The Portland daily press., 1877-05-22

position till the ship was under weigh and ON
her voyage, then there was round of parting
cheers and all the conveys wendell their way
back to the city. 1t was thirty miles out that
the emparkation took place. The weather was
me all day though very warm. 1t was an ex.
ceedingly decorous company and the regrets at
ieaVe taxing were softened by the consideration
'nat the voyager to whom we had bid adeu for
"hlle was about to enjoy the well-earned rest
10 winch he was justly entitled after sixteen
years OF unremittng and pre-eminently useful
labor in the service of the. Republic.
The significance of this ovation lies in the
evidence it gives of the undated popularity of
the ex-President. In spite of all the mendaci.
ty of which his name has been the object for
years, he is manifestly as much believed in and
IS much beloved by the great body of intelli-
gent American people as he ever was. The
mists of calumny have obscured his worth at
intervals, no doubt, but the observation has
never lasted long, for the sunlight of his pure
character has speedily dispelled it.
1t is somewhat remarkable that while we
have heard at times fiippant criticisms upon
his civic course, none of the great measures
with which his administration was identified,
whether of dlplom acy, finance or domestic pol
icy have met with public disapprobation. If
there is any fault found at all it is with his
mode of dealing with the South, and the COM
plant would be perhaps that he had been want
ing in forbearance towards the rebel element.
That is matter of opinion, but for my part the
only error 1 should be disposed to impute to
him would be an excess of lenity in that quar-.
ter. His fault was not that he kept troops
down there too long, but that he withdrew
them too soon, thereby surrendering the major.
tiles in five states at least to the domination OF
minorities. Take away your troops" is an old
demand. 1t began with jeff Davis. BE
couched it in the words, 'Let us alonew The
sentences mean the same thing precisely. II
was clamored for necessarily throughout the
rebellion and after the rebellion. Recent ex-
plorations of the constitution have led to the
discovery that the federal government has no
authority to keep its soldiers in any state OF
the Union. But then the constitution has often
been invoked to hinder something from being
done which common sense and humanity die
tated. Buchanan and Vallandigham ap
pealed to it to prevent coercion in 1861 Geo
Ticknor Curtis quoted it in remonstrance
against emancipation in 1868. Andrew John,
son coniured by it when he sought an excuse
for his betrayal of Republican principles in
1866. But in spite of these refinements of in
depreciation it must be very clear to the ordin-
airy comprehension that government that
cannot exercise its authority-by force if nee
essary-to protect the humblest of its citizens
in the free unchallenged exercise of all the
rights which the constitution has clothed them
with, is very weak and poor concern and not
worth drop of patriotic blood nor dollar of
money.
Gen. Grant acted on this principle and car.
ried it out as far and as fast perhaps as public
sentiment for the time being would permit.
The moral perceptions of nation sometimes
grow weak and need the estimulus of great
provocation to vitalize them into healthful
activity. But if the historian of the future eve,
does cast shadow of censure upon his execu.
tive career it will be in this, that he did not
WELD the whole power of the government to
rescue Mississippi and Alabama from the fate
which has since overtaken South Carolina
Louisiana and Florida, all of which have fallen
under the despotism of minority rule and shot
gun intimidations. But even then this must
be said in his vindication. He was in advance
of that cratic and mercurial thing which we
call public opinion all the while. He was
wiser than the coordinate branch of the gov
eminent without whose concurrent action he
had no power to maintain the equal rights of
the whole people. Aud his name will be for
ever associated with the great struggle for lib
erty and justice which was successful in the
field through his prowess, and will not fail in
the forum through any detection on his part.
YARMOUTH.