Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-12-15
GRANT AND IMAGINATION.

We have refrained from edifylng
our readers with the splendid doings
of Gen. Grant in Europe. Our
columns have not blazed with royal
dinner parties and ambassadorial
receptions, nor have we chroni-
cled the number of cities which
have admitted the eX-President to
the municipal freedom of their cor
poratiOns, nor described the golden
or silver Baskets in which these
precious documents have been en-
shrined. We have not even con-
descended to scarify the fools and
snobs who think that these pompos-
tiles in any way qualify the General
for becoming a Republican candi-
date for the Presidency; but we have
lighted upon one recognition of his
merits which we deem worthy of
record and even comment in this
journal.
In the French Chamber of Depu-
ties, the Republican majority was
contending for a commission of en-
quiry into the shameless interposi-
ton of executive power in the
late elections for the purpose of
influencing them in favor of the
administration candidates. The Duo
de Broglie undertook TO defend
the administration and in doing so
made the following recognition OF
Gen. Grants operations in similar
case. Here are his words:
We are charged with making the Presi-
| dent act a part in the elections contrary 10
the Constitution. now II there Is one i1, lTf1
| ment it is that of a Chief OF the state VINO Is
| IRRESPONSIBLE and inviOlable. On the con-
| trary he is in all Republics the electeu ana
| ranTesentatiye of party. We have at this
| moment within thewalls OF Paris the lllusIIl,
| Gus General Grant, who has never cohsiueIet I
| himself to be anything else IMAM tne chlel VI
| the great party which abolished slavery.
We have no admiration either for
the Due de Broglie's character or
his political principles, but we must
saw that he has hit upon singularly
apt parallel to the policy of his own
President. Grant and Mcmahon,
the parallel fits in all points. Both
were elected by nations possessing
Republican form of Government,
both apprehended an adverse decis-
ion against their policy given by the
peoples voice at the recent elections,
both exerted the resources entrusted
to them for the benefit of the whole
nation, its resources in both men
and money to contest the will OF the
people, and both were met by the
hostile vote they cOntended against
in spite of the unconstitutional
measures used to secure an opposite
decision. Grant succeeded in setting
the popular verdict aside and men
aced the capitol with artillery tc
overawe resistance to his arbitrary
measures. Mcmahon is eXertlne
every device and every force in his
power to effect the same purpose, ano
, Fourtou and De Broglie are defend
. ing his iniquities by precisely the
, arguments used by Chandler and
Sherman in defense of Grant; Dotr
= are vindicated in their avOWed de
termination Of being not President
of two great nations, but each the
President of the "party which L re
present"
, The parallel is complete, and NJ
= de Broglie has our thanks for point
/ ing it out. He failed to show tina
5 in carryingo out this policy McMahol
r became a perjured traitor, though
f Gambetta afterwards brought 1
home to him, but if he had gone
: even those lengths the parable
e would not have failed.