The New York herald., 1879-11-06
General Grant in tine south.

posed journey through the Southern States
might we'll be considered as one OF the
shrewdest pieces of political strategy and
generalship on record.
All the great lights of the republican
party have spent the last year, in Congress
and on the stump, in hazing the South.
Mr.. Conkling, Mr.. Blaine, Secretary Sher-
man, General Garfield, Mr. Foster every
one of them has made the republican can
vass mainly, if not altogether, campaign
against the South. The republican Presl-
Dental aspirants have We'd with each othef
in abuse of the South, and have deliberately
sunk all issues, local and general, In order
to array the North solidly against the
South for next year. And now that they
have all fully and irretrievably committed
themselves, row that every man-Jack OF
them has done all that lay in him to arouse
the opposition Of the entire intelligence,
respectability, property and political inau-
ence of the South against himself. here comes
General Grant and, entirely uncommitted
| to their vagaries, independent of their con-
trol-here he comes, the author of the much
abused Hayes Southern policy, and pro-
poses to make tour of the Southern
States.
We are not of those who think General
Grant designing man. The HERALD has
strenuously opposed the so-called Grant
movement, but it has always done the GEN
eral the justice to declare that he had no
part or lot in this movement; and it is now
very well known that in this it judged him
rightly. With the celebrated ''Grant boom"
the General has nothing TO do. We speak
advisedly in asserting that it has not even
his sympathy, nor that of any true friend Of
his. But we wish to point out to the ambiti-
Gus republican aspirants for the Presidency
that their foolish and perversely sectional
course has left the door open for their easy
demolition by General Grant.
Southern men have often urged that
prominent Northern republicans shall visit
their section and ascertain for themselves
it's condition; but SO far not single leading
republican has done this evidently fair and
necessary act. Gentlemen harangue the
public about the South year after year, in
and out of Congress-; they make policies
for their party, sectional policies, arraying
the sections against each other to the
danger of the public peace, and yet abso-
lutely refuse to 60 down and see for them
selves what is the condition of the region
they make the sport Of their politics. They
refuse even to take any part in the political
canvass in those States and abandon
their own party down there in the
most brazen manner They complain of
''solid South" but they create and per-
petuate that which they complain Of
What do they think Of General Grant being
the first republican to see the South for
himself? Laying aside all personal con-
siderations, must they not blush for their
own neglect Of duty when they see the
General, just returned from long journey,
at once going to look at the section they
have SO shamefully avoided, to visit and
talk with its people and inform himself Of
the true condition of the Southern States :?
| We have no doubt he will receive hearty
and general welcome on his journey. He
will converse with the best men OF both
parties and Of both races. He is too clear
headed to be deceived by either side. Sup
pose he should conclude that the republi-
can leaders have blundered in the last three
years about the South that the policy of
Messrs. Blaine, Conkling and Sherman is
all wrong; that this policy has created the
evil which is its theme and that it threatens
even graver dangers to the country than mere
sectional animosity? We imagine that if
such were his conclusions General Grant
would not conceal them from the public,
any more than he concealed his opinions
of the South in 1865. But what would be
the CONSERVATION, the modification of the
republican chiefs if they should see Gen.
eral Grant exposing their selfish and unpa-
triotic blunders, and showing the North
that the policy they have imposed on the
| republican party is all wrong?
We do not favor the denomination Of
General Grant, and we do not think it a
probable event except in one contingency.
As Northern candidate, standing upon
the sectional platform which has been pre-
pairing this year by Messrs. Blaine, Conk-
ling and Sherman, we should regard him
as u weak candidate, liable to be defeated
by almost any respectable democratic
opponent. The sense and sentiment
of the country would be shocked
at his denomination on such issues,
and his temperance on the politi-
cal stage in that connection would be, as
his true friends see, and as he, we do not
doubt, himself sees, discreditable and
probably disastrous. But as the candi-
date of the respectable and intelligent
part of the South; demanded by q
large body Of the wealth and intelligence
of the Southern States, in opposition to
the present mischievous and purblind
republican policy, he would be undeniably
q formidable man.
There is much evidence showing that this
is not improbable event. In many parts