The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-09-18
NO. %.
a. Malicious Attack.

A Malicious Attack. -
1t is so entirely foreign to the general
character OF the editorial articles of the
richmond State, to indulge in such defama-
atory ana malicious assaults upon public
men as that contained in the leading article
OF Saturday last, that we, in charity. con-
ciude, the editors were out of the CITY. We
nave not, in many years, read a more ma
llclous and utterly unfounded article from
any source, and our readers will agree with
us, more unjust and unkind criticism than
is found in the following sentences
IT is pretty generally thought that Grants
declaration IN China to the effect that he
Goes not desire to be candidate for the
presidency, and will not be if he can avoid
1t, settles the matter so far as he is con-
cerned. The General is no doubt honest in
his expression OF distaste for political life.
lie was never intended for a Statesman. or
Tor the society of men of mind. The nosi-
ton that suits him best is private station
somewhere IN the backwoods not very dis
tant from corner grocery. Honors do not
SET gracefully upon one the flower of whose
me mas oeen spent in vagrant ways, and
who feels himself elevated above his de-
serts and far beyond his capacity for enjoy .
ment,by accident. Give him his bottle and
MS boon companions, and free him from all
the cares OF life, by means of a good pen
sion, and Grant will forego all honors that
are accompanied by responsibilities and
duties. He doesn't want to be President.
because none know so well as he does his i
utter unfitness of the position What great
man ever before complained of the labors,
annoyances, and responsibilities of place
i which h nj,
and command? Certainly, history gives US
no other instance of it, save in the case of
some OF Shakespeare's unfortunate kings,
VINO were about as unfit for their place as
Grant, Great military heroes have always
been ambitious to die with harness on their
back; but Grant wants aquiet and peaceful
decline, though he has only just reached
middle age. What would Alexander or
Caesar, or Napoleon, have been thought of
mad they declared themselves tired of SER
wee, and sought retirement at his age, had
the two first lived so long, or the latter been
able to burst his bonds at st. Helena? But
t1rant Is only king of shreds and patches;
he is not the real stuff of which heroes are
made. He tires in the fight, grows lazy,
and would withdraw before it is half over.
man OF weak character and INDECENT dis
position, he wants rest, because he wishes
to pass it in dissipation and debauchery,
Tree from the restraints and surveillance to
which an official life would subject him.
Public honors and public duties are alike
dlstasteful to him, because he was not born
TO tnem, and in the atmosphere of great
ness IS as little at home as fish out of
water''.
When we remember Gen. Grants con-
duct at Appomattox, when in command of
victorious army his statesmanlike and
kind treatment of Virginia in 1S69-70,
when the people Of the State were making
an effort to get control of their own af-
fairs; and the special praise that was on
the lips of the successful party, now the
Conservative party, in that contest, because
of the generous course of President Grant,
it is almost incredible that one of that very
number should now write such SANDER
GUS paragraph as we have quoted.
Gen. Grant. to-day, is recognized by the
people of all the governments of Europe,
and by the bulk of the intelligence and
wealth of America, as the foremost citizen
OF this country. He stands out in especial
prominence, as the greatest soldier of his
time. His craftsmanship was signally il
Illustrated in guiding the government through
the trying period of reconstruction, when
North and South business was in almost
chaos, until the country gradually APP
preached to healthy condition, the fruits
OF which are now being realized in the sta
bility OF all values and the security of all
interests. With the entire old world pay
ing homage to his worth as citizen and a
soldier, and his own cormtrymen willing to
confer upon him an honor never before
awarded to any other citizen-that of thrice
calling him to the Executive chair of the ma
tion-it comes with a bad grace for such
scribbler to assault his public and private
character in such language as the State in
dulges. We have not the least doubt but
that Gen. Grant expresses his sincere SEN
timents when he says he'does not want to be
President again-that he has been honored
more than he deserves as much as
any other American has ever been, in be-
ing chosen for two terms to the Presidency.
Yet the very party that has for years ac-e
cused him of inordinate ambition and
purpose to usurp monarchial powers, now
assert that the desire to avoid the cares of
high office is an evidence of his weakness,
and that nothing is more in consonance with
his capacities than a life of sluggish retira-
cy. If he is singular in this, as the State
assumes he is, it is the greater compliment
that he deems it proper to decline the great
est honor his country can confer, and in
stead of attributing it to weakness, COM
mon charity should assign it to becom.
ing modesty that disclaims merits superior
to the great men who have gone before
him. a' j.
But nothing Gen. Grant may or can do
will please the malignants OF the Democratic
party. Before he made the declaration that
he did not want the Presidency for a third
term, and preferred the seclusion and quiet
OF the life Of private citizen, his political
opponents were savage in his denunciation
because they knew he was contemplating
desperate scheme to change the character
OF our government and convert it into a
monarchy. Since his expressed desire to
avoid the responsibilities of the Presidency
again, the same writers charge that it is ev
idence of sluggish, coarse mind, fond of
ever before complained of the labors, an
noyances and responsibilities of place
which gave him almost supreme power and
command" While this shows stolid igno-
rance of what the great men Of America
have said and thought about official posi-
tions, it nevertheless shows the malignant
hate cultivated by a few for Gen. Grant. The
whole country, but short time ago, was
excited, through the nervous apprehensions 1
of Democratic writers, because, as they stat
ed, Gen. Grant intended to play the roles
Caesar. Now our Richmond contemporary
assumes that because he does not do what
they charged was his purpose and does pre-
cisely what they then said he ought to- do,
they accuse him Of being sluggard, a dolt
and debauchee. 3s. 81 ,sis