The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-11
Another Reason why President Grant
Ought to Resign.

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ways presumed to be voluntary act, and the
reasons for such step are founded on his
private convenience or inclination or address
themselves to his sense of public duty. We
appeal to the latter class of motives Wepre-
fer to present considerations which ought to
have weight with a consc eDtious functionary
who subordinates individual emolument to
the public welfare. 1t is on this high ground
that we again ask the attention of His Excel
lency to the benefits which would accrue to
the country by his voluntary retirement to
private life. Such q line Of argument as
sumes that His Excellency does not belong to
the vulgar tribe of ofice-loving politicians and
traders in public trusts 1t assumes that
he is patriot, q man of q high sense
of political honor, a citizen who cherishes
grateful sense of the distinguished marks
of esteem which have been bestowed on him
by the country, and especially by the repub-
lican party. He owes it to the great but de-
caying party which has so highly honored
and SO stanchly supported him not to stand in
the way of its success, when his retirement
would bring Vice President Wilson to the head
of the government and harmonic the party.
If he admits that he is under any obligation
to the country he should stand aside for re-
publican successor whose wise and conciliatory
policy would give effect to that patriotic desire
for 'peace" expressed by General Grant in
his letter accepting his first nomination. In
stead of peace his administration has
brought increasing clements of disturbance.
The condition of the South, politically,
economically and socially, compares un-
tavorably with its condition at the
date of his first Inauguration. He
has brought the business of the coun-
try to stagnation, the national Treasury
to the verge of bankruptcy, and has reduced
his party from victorious and seemingly
invincible majority to humiliating minority
in most Of the States that have recently held
elections The industries of the country, the
tranquility Of the South, the condition of the
treasury and the prospects of the republican
party are 50 different from what was expected
from President Grant that even he must per-
ceive that his administration is q political
failure; and by the sound rule of judging a
tree by its fruits he ought to see that his
policy has been a stupendous mistake.
All this was apparent when the HERALD be-
gan to urge upon him the duty of resigning
His Excelency every day adds new reasons in
support Of our suggestion. The public might
almost suppose he had q secret understanding
with US for securing q unanimous in
dorsement Of our recommendation and
making it universally popular. After his
military interference with the Louisiana Legis-
lature, for which he partially apologized in
Message to Congress, he forthwith sent troops
to vicksburg to decide q question which be-
longed to the State courts, and now, in equal
defiance of law, he has proclaimed Brooks
Governor of Arkansas and signifed his inten-
ton to install him in Office by military force,
unless Congress positively forbids him. The
effect of his astonishing Arkansas Message
on public opinion may be seen in the copious
extracts which we give to-day from the press
of both political parties. The Troy Times,
one of the most loyal of republican organs,
says, ''the President has erred" The Spring
field Republican says, ''no wonder that such
astute politicians as Henry Wilson are wiring
ing their hands" The Utica Herald. the
leading republican organ of Central New
York, edited by distinguished republican
member of Congress, says, 1--WE can
not conceal our surprise that the
President should have felt called
upon to issue this Message" The republican
Boston Transcript thinks cit is entirely mad
MISSILE to reopen the Arkansas troubles"
The Philadelphia Telegraph, also republican,
says, sit is most devoutly to be hoped that
Congress will turn deaf ear to this Message;
that it will not SO obstinately persist in driv-
ing the republican party to ruin as to yield a
moments consideration to its peremptory in
structions." Nobody believes that such Ian
guage, or anything resembling it, would ever
be used by republican journals toward Mr.
Wilson If he were President. No republican
believes that 1lr. Wilson could make mistakes
calling for such strong expressions of censure
and alarm by journals that advocated his
election. All these extracts are, therefore q
virtual, though not q formal Endorsement, of
the HERALD advice to His Excellency to give
place to republican successor who enjoys
the cOI4AltLce VI Tic party. 4He republican
journals do not desire the continuance in
Office OF Presidentwhose conduct and policy
they are ashamed to advocate and cannot de-
fend.
The strange Arkansas Message, unaccount-
able even from Grant, must intensity the
republican regret that Mr.. Wilson is not at
the head of the government. His Excellency
seems to have lost his memory, besides abdi-
eating all the claims be ever had to common
sense 1t is inconceivable that any man who
ishing that any man outside the walls of an
asylum for lunatics, could have sent to Con-
gress Message which so condemns and repu-
dates his own recent policy respecting affairs
In Arkansas. In 1872 Brooks ran on the