New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-26
THE PRESIDENT AND THE REPORTER

THE PRESIDENT AND THE REPORTER.
All political rulers in these times find it
convenient to address the public once in
while without the restraint of official forms.
The British Premier frees his mind In
jaunty speech after dinner. The Car OF all
the Russias speaks to a deputaton of loyal
subjects in language that could hardly DO
employed in State paper. The Pope talks
to crowd of knceling pilgrims with the GER
tanty that his words will he repeated in the
fIrthest corners of the civilized world. Prince
Bismarck throws out suggestions before the
Reichstag with that curious frankncss which
he was the first to impart to diplomacy; and
we doubt not that the King of Dahomey has
some more satisfactory device than the set
palaver for explaining the royal policy to his
people. The President of the United States
seems to be following the fashion. He has had
much to say which could not be put into the
form of a Message to Congress. He is not n
dinner-table orator, and his experience with
deputatiOns has not been altogether comfort
able. He chooses therefore IA his medium of
communication a reporter of the Associated
Press. Every few days that faithful servant Of
ours comes away from the White House with the
light of inspiration shining all over him, and
tclegraphs to the press Of the country an ex-
PLANTATION of the Presidents purposes year
ago these unofficial and indirect declarations
would have had serious political meaning.
To-day, when the partnership between Gen.
Grant and the Republican organization Is at
an end, their value is personal rather than
political. 1t is interesting and sometimes i'm
pOItant to know what our Chief Magistrate
thinks of public affairs but his purposes no
longer guide or materially influence the policy
of the Republican party.
As an illustration of character the talk re-
ported in our columns yesterday was certainly
well worth reading. Gen. Grant has been dis
tinguished by a narrow and often pcrverse
understanding of his duty, but at the came time
by a stubborn resolution to do what he judged
his duty 10 be- If not asO to resent rs per-
sOnal ail'rOnt any criticism upon his judgment.
His tenacity of purpose is Favored with q
somewhat hot temper and his soldier-like respect
for duty is strengthened by great natural obsti-
macy. Like many other men moreover of what is
called plain mind, he reaches conclusions
quickly,-iumps at a result while intelects of
higher order are balancing arguments. He Is
often right, but like many persons who
chance upon the true course in difficult
times, he is right without sufficient reason.
Nothing could DC better, for example, than his
determination to recognize whoever should
" be declared his successor y but no one would
imagine from reading the account of the inter-
view that he foresaw the possibility of any
complications arising in The count OF the vote
which would give him moments embarrass-
mcnt. So too, in speaking of the House reso-
luton of inquiry respecting the sending of
troops to the South, he justified his action
on the ground that the troops were to be used
in the support of the State Governments but
he argued, or perhaps we should say he limited
an argument that it could not be wrong to
sustain the Southern State Governments by tho
Federal arms because in 1868 the Democrats
nominated for Ece-Presidcnt MAN who had
urged that those State Governments should be
overturned by the Federal arms. 1t is not