, 1880-02-28

line cry 10T n StfOng man - Is OIten
heard now in the ward-meettngs. Candi-
dates for Office who think they may ride into
power on Il wave Of popular passion which
they have themselves created are fond Of say
ing that the country needs and must have in
this emergency ''a strong man," How far
this demand is based on cool examination
of reasons, and how far Oil hero-worship and
proper admiration for d great figure in our
history, it is perhaps impossible to say. But
we may at least detect some errors in the
common assumption that there is but one
"strong' man in the country, and that the
safety Of the Republic would be imperiled
by the election Of anybody else to the Presi-
dency.
There are different kinds Of strong men.
A man need not have military education to
be strong. The founders Of the Republican
party. were not strong in that sense. Many
of them were preachers, and not O few
Quakers avowing and practicing the gospel
OF peace. Abraham Lincoln was a strong
man, yet his military experience was con-
fined to few weeks service in the Black
hawk War, in which scarcely a gun was
fired. Joshua R. Giddings, Charles Sumner,
Ben Wade, William Lloyd Garrison, Owen
Loyejoy, and 4 host Of others who suffered
that the slave might be free, were strong
men. The lamented Zachariah Chandler,
one Of the strongest characters this country
ever produced, had the education of dry
goods clerk, not that of a military man.
Nor is it true, again, that among the
military men now living there is but one
who can be trusted, but one who would
lead the people against band of usurpers.-
but one who would be disposed to see that
the Republican, party had its rights. Will
lam Tecunlseh Sherman is q strong man.
No doubt can be felt of his firmness, his
decision Of character, his integrity, his will
ingness. to see that justice is done
though the heavens fall. Philip II.
Sheridan is another strong man. No
body every. suspected him Of leaning
to the. side of the Rebel BriEadiers, except
with 4 sabre in his hand. The Republican,
ism Of both Of these distinguished Generals
is unquestioued While they would counte-
nance no wrong, they would preserve the
right. No Democratic President can be
seated by force or fraud while they remain
General and Lieutenant-Gener Of the Army
of the United States. One blast upon their
bugle-horns were worth million men,.
Some men are strong for one purpose and
some for the other. War is the natural field
Of action Of one class and peace of another.
The qualities which make man precminent
in one field may partially disquaify him for
usefulness in the other. According to the
fitness of man for special kind of work Is
his strength or weakness for undertaking
fhnf.1 .1rpra- Tho r,ert1 nf IL,
public like ours depends upon his strength
with the people; and the latter again depends
upon the position to which he aspires and the
circumstances i'll which the country is
placed. 4 man may be strong In the affec-
tions OF the people rs one who has conferred
fnestimable services on the Republic, and
who has been always modest, dauntless,
true; and yet weak with the people as the
unwilling candidate Of politicians for an
office which he has already twice filed. To
be strong as the spontaneous choice of the
people is one thing; to be strong by the force
of political expedients is quite another thing.
To be strong man with an army at ones
back is easy; to be strong by virtue of the
united support Of joyful people is still
easier. Without the people no man is
strong; with them, no man is weak There
is not Republican candidate for President
now before the country who. with 100000
voters at his back, and with the advice of
Republican statesmen and the willing swords
of Republican Generals 'profered in his be-
half, could fail to become President if he
should be elected
The demand for strong man too often
implies belief in weak people. Strong men
have overthrown Republics before now. We
do not believe that any strong man could or
would impair in the least degree the integ-
rity Of our institutions; but we do say it will
be sad day for Republican America if sue
Is ever compelled to confess that one man
alone IT, strong for her, and that without him
the perpetuity of her free institutions would
be 1mperlled. The power Of 100000 Of
thinking men is Of itself an enormous force;
and at least that number could be depended
upon to rally to the Republican standard if