The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-05

'toiouOu VI INC oouSututIOu anu ueeo tue
army to PROSTATE civil government in one Of
the States; that after his six years Of rule the
whole country Is poverty -struck, all enter
prise checked. the Treasury empty and pros
perity fed from a.. it cannot be said that he
is ''irst in peace" Az it used. very sensibly.
to be said, that 'the use Of general is to win
battles. so the use of civil ruler is to make
. nation prosperous and happy. Washington
knew admirably how to do this. Grant would
like to do it; but being . mere soldier, he
imagines it can be done bys huge and con-
slant display of force, as though you could
command man to be contented at the point Of
the bayonet or club him into happiness and
prosperity. musket 10 not the emblem Of
felicity. If General Grant took the trouble TO
read history be would see what many Of his
former admirers SEQ with grief-that tho
spirit and the results Of his rule do not differ
greatly from those of Napoleon Ill That
ridiculous parsonage also imagined that all
was done which statesmanship required when
he collected . great army and made OF
1t police to keep order" The Third
Napoleon's motto was, 'Let Us have peace"
in precisely tho Same sense in which General
Grant understands these words. He had
natural hatred of disorder; he was irritated by
loud noises he forced France into quiet at
the point of the bayonet; and, precisely a.
Grant now, he for years increased the coun-
trys debt, violated ITS constitution, made
heavier its burden of taxation, and multiplied
instead of decreasing the causes Of dissatisfac-
ton and disorder. If Grant could rule over
Us eighteen years, as Napoleon did over
France, We should be no better than the
French; for there can be no doubt that he is
demoralizing and degrading element in our
society.
This is 80 universally felt now that it would
be absurd to compare Grant With Washington
in the last clause Of the great eulogium.
Washington was ''hrst in tho hearts Of his
countrymen." Grant certainly Is not he
cannot be, except in private Life. he has not
the judicial temper of Washington. he is
partisan, and one Of very narrow kind; for
his party zeal takes in but . small portion
even, and that the least reputable. of the polit-
ical organization to which be has joined him
self. He lacks the greatness Of soul, tho
broad and generous patriotism, the unselfsh-
ness, which made Washington dear to ell his
and gained him the respect and
confidence even of those who thought his views
of government mistaken.
Now, it is pity to see man wretchedly
fail in high place who won the plaudits Of
his countrymen by his success in war. There
is no right-min ded American but would like
to esteem and respect General Grant; but he
daily forfeits all title to esteem by his miscon-
duct in the Presidency. For this reason we
think it en- Office of true friendship to advise
him to resign. The act of resignation would
certainly raise him in the esteem OF his coun-
trymen; it would show them that If he was
incapable he was yet honest and patriotic;
that he preferred his country's welfare to his
OWN personal qualification, and that he had
the penetration to see which way true glory
lies for him