Towanda daily review. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1879-1921, 1880-02-24
General Giant and Expediency.

in the last number of "ArOund the World
with General Grant," by John Russell
Young. 1t seems surprising that there
should be any serious objection among in
teligent people, to the nomination Of a
man who has beed thoroughly tried and
has shown the most unusual honesty of
purpose, patriotism, tirmness and sense.
1t looks as if the friends of other candi-
dates were using the "Third Term cry as
a mere pretext, for lack of any substantial
objection 1t has no force, especially
where four years intervene between each
Presidential term. There is much more
point to an objection to t,C0 SuCceSsive terms
which Washington approFed, than to a
thod term now, to General Grant.
The Interview referred to is as follows ::
81 hear great deal in politics about
expediency,' said the General one day.
"The only time eyerdeliberately resolved
to do an expedient thing for party reasons,
against my own Judgement, was on the
occasion of the expansion or imitation bill.
anything as to sign that bill, never. 1t
was represented to me that veto would
destroy the Republican party in the West; !;
that the West and South would combine
and take the country, and agree upon some
worse plan of finance; some plan that
would mean population Morgan, Logan
and other men, friends whom respected,
were eloquent. in presenting this view.
thought at last would try and save the
party, and at the same time the credit of
the Nution from the evils of the bill. re-
my own reasoning and some of the argu-
ments that had bean given me, to show
that the bill, as passed, did not mean eX-
panSion or imitation, and that it need not
effect the country'S credit. The message
was intended to sooth the East, and salts
fy the foreign holders Of the bonds. |
wrote the message with great care, and
put in every argument | could call up to
show that the bill was harmless and
would not accomplish what it's friends ex-
peCtcd from it.
Well, when | finished my wonderful
message, which was to do so much good
to the party and country, l had read it
over, and said to my self: "What isthe
good Of all this? You do not believe it,
You know it is mot true" Throwing it
aside, did what believed to be right
veto the bill! could not, said the Gener-
al, smiling, "Stand my own arguments
While | was in this mood-and it was an
anxious time with me, so anxious that |
couldn't, sleep at night, with me n most
unusual circumStance-the ten days were
or veto bill. On the ninth day | re-
solved infeXibly to veto the bill and let
the storm come. | gave. orders that Il
would see no one, and went into the Ii
braiy to write my message. Senator Ed
mundS came to the White House and said
he only wanted to say one word. He
came in looking very grave and anxious
He said he wanted to speak of the infla-
tion bfll, to inplore me not to sign it. |
told him was. Just writing message
vetoing it. He rose happy man and
said that was all he wanted to say, and
left When the Cabinet met, my message
was written. did not intend asking the
advice of the Cabinet, as | knew ma
jority would oppose the veto. neve al
lowed the Cabinet to interfere when my
mind was made up, and on this question it