Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-06-14
WOES or THE PRESIDENTS.

Perhaps there never was a time
when so many estimable gentlemen
were striving for the Presidency, The
favorite sons of every State in the
Union are entered for the party nomi-
nations, and the contest is so warm
that the leading candidates tor the
Cincinnati prize have not scrupled to
resort to foul play to get their eompeti-
tors out Of the race. Even the present
incumbent OF the Office, who has al
ready held the place for eight years,
manifesteda astrong disposition tosecure
il for another term, and only withdrew
when the betting ruled so heavily
against him that be saw he had no
chance to win. In view Of this state
OF facts IL is not creditabe to our pub
lie men that We should have so much
talk about the undesirability Of the
Presidency, If the position be one SO
exposed to SANDER, so open to dishonor,
so overburdened with labor, then the
fierce scramble to attain il is certainly
strange piece of inconsistency. ..
We fear that there is very little sin
cerity in this cant about the uneasi-
ness Of the head that wears our Demo
cratic crown. 1t is like the parchment
which the poets and moralists Of other
lands have made about the evils which
surround thronej yot who ever failed
to accept a kingdom whenit was offered
to him, or hesitated to venture soul
and body for crown il he saw fair
opportunity for gaining it2 Tho osense
of authority, pre-cminence among ones
fellows, gratified ambition, ore sources
of satisfaction so complete that few
mon consider it dearly purchased at
the cost of personal case. To men Of
great ability and noble purposes the ex-
ercise of power offers higher gratifea-
tion in the opportunity which il gives
to advance the interests of the nation.
Sherman has described admirably the
sort of divine exultation with which o
general conducts great battle. There
must be something akin to it in the
feeling of a ruler guiding the policy of
a rich, strong, and active people. Let
us confess frankly, then, that the Presi-
dency, at this era, when so much can
be done by vigilant and able Presi-
dent, is worthy of any statesman's am
bition and let us hear less about the
cares and anxieties which are insepera-
BILE from all great responsibilities and
almost inseparable from any condition
Of human life. No man who wants TO
bind his head with fillet OF roses and
repose on purple couch need venture
into business, or take up the practice
OF law, or try TO run large newspaper,
or assume the task Of managing the
Federal Government, Hard work and
harsh criticism are two elements in ac-
tive American life, and those who are
unwilling to accept them should keep
themselves in the background.
Two very notable men have recently
INDUCED in this dishonest pretense
about the unworthinoss of the Presi.
dency, cxaggcrating It's trials and re-
sponsibilities and bclittling its oppor.
tunities and honors First came At
torncy General Pierrepont, speaking
as the apologist of Mr.. Grant, and dc.
failing with touching cloquence the
hardships of his chief He called upon
us to sympathize in the poverty of a
man who is getting $4,000 a year,
with all his household expenses paid !;
and yet when President Grant was not
in the service of his ungrateful country
he was forced to live for twelve months
on less than what is now the income
of week. We were asked to mourn
over his excessive labors; and yet
when he was not in the service of that
pepurious task-master the American
people he had no cottage at Long
Branch, no winter season OF social
amuscmcnts, no summer pleasure trip,
and no leisure TO enjoy such things.
we were told to bcwail the sacrifices
which an exacting country had com.
PEELED him TO make and vet when not