacrifice,
II and that nothing short of a series of r.
'e elections to the supreme executive cha
n cpuld adequately compensate them for "a
r ri6cing" the rank" the ''emoluments
n and the comfort" of life positiC
n created expressly" for themselves. F.
is his own sake not less than for the sake
K the nation and of its good name througho1
S. the world, it is to be hoped that wht
g President Grant next year presents hiu
d self before civilized Christendom assemble
n at the centennial of the Union at Philadt
e, phia, some discreet friend may intcrvel
y to prevent him from commencing himst
~ to the sympathy of mankind as the chan
lg pion victim of the ingratitude of republic
t ~ Y World.