The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-10-25
Soldier or Civilian 2
nrnn tho Nam Ynrk Frnrees

From the New York Express.
The Sun has quoted our paragraph in
reply 60 its suggestion that in case the
Republicans nominate Grant. General
Hancock should be the next Democratic
candidate for the Presidency. 1t says:
These are very much our own sentiments also
We should prefer a civilian also; but the question
is Could q civilian be electedf If Mr.. Tilden
should be nominated we suppose our esteemed
feat him If possible. Other civilians have been
named but we do not believe any one OF tneM-
unless like General Palmer, he has served IN the
Union army-can be elected. Then again eieneral
Hancock's position civilian recommends MIN
even more strongly than his military reputation.
He ts opposed to large standing army. anu Is U
staneh advocate of all constitutional and legal
rights We should think the Democratic party
Brilliant prospeot of another in the near future
and If there is q good man who can be elected
( ould prefer to nominate candidate OF that KIND
This is plausible. But it seems TO US
much less wise than most OF the counsel
of the astute and talented editor OF our
luminous contemporary. 1t would be use
less to confront General Grant with SOL
der unless the soldier were his superior.
Grant monopolizes the military admiration
of the country. He has the whole field
to himself. To hear Republicans talk it
would seem that he was the only Union
general, and that he fought the war him
self, and that he paid all the bills out OF
his own pocket, He occupies a weil-nlgh
impregnable position, and cannot be dis
lodged until impartial history shall tell the
truth. 70 nominate a general IN opposl-
ton to Grant would Immediately provoke
military comparison which in the present
temper of our people would be fatal to
the success of the rival candidate.
Should the Republicans nominate Grant
for third term there will be a powerful
opposition Cd to such q departure from
the traditions and usages OF the country
and the path marked out by Washington,
Jefferson, Madison, and other patriotic
presidents; (2) TO such a manifest stride
towards perpetual presidency of conso-
lidated nation-an empire under another
name; and (3) to the military methods
and dictatoriai spirit of Grant. who is the
representative of personalism in govern
ment, and when president set himself above
congress and above the laws. There will
be general demand for statesman who
believes in and understands the constitu>
ton and the laws, and will be the constitu-
tional president of this Democratic repub-
lie. Should Grant be nominated one of
the most important issues of the campaign
will be precisely whether the American
people will have military dictator rule
over them, or have constitutional execu-
tive like Washington and Jefferson and
Lincoln. Under such circumstances the
Democracy will naturally and necessarily
choose one of the most eminent civilians in
the nation, statesman of such established
character and we'll known conservatism
that the people, of all sections and all par
ties, who believe in sthe constitution and
the republic. can heartily rally to his
support and triumphantly elect him. To
say there is no such man is to pronounce
the doom of the rannhl