The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-06-09
what General Grant Means.

,,,e, Too modest, Is hey NOT oi' u -
ue Is man OF strong viii, and In bis Sao.
s,y has been led to believe that nc paS no'
only saved toe country, but that ne mas pio.
,onged its existence for the time nc mas n'eu
the Presidency; and. as be intima.es ~ h's
letter, may still be necessary 70 /" tne i'e %
the nation for another or severa, terms.
cenersl GRANT Is strong.wtied as well
a. an overwhelmingly self-suficient man.
he would not write letter that aomiueo
for moment that he could be per force kep'
ont of the Presidency for q third term. war
ami, his u.urpations in the way of oppress'
ing the South that were pleasing to part'-
sans that for the time held the power have
accustomed him to the exercise of an unop-
posed will, aud he is indlsposed now TO toe'
rate the idea that he Is bound to obey any
custom OF will superior to bis own.
We do not mean to say that General GRANT
would oppose directly and by force the forms
OF law and usurp the Presidency IN spite OF
the people; but he will mike no formal ac-
acknowledgement Of his obligation in respect
TO sacred example or the spirit of republican
ism to refuse positively TO run for an office
which he may deem it important to the
Union be should continue to Oil. He made
sacrifices be says, and he uuquestionably feels
that he IL the eountry's saviour. Indeed, il
is evident that he thinks be may be required
still to be, REvERDY JOHNSON to the contrary
Notwithstanding.
Now, thus the matter stands. GRANT gives
I'D nothing. He has since he was President
decided matters with little respect to law or
Constitution. 1t was all the time the "pub-
lie necessity" and, unfortunately, bis view
of "pubic necessity" was in unison with
the views of the fanatics and nlalignants OF
the country, and there was no party with
power enough to restrict bis usurpations.
All his decisions were agreeable to the least
eseditable and useful part of society. In
the factious disputes of the Republican
party his decisions we're ever in favor OF the
least reputable side. And it wqs always his
decision that prevailed.
We do not think it is matter OF surprise,
this attitude and feeling of the President
bis own conse queuce and the dependence Of
the country upon him. There has been
rein given him and trust placed in him that
plainly. in his mind, showed the national de-
pendence upon him. Rare, indeed, would
be the man-the WASHINGTON or the CINcIN-
NA1us-who would not use his p; sition to the
personal advantage which human vanity
might imagine to be the best for personal
glorification.
We confess that General GRANT is not re-
markabe for pomp and parade. His tastes
run in the quieter channels his personal
eomforts-his foe acres, fine horses, foe and
fast drives-his luxurious entertainments
his wine and his cigar. But these are equally
in the line of personal arrogance with those
things which please the pompous man.
General GRANT is rather impatient With
the dry, dusty mlrches and Burners and the
proliX speeches Of such ceremonies rs the
Massachusetts centennials. His tastes are
of kind more consistent With personal
comfort and personal qualifications gay
teams and orthodox feastS. He has no tsl=nt
for CAB, and he would hardly indulge it in
preference to ''good cheer" if be bad It.
he seems to us to be of the order of intense
royalists-he wants upqueStoned authority,
and personally be desires creature comforts
nndisturbed by popular jostling and inter-
ruptions.
Therefore he is not the man to indulge pa.
triotic impulses about "the customs of the
fathers" ID the fathers" says be. He
has no sentiment. He does not know what it
is. He would have been exactly suited to
the life Of an old feudal lord with bis vassals--
unlimited capacity to imbibe and unlimited
authority.
We cannot expect such d man as he to de-
cline power-nor can We expect him 10 sur.
render it. Not he. He is going 10 quit the
Presidency if he chooses, and not without.
What he wants is peace and plenty, and no
interru otion. &c he thinks the true wey for
che maintenance Of what he holds dear-and
it is about the same that MORTON aud the
office holders regard as invaluable--is to be
President for third term, look out for suca
system Of military supervision and terrorist
as has never been kGe IN 10 the land.
Yet, all in all, We think with REvsEDY
JOHNSON that the question with General
GRANT has very much the character of mo.
ney. His opinon AS TO his policy will he
governed in a great degree by pecuDiary ad-
vantage. 1t may be wei for the nation that
his disposition takes that turn. And probs-
bly, it would be wise TO pay him and part.
If 1t ran more in the line Of "fuss and fea-
theirs "-of pump and pageantry-it might
be worse Tor US. In the settling of the
=" fnality" between Genera!sG RANT and the
people be mag consult bis e@n solid comfort
and convenience and withdraw.
The question Is critical one. The repub-
lie HANGS by delicate tendons. The nation,
in its folly and p,ssion, has Comet to place
itself at the mercy of one man. dis achieve
ment in oyerw oelmlng with force the South
ern Confederacg was thing that with simi-
bar odds and like wealth of men aud means
vas within the capacity OF an ordinary mill
ary man. But circumstances have given
MIN the position. and it is matter re NAV
almost call q lottery whether it will be used
0isastrously TO the country, or whether the
man who has the place will forego his oppor.
snnity and permit the republic to continue.
Inc lesson is one which. properly consld-
eted oy Inc country, may be of lasting yalcf.
Inc Union may learn bow dangerous il ia IN
tpif 4,