The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-06-15
The Truth About Grant.

The reception that European snobs and
fools may extend to Grant is not n matter
about which Americans possessed of a thin-
bleful of brains need care bnubee, and it is
only when ilunkey journalism on this side
Of the water attempts to make it appear that
the recipient of aristocratc and royal favor
merits the distinction, and that it gives the
titled fools who bestow it warmer place in
the regards of Americans, that the subject is
entitled to any consideration whatever The
send OIL that Grant received at Philadel-
phia was in no sense tribute of respect to
him rs a man, a soldier, or rs ex-President.
The affair was deliberately gotten up by the
Don Camerons of Pennsylvania as an insult
to Hayes. 1t was intended to say, ave pre-
fer Grant, the despot, the sot the bribe;ak-
er, the associate of thieves and the debauch-
&c of the Government, to a Presidential
fraud who accepted power from crime.stain-
ed hands and had not the'courage to stand by
Grants bayonet policy" The ovation to
Grant had this significance and none other.
The papers that were the most bitter in their
hostility to Nant-who charged him with
the design Of making himself dictator, with
all the collateral crimes necessary to such
coup d etat-are now overilowing with gush
about his reception by the snobs and funk
les of England. All of this is unfortunate
for Grant, however much he may desire to
be regarded as an ''ex-sovereign :" for it
makes it necessary for reputable journals to
go back little in the history of Grant and
show him up in his true light.
No one is disposed to disparage Grants
military record, though it is too early to
write it. 1t may grow dim or brilliant in
the light of advancing years, matter about
which there may be diversity of opinions
| but one thing is certain-his administration
as President is black with the record of
crimes. 1t was conspicuously an era of fraud, +,
peculation, stealing outright, of rottenness
everywhere, and with everything with which
the Government was directly or remotely
connected. 1t was an era of nepotism, of
ignorance, of imbecility, and of bribe- taking.
1t was an era of utter disregard of constitu-
tions, of law, and of the rights OF the people.
1t was an era of military despotism, in which
the crime. begrimed miscreants were main
tanned in power by bayonets.
1t is quite likely that full knowledge of
these things will give Grant caste in the ar
istocratic circles of Europe, and that the
spawns of rotten dynasties may fawn about
man whose native instincts, strengthened
by close proximity to slaughter houses and
the insuflerabe stencil of raw hides, quail
fed him for work which earned the
disgust and loathing of the decent part oi
the Radical party, thousands and tens OF
thousands of whom abandoned him, and for
which the whole country condemned him.
In addition to this we have the declara-
tion from the highest authority that it was
expired that he escaped impeachment. 1t
were better to let such men get into obscuri-
ty as soon as possible, or at least cease para
ding them before the public as objects OF
special regard This; however, the New
York Tribune, an organ of funkeyism, is moi
disposed to do, and among other foolish
things in noticing Grants reception in Eng
land, tsays:
The Judgment of strangers resembles
somewhat the judgment of posterity. As he
is now regarded in European countries, So
doubtless, he will stand in history, when the
bitterness and the littleness of partisan
strife have passed away, and his real services
to his country and his real character ar,
better understood.
1t matters precious little what the judg
ment of strangers may be, or for that mat
ter what may be the verdict of posterty
The living present knows that Grant con
sorted with thieves; that he was the defend
er and supporter of conspirators that hi
girdled the Louisiana Returning Board
scoundrels with bayonets, while the perur'
ed crew was plotting frauds with which t.
reverse the will of the American people
The Atlantic ocean, were its waters soapsuds
could not in q thousand centuries wash on
the stains from Grants record. His friend
should let him rest and rust.
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