St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-01-26
President Grant.
From the Alton, an Telegraph.

If there is one thing for which this
country should be profoundly grateful,
it is that in the great crisis through
which we have passed, General Grant
has been President OF the United States.
The strain upon republican institutions
has been terrible. If man with less
nerve, less courage, less patriotism, less
seltishness, less indOmitable will and
self control, less firmly resolved to do
his duty, was occupying the Presiden-
tial chaiI, this country would now, be-
yOnd question, be plunged into anarchy.
As it is, the crisis since the election has
been bridged in safety. Not gun has
been fired, not life has been lost.
| That this is so, is owing to one man
only. 1t is difficult to say which class
stands in greater dread of the stearn,
silent man in the White House, the
rabid copperheads of the North or the
rampant portion of the rebels at the
| South. Both knew that it was the duty
of the great soldier to execute the laws
aud maintain the peace. Both knew
that he would perform that duty that
the first overt act of treason in the
North, the first outbreak of rifie-club
violence in the South would be visited
rible. They knew that there would he
no Chinese gong sounded, and no blank
cartridges fired, but that when the long
roll beat it would mean that every re-
source of the government, on land and
on sea, was being turned upon the
offenders, and that new rebellion
would be stamped out in day. 1t was
this knowledge that converted the lion
| Wade Hampton into Il lamb. 1t was
this knowledge that gave single
United States soldier in the South the
power to keep mObs in subsection.
The rifle clubs weren't afraid of IA single
man, or regiment, for that matter. But
they knew that a shot fired at blue
uniform was shot fired at the flag,
and they never became infuriated so
much as to risk that. We believe that
the services of General Grant during
the last few weeks, entitle him to us
much gratitude as his suppression of
the rebellion. He has proved himself
us great in maintaining peace as he was
in waging war. 1t is gratifying to note
that during this crisis many leading re-
publcans, who have criticised the
President mercilessly in years past,
have relied upon him with perfect con-
fidence as the one man equal to the
emergency. We ali know that during
his official career the President has been
grieveously imposed upon by design
ing ''friends y that he has appointed
some dishonest and incompetent men
to office on the recommendation of
others, but, on the other hand, his per-
sonal integrity is as clear as the noon
day sun, and he has ordered the courts
to prosecute all offenders. We all
know that with all the hue and cry of
corruption raised against his admins
tration by bitter enemies and disap-
pointed office seekers, his administra-
tion has been the most spOtless ever
known in this country. Even that OF
Washington showed larger per cent
of defalcations than has Grants. In its
civil successes his administration has
been simply marvel. By its wisdom
and prudence the dire consequences
which have always hitherto followed j
terrible civil conflict have been reduced
to a minimum. The credit of the
country stands higher abroad than ever
before in its history the universa
bankruptcy so freely predicted has
been averted; the public debt has been
reduced by the enormous sum $780,
O0O, 900, and the interest on the remain
der vastly reduced. During his ad-
mihistration the material development
of the country has been without pre-,
cedent, while abroad the flag of til,
Union was never held in greater respec
than to-day. Foreign nations do moi
heed the vaporings of sore-head dema,
gogues and domestic traitors; but they
see the great deeds his administration
has accomplished and look on in won
r der and admiration. These are facts
that are incOntrOvertible, and it is
shameful, pitiful, contemplate com
! mentary on the American people tina
, during the past eight years the Presi
4 dent has been overwhelmed with
deluge of denunciation, vituperation
= vilifcatiOn abuse and SANDER that i
t would seem could only have been con
= ceived in the bosom of fiends. All thi
D the President has endured in silence
s and because endured silently he ha
n been accused of belonging to the orde
$ of pachydermata, incapable of feeliD
the sting of such weapons. But tina
# they have left him all SCARED an
d bleeding with sense of injury, is know
d by the few who are intimate with hin
It and is revealed in his late message
is But ''time makes all things even."
; brings all injustice to light. 1t make
g great deeds stand out in bold relief.
f. buries slanderers and vilifiers an
d traitors under load of infamy. Onl
a the men who have made their impril
l. on the age, live on the page of histor