Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-29
GRANT TO THE BOYS IN BLUE.

Kay, Adjutant-G General of the Boys In
Blue, accompanying his already famous.
order commanding that organization to
rally in support of the Republican ticket,
This order furnishes final answer to the
Democratic attempt at making 1t appear
that Grant favored the election OF Han
cock. 1t places him in an unmistakable POSI-
ton before the country, and it removes the
last lingering doubt as to his loyal adhesion
to the Republican party. 1t has been the
aim of the Democrats to persuade the peo-
pie that Grant and his immediate support
ers were sulking because of his defeat at
Chicago, and that they were wishing for
Republican defeat, in order to produce the
impression that victory sits upon their
standards only. 1t has also been intimated
chiefly by dishonest garbling of General
Grants brief remarks on the subject-that
he was more friendly to Hancock than to
Garfield, and while this game was
being played the Democratic jour
nails exhibited wonderful brand
new reverence for Grant, which
sat very comically upon them after ten
years of steady abuse Of that commander.
Now that he has taken this effectual and
business-like method of silencing the DEM
ocratic inventors of campaign facts, they
will no doubt drop the mask, and attack
him again with their old ferocity. Indeed
they have already begun to do so, and one
| journal fiercely declares that his order to
the Boys in Blue savors of demagogism.
That is terrible word, but it has been
used so loosely and freely that it has
ceased to mean much. General Grants or
der is in the same line of demagogism as
his advances upon the rebel positions used
to be, however. He knows that the men
who fought under him have faith in his
sagacity. He sees that they are in danger
of being misled by the uniform of the
leader of the Democracy. And SO he
comes to the front, and with half
dozen words points out the right
thing to do and the safe road
to follow, and the Boys in Blue
will assuredly respond to his order.
The Democrats will of course be intensely
disguised at this incident. 1t effectually
destroys all hope of apathy or discord in
the Republican ranks, and it will go far to
eliminate all the advantages they antici-
pated from Hancock's army affiliations.
The greatest soldier of the age has spoken
to his comrades in no uncertain way. He
does not say anything about Hancock's
personality, but he declares his belief that
''the best interests of the whole country"
demand the success of the ticket headed
by Garfield and Arthur. Is this demagog.
ism? The Democrats are welcome to fol-
low the example, and call on the Boys in
Gray to rally round Hancock. Whether
they do so or not, it is foregone conclu-
sion that Hancock is to have the Confed-
crate vote, and under the circumstances it
is therefore eminently fitting that their old
commander should marshal the Boys in
Blue and show them the way to victory
with honor.
The effect of General Grants order
cannot but be good. Perhaps it will be
objected TO it by Democratic precisians
that it smacks overmuch of martial law. |
But a party which has already trampled |
down republican institutions in ten States
of the Union, which has taken soldier |
for the head of its ticket, which !
counts fraud and violence among its normal |
agencies in politics, can hardly insist upon
the observance of strictly civil methods at
this time. General Grant represents in
this case the great active element of patriots
who risked their lives for the preservation
Of the Union, and whose gallant exertions
did actually save it from destruction. These
men have organized for fraternal purposes
throughout the country, and their
organization offers sure and easy
way of combining them for polit-
ical action. They are in fact a
minor political party, but with differences.
They may be called upon in furtherance of
the great work for which they originally
enrolled, but they are not office seekers.
They are the defenders of the Union by
instinct and habit, and it is meet that at
such juncture they should be called out
to take part in the latest struggle for the
safe keeping of their country. General
Grant has not only fixed his own status by
issuing this order, but he has fixed the {
status of nineteen-twentieths of the Boys !
IN Blue whom he addresses. They know
that when question of simple patriotism c
8 in issue he will never lead them wrong.
They know that if he does not put faith in i
Hancock it is because, as he has previously
the record of the party nominal
ng him is a bad one. In fine the Demo-
rats will be compelled to realize that t
he campaign is rapidly losing its 9
oseate hues, so far as they are b
oncerned, and that it is being transformed o
nto very grim and ugly-looking battle 4
ED, on which they can expect no conces- CT
ions and no advantages. Grants friends, :
ne and all, are enlisted for the war. The
Id spirit is breathing through their ranks.
here are to be no futile dalliances with Of
isguised public enemies, no pretenses of II Il
cancellation with those who are plotting s.
he reversal of the verdict of the war. The 3
Joys in Blue must rally round the old flag Il Il
nee more, and in doing 80 must realize tt
nat there is as urgent need for their votes "a "a
ow in support of good and free and honest tr
nd efficient government as there was for %
heir bayonets when the rebels held the :. a.
ED in arms in
- - tn
THE AFGHAN NEWS. Of
pa
A dispatch to Simls from Candahar tn
stifies the conclusion that the British IA
rces in that part of Afghanistan have 30