Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-09-03
yyafrhnar d yonrral.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8. 1879.
General Grant and the Presidency.

90 MUCH mas Deen Shlu vi tne P'op""'O w"
didacy of General Grant for the next presi-
dency that any light that can be thrown upon
the subject will be welcomed on all hands
Both General Grant and his most intimate
friends have virtually declared that he
would be under no circumstances candi-
date for third term. Yet 1t is useless to
deny that in the South and West there is
strong feeling that he is the best man for the
position, and vigorous movement will be
made to secure his nomination.
The following extracts from letter from
our Washington correspondent we think
very accurately describes the feeling of a
majority OF the people in that section ;
Washington is the head-center of the
Grant movement. lie is the unanimous
choice, we might say, of the entire popula-
ton, Republicans and Democrats alike. OF
course we must except few of the most
radical Southerners, state rights men and
other believers of the old secessionist stripe
who are occasionally found hereabout, and
who, like the conventional Bourbon, never
learn anything and never forget anything.
But Grant, as we said before, is the name
above all others that awakens the enthusi-
asm of the boys the old men, the capital
list, the politician and the government clerk.
If you ask the reason why the 'boys will
tell you because there never were seen such
good times as during his administration
the capitalist will say, because he did so
much for Washington ; the politician is
anxious for his return and renewal of the
busy times which have all gone by since
Hayes came in, and the government clerk
knows that he had less work and better pay
under Grant than he does now. III these
are not cogent reasons for a change, Wash
ington is mistaken. If you refer TO the
scandals of the Grant regime, the whiskey
ring, the safe burglary, the Belknap bride,
etc., you are met with argument as to what
Grant will do when he is reelected, which is
so earnest and so frequently heard here that
it is worthy of some attention at this time
awe were talking with prominent poll
tician of this city few days since on this
subject, and as his experience in Washing
ton runs back many years, while his knowl-
edge of the men who have figured in public
life at the national capital during the last
twenty years is both extensive and reliable,
the information derived from him is of great
value. He is no exception to the rule of
Washington men, but is thoroughly Grant
Like most of the other Grant men, too,
he believes nobody else can be elected
This is the most annoying part of the argu-
ment advanced by this class, and the only
one which has not some little reason in it,
Well, he believes that Grant will carry the
storm; that is, that he will be nominated
by reclamation and no one else will be
heard of. This seems to be, by the way,
the general belief here. Then when he is
elected as he is certain to be, he will call
about him such corps of advisers that his
will be The administration in the history of
the country. We are told, with extreme
JUNCTION and in a manner that shows that he
who says it believes in it, that Grant long
ago became disguised with his follow
ers,' with Shepard, and Babcock, and Bel
KNAPP, and Clapp, and will have nothing
more to do with them or theirs. He will
resign his right to that reputation which he
has heretofore achieved for standing by his
friends, and consider nothing else but the
claims of his country. In support of this
assertion we are pointed to the situation of
the National Republican of this city. This
paper was bought out about two years since
by a company, who chose as directors
Boss F" Shepard, General Babcock, ex-Pub-
lie Printer Clapp and Lewis Clephane 1t
has all along been an ardent Grant organ of
the most sycophantic type. There has Of
late been change of base in the manage
ment Shepard, Babcock and Clephane
have stepped out and left Clapp in sole con-
troll. He has been obliged to give up the
elegant office built for it during the Grant
administration, and taken up his quarters
next door in a two-story frame building,
which resembles livery stable more than a
newspaper office. He has also retrenched
his expenses by cutting down his printers
wages and in various other ways. In fact,
the rumor is now current that the Repub-
lican is on its last legs And why this
change? Simply because Shepard, Babcock
& Co. have begun to realize the situation.
They know their fate. Clapp still clings to
the wreck, and still shouts for Grant, with
the hope of being rewarded when Grant
makes up his jewels. 1t is said, however,
that he is pretty certain to be disappointed.
"There is no doubt that Grant has had
abundant reason TO throw off the yoke that
bound him while he was president, and
choose wiser and better course. If the
country was as well satisfied of his inten-
ton to do it as is our informant, one of the
best arguments against his denomination
would be overthrown. He has the backbone
to do all this if he will This has been de-
monstrated on many an occasion. There
are plenty of good men and true among
his friends whom he can call around him,
should he again assume the executive chair,
who would make his administration one OF
the best in the nations history. The grow
ing feeling of danger from the state-rights
doctrine could be in that way easily averted
and the country would again be at peace
with itself and all the world"
There is no question that the ultra course
now pursued by the Southerners and the &C
ton of the last congress has determined q
great many thinking people throughout the
North in the idea that we should have 8
strong government, and one which will moi
and cannot be coerced or bulldozed. The
record of General Grant is perfectly clear OF
this point, and to this sole fact we attribute
the general favor with which his name is re
ceived among the people.
YELLOW FEvER.-The yellow fever con
tinues TO devastate the South-not onl,
claiming fresh victims daily in unfortunate
Memphis, but spreading to neighbour,
places. Several of the benevolent societie
of Memphis are now making their frs
appeals to their brethren throuphout IN