The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-04-17
The Next Presidency.

>iol vi puDllc OpluloH from jill over Iuc
as to the next candidates for the
Presidency,has caused considerable uneasi-
nese among our Democratic contemporaries.
1t is apparent, from the impartial tone of
the correspondence, and the evident inten-
ton to give the prevailing sentiment on the
subject without prejudice, and convey
truthful impression, that Gen. Grant is the
favorite with Republicans, and Mr.. Tilden
with the Democrats. While the Virginia
press concede the correctness OF the first,
it is not in accordance with the fitness of
things for them to tamely submit to the sec
ond conclusion. Damning Mr.. Tilden, there
fore, with faint praise, they proceed to vent
their wrath upon Gen. Grant, and picture
him as an ambitious tyrant, planning and
scheming to seize the control of govern
ment, and with the hard hand of despotism
wrest from the people their liberties.
There is no living American who is more
deeply imbued with devotion to Republican
Institutions, or who has dared more and
done more for their perpetuation, than Gen.
Grant. There is no living statesman whose
sympathies are more in consonance with
popular aspirations and aims or whose con-
ception of the true dignity of American
citizenship is broader and more catholic.
There sno act of his civil and political his
tory that has not been controlled by high
sense of representative duty, and designed
to vindicate the rights of the people as
guaranteed by the laws. He never recon-
mended the enactment OF law nor for
mulated a policy that proposed to abridge
popular rights or impair the source of Re-
publican Government, but at all times and
under all circumstances, while in official po-
sition, he esteemed no duty higher or more
sacred than to enforce the laws as they
stood upon the statute book. He has never
expressed sentiment, or given form to a
thought that was not in strict accord with
the cardinal and statute laws of his coun-
try, and there is not one Of his bitterest re-
vilers who would so expose his ignorance
as to allege that he had, and appeal to the
record for verification. Partizan schemers
may, to infame prejudices and excite feel
ing, charge him with being ruled by bad
ambition and secretly cherishing a purpose
to usurp authority, i'll defiance of the laws
and to the detriment of the people, but
they cannot point to any fact or act to JUS
tify it. He surrendered the chief command
of the army to obey the will of the people,
in accepting the Presidency. Twice was he
chosen by his party, with scarcely 8 dis
senting voice, to bear their standard, and
twice was he elected to the high office for
which he had been nominated. He has
never entered into any schemes or plots to
promote his civil or political interests. The
people have sought and commanded his
and he has obeyed. He passed
from the head of the military arm of the
government to that Of the civil department,
in obedience to and in conformity with the
law. He gave up the command of the
trained soldiery, where he was respected
and obeyed, to assume the duties of civil ru-
Ter, because his country called him. Yet
his political enemies indulge the widest fan
cies as to his imperial aspirations, in the
face of the fact that he abandoned the posi-
ton most favorable to dynastic purposes
had they existed.
These partizan zealots place 4 poor esti-
mate upon the character of the American
people, if they think they can delude them
by such fustian and nonsense. Even were
Gen. Grant the ambitious tyrant he is pic
tured by his political assailants, his common
sense would teach him that people edu-
Gated to liberty from their cradles, inspired
with love for freedom by example, tradi-
ton, experience and association would rise
in their might and crush out the ineipient
indications of encroachment on that iber-
ty. Every American citizen is a prince,
jealous of his rights and devoted to his free
dom. No sceptered hand can ever lay vio-'
lence upon his heaven-born immunities, and
for the Democratic press to seek to fright
the souls'' of the people by drawing pic
ture OF Gen. Grant, converted into an ar
mored tyrant, is about as perfect piece
Of lunacy as ever sprung from the concep-
ton of mailman. If Gen. Grant should
be called by his party to represent them in
1880, We have no doubt he will obey that
call, as it would be inconsistent with his
American teachings to interpose his own
as an excuse for not serving
his countrymen.
No one, however, can foretell the devel-
- +l,o, {I1 ION
Grants popularity will grow, if that be
possible, but circumstances may not con-
spire to demand his nomination. Be this as
it may, whether as the candidate of a great
party for the highest position in the gov
or as private citizen, enjoying
the confidence Of his countrymen in retire
ment, he will stand out on the page of his
tory as the greatest OF living Americans, EN-
bodying in his character the highest type of
soldier and citizen.
1t is not, however, so much hatred to
Gen. Grant personally that inspires the as
sumed fears of the Democrats, as the GER
tainty that his nomination by the Repubi-
cans will be followed by his election. 1t is
that which tantalizes them. 1t is the pros
pective loss of power, SO greedily sought by
them, that arouses their indignation, and
Stimulates an unusual devotion to Repub-
lean institutions. They know, too, that
MS election means the enforcement OF the
avs, the protection of the rights OF citl-
zenship, and the vindication of American
Institutions, and that with these fully as
;ured, the Democratic party will never, in
his generation, pass to the control OF the
government.
The knowledge, too, that the most prom
nent man for the Democratic nomination,
presents in his claims such q bold contrast
With the Republican favorite is another source
If indignation. Gen. Grants popularity
srows out of services rendered his country.
Mr.. Tilden's pretensions result from no
IDENTIFY of his with any great national good
II service, but from his assuteness as pol
tician, his force as party organizer, and
Ions Of