, 1877-03-05

lacked the education, the knowledge, th
courage, and the civilization requisite for th
exercise Of the rights 6nd privileges of free
men. We're they to be remanded prac
tically to the bondage from which they ha'
been emancipated, OF were they, unqualifet
and ignorant as they were, to be endowed
with all the privileges of freemen, and thu
made a permanent protection against nn1
possible renewal of rebellion On this sub
ject there was wide divergence of opinion
The Executive took one side and Congress
the other; and the whole system of recon.
struction measures WAS enacted in spite o1
and against the yetoes of President JOHN
SON. There was more hope than faith in the
success Of those measures. That success was
| dependent on the promptitude and en-
ergy of the Executive in their en-
forcement, and, seeking for q Presi-
dent who united public confidence with
the courago and frmness Of purpose to
enforce these laws, Gen. GRANT stood con-
spicuously before the country. Against his
wishes, against his tastes, habits, and incIi-
nations, the Presidency was forced upon him
in 1860.
We suppose that, of all the men called to
that Office sinca 1889, there has been no one
who was less qualified by education, mode Of
thought. reading, information, or experience
in all that pertains to the civil government,
laws, and history Of the country. Ho had,
during his previous life, voted but once, and
then without any acquaintance with the
political questions at issue. This want Of
political knowledge was shown in the selec-
ton of his first Cabinet. He seemed to re-
gard the Cabinet Offices not us places of high
responsibility, sharing in the exercise Of Ex-
places of distinction at his disposal, to be
given to personal friends as evidence of his
friendship and regard. He also seemed to
regard the public service generally as 3 sort
Of attachment to his own Office "a patronage
pertaining to him personally, and therefore
he incurred much reproach and evoked
loud complaint that lie had chosen
his personal friends without reference to
their fitness for his Cabinet, and had dis
trlbuted those claiming kindred all through
the civil service. His selections for office
were sucl, as he might make for his personal
staff in the army during period OF peace.
His Cabinet was constant weakness of the
Administration The combination Was weak
and the men were weak. The Secretary of
the Treasury was the weakest. and at the |
same time the yainest and most conceited,
man that ever held that Office. The first At |
torney-General resigning, he was succeeded |
BY several who were wholly untitled for the |
place. A vacancy occurring in the Interior |
that was filled by something
worse than weakness. The Navy Depart
nent can hardly be said to have been sup
olied with Cabinet officer from tho beginning
o the end. When Gen. RAwL1Ns died, the
War Department was conferred as present,
md the country is familiar with the result
t is unnecessary to detail farther, unless it
Ne to except Secretary Fish from the general
'erdict of weakness. AL this was the result,
lot Of any want Of general intelligence or |.
rant Of patriotism on the part of Presi-
lent GRANT, but WIS due to his total /
ne.perience in civil affairs. At
ater period, this theory Of the personal
Of the President was shown in
he unfortunate breach with Senator Sum
ER, who had undertaken to oppose and de-
eat the scheme for the annexation of San
domingo. The President resented this as q
ersonal atfront, and treated the Senator &C.
ordingly. The instincts of the President
'ere just. He readily understood the pro-
riety Of reform in the Civil Service, and
,ede an earnest effort to hnvo the co-opera-
on Of Congress; but the machine politicians
pposed it, and after brief struggle they
arved the proposed reform out Of exist
ice. Another illustration Of the Presi-
snt's notions Of his personal rights was to
'nsider it his duty to stand immovably in
efense of the personal friends who held
ice. Against these he tolerated no criti-
SIN, choosing to regard oil imputations upon
lem as aimed at himself; hence it was that
10 men like SHEPHERD at Washington and
hers elsewhere were able to maintain =
against the universal sentiment
the country, they artfully convincing him i.
at be was the real object sought by all &C.
tsatlons against them.
It was not strange, therefore, that the
resident had alienated large proportion Of =
g people from the support Of his Admin =
ration before the first term had expired.
le practical exercise of the Executive j..
notions after the manner of personal .
had excited the alarm of many :.
the warmest and most influential mem =
rs of the Republican party, and this feel -
took the shape of organized opposition N
1872, and only failed in defeating his re- -
'ction because Of the disintegration of -
ut opposition following the nomination - -
Mr. GREELEY.
President GRANT, while lacking when n,
cted all knowledge and experience of -,
II affairs, as he in his last message SO ~
nkly admitted and regretted, took with 4,
n into the Office patriotism beyond all fo
estion, and desire and a purpose to be -,
It aud right in all respects. Tbs execu- ~,
4 Of the Reconstruction laws, supple he
nted as they were by the extension of an
drage to the enfranchised blacks, was "a
st embarrassing and perplexing duty, In II
successful performance of that duty ho II
to employ agencies and means which did N
always commend themselves to his judo- al
ut. The violence of the White-Line POD n,
lion, however, left him but little choice, IN
the use of troops became a necessity to II,
vent war Of races, with all its barbara raj
47I III VYYa-