Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-17
Gen. Grant and the Presidency,

NeAf -NNAtHA NAh AANlAlNsl
WASHINGTON, April 13.-The re-
port published on the authority of a
travelling companion of General Grant
that the general says he will not be q
candidate for the Presidency under
any circumstances, and that he does
not want to re-enter public life, and
will decline nomination to any pub
lic office when the time comes natu-
rally attracts a good deal of attention
here. 1t does not seem TO surprise
the real friends of the general, who
have always been reluctant to see him
dragged once more into the field of
politics and believe that a due regard
for his happiness requires that he
shall be permitted to live beyond aud
above the turmoil Of partisan politics.
They believe also that he will be
much greater and more effective
force for good in the country
during the remainder of his
life ii he should be permitted to re-
main the foremost private citizen in
the country. man with whom all
administrations would advise in emer-
gencles, and who in that position
would receive for the first time the
greatest reward for his many laborious
and brilliant services to the country
in the affection and confidence of all
his countrymen, regardless of party or
section. One of the most intimate of
General Grants friends in Washing
ton said to your correspondent a few
days ago that the general had never,
IN his letters to him, indicated the
slightest desire to return TO political
life, and that he had the best reason
to believe that General Grant does
not desire another tern of the Presi
dency.
The very general expression of good
will toward him all over the country.
and the certailyy that if he were to
express a desire for the nomination he
could at once have it, are probably
more pleasing to General Grant and
more satisfactory to him than would
be an actual nomination, with all
which that would bring of a partisan
contest in which he would see the
country divided about himself. Nor
Is it improbable that when he returns
he will see that while the confidence
Of the peoplein him is overwhelmingly
great and full, the attempt to force
him once more into the political arena
is made by designing politicians for
their own ulterior purposes. They
would sacrifice him for their own ends
It Is a curious fact, creditable alike to
General Grant and to the men CON
cerned, that nOta few Southern Dem
ocrats here always speak very highly
Of the general, and express their en-
tire confidence in his upright inten-
tions and their regard for his
course toward the South in the
last days of his administration.
They say that they think he was
often misled, but that he always
meant honestly and fairly toward
their States, and that it was his mis-
fortune that in the Presidential Office
he was unable to come into such gem
eral ana close contact with the people
and States at distance as would have
enabled him, with his clear vision and
unfaltering common sense, to see what
in the last days of his administration
he showed he did see that wrong had
been done there. These men say that
it is General Grant who largely de-
serves the credit of Mr.. Hayes South
ern policy, because he began it in the
last months Of his term, and there is
reason to believe that if the general
were once more President he would
find himself supported by a large
number of the most prominent South.
ern men, while, if he should refuse to
be the candidate hereafter of any
political party, it is certain that he
would at once rally around him the
best men of the South, as of all other
sections, and would WELD an influence
for good in all parts of the country
which would make him as private
citizen greater than any man since
Washington.