The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-12
President Grants Apathy In This Po-
lftical Crisis.

ntlc0I Crlnhos
The indifference manifested by President
Grant to the canvass going on among the
rivals for the Cincinnati nomination tends to
produce an impression which he ought to
rectify in the interest of his own reputa-
ton. He cannot afford to have it thought
that he is sulking over his own disap-
pointment, and that his interest In
the republican party ceases, as 1t began,
with his personal hopes. His old indiffer-
ence to politics had some palliation. When
he was first in the army it was shared with
many other army officers, and it was broken,
when he had passed into private life, only
by his vote for Buchanan, in 1856. When
he returned to the army he permitted him
self to be considered war democrat, and
his loyalty to the republican administration
which was conducting the war, and
which recognized his great military ser
vices by constant promotions, excused him
from taking any part in political contests.
But when he joined the republican party
and was elected by it to the highest Office in
the government he was bound by gratitude
and honor to promote its interests, for he
had no right to join it except on the convic-
ton that its success was consistent with the
public welfare. He cannot desert it now
that it has no further rewards to bestow
upon him without furnishing grounds for
impeaching the sincerity Of his whole con-
nection with it.
Assuredly General Grant cannot wish
to be ranked in the same category with the
Vice Presidents who have succeeded to the
highest Office, and who, one and all, threw
off their sense of obligation to the party that
elected them. When John Tyler became
President by the death of General Harrison
he turned against the whig party, intrigued
for the succession, and used the patronage
which he possessed by its favor to defeat it
in the next Presidential election, after he
found that he could not build up per-
sonal party for his own benefit. Willard
Fillmore, who came into the Presidency by
the death of General Taylor, did not like
Tyler, veto WING measures, but, after trying
for the whig nomination and being beaten
by General Scott he was willing to have his
successful rival defeated, and did not lift a
finger to help the canvass, although WELD
ing the whole patronage of the government.
Andrew johnson, who became President
after the assassination Of Mr. Lincoln,
yielded to the same besetting temp
tation, quarrelled with the party that
elected him, and did nothing for either
ticket when he found that he could not be
nominated himself. General Grant cannot
covet the reputation of either of those pro-
NOTED Vice Presidents But none of them
was SO chargeable with ingratitude as he will
be if he ceases to care for the party that
elected him. They owed their elevation to
the Presidency to accident, but General
Grant received his as an intended compli-
ment, bestowed not once, but twice, with
singular unanirnity and strong marks of per-
sonal favor. If any man in our history
ever had reason to be grateful to political
CATION. The republican party generously
took him on trust, although he had never
acted with it. 1t confded in his sense Of
honor that he would not accept it's highest
marks Of favor without corresponding
sense Of obligation. But if, having joined it
only when it opened his path to the
Presidency, he now deserts it when it
finds it impossible to give him q
third term and relapses into the same
indifference to its success which he showed
before it offered him the glittering prize, the
public judgment will be that his connection
with the party was utterly selfish and that
he deserves to be ranked, in point of fdel-
ity, with the three Vice Presidents that
Gifted up their heels" against the party that
made them. If General Grant has not yet
pondered the subject in this light it is time
that he should.
He cannot take refuge in the plea that it
is inconsistent with his position to have q
choice respecting his successor. Does he
imagine that Washington had no preference
between Adams and jefferson? 1t is easy to
prove the contrary, although Washing
ton was not elected by political
party, but by, the whole people.
1t may, indeed, be said, and said
with truth, that, although Washington pre-
ferrcd the federal candidate he took no steps
to procure his nomination. But it must be
remembered that our machinery Of nominat-
ing conventions did not then exist, and that
Mr.. Adams was the spontaneous selection of
the whole federal party.
Jefferson, who was the next President that
served eight years, had a very decided choice
among the democratic rivals for the success
sion, but when Monroe's friends tried to
make trouble in the party, on account of
this preference, jefferson wrote Monroe a
pacifying letter, but continued to exert his
influence all the same in favor of Madison,
as may be seen in Hildreth's History. Jack
son. in like manner, exerted himself success
fully to procure the nomination ofvan Buren,,
and broke up his Cabinet because some of