National Republican., 1880-05-27
CURTIS, LAST SHOT.

GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS has taken his
last drive at General GRANT before the Chi
ca 60 convention shall have been held and
but in doling out his last song OF dissent he
should have cultivated more intimate ac-
quaintance with the facts and proprieties
involved. Some of the reasonings of Harpers
Weekly are both hypothetical and iesuitical,
and are unbec oming a candid treatment of
the case. 1t intimates substantially that if
the Chicago convention nominates General
GRANT it indorses corruption" which has
made the honest members of the republican
party hang their heads for shame, and then,
after indulging this insidious stab, it pro-
ceeds: 1--WE do not allege, nor have we al
legged, General GRANTS personal COM
"plicity in such transactions. So far
"as we know, no republican has
lever charged it. But all republicans
know that he was chiefly indignant not
"with those who comprom ised his good
name and the success of the party, but
with those who sought to punish the
offenders" This assumption is not justi-
fl ed by the facts, and hence becomes n bit
ter calumny. No one can forget when the
whisky frauds were discovered how
promptly President GRANT sent forth the
laconic and thrilling mandate-"Let no
guilty man escape" Does this look as if
President GRANT was indignant with those
who sought TO punish the offenders :?
Most certainly not and to make such an
assertion now, to create fresh prejudice
against him, is simply resort to the most
shamel ess triling with truth and personal
reputation, of which the editor of publica-
ton which claims to be a" journal of civili-
zation" should be heartily ashamed,
Another point attempted to be made by
tho Harper's Weekly against General GRANT
is that he has not publicly sought the presi-
dency and has not said frankly and pub
"licly that he had no desire for it," The
Weekiy seems to forget that he has been
absent from the country during all the early
part of the primary canvass for the presi-
dency, and had no right, if he had the dis
position, to deny the use of his name in that
connection. That he has not sought the
presidency is evident-and that he has not
rushed insauely before the publicto tell his
countrymen that he rejected their partial
ity before it had fully developed or even
after it had taken shape, is equally true.
He has been honored at home and
abroad as no other living man has been.
He has shared the confidence, respect and
partiality of his countrymen in large do
gree, simply for the reason that he has de-
served il. Twice has he been honOred with
the presidency without his seeking Aud
now, when the public sentiment points to
him again he neither seeks nor rejects the
parliality indicated and this is now alleged
against him as an oflense and reason why
he should not be again honored This class
of reasoning is too strongly charged with
prejudice, spite and Inconsistency to
weigh, except where kindred clements
control aud invite TO hostility. The
course of General GRANT throughout
this controversy has been clothed with
the noblest manhood Ho has not
tampered with the question in any degree.
He has left his felow-citizens to follow the
dictates of their own judgment in electing
candidate, ready to serve or follow as the
casualties of the occasion might point TO
duty. He has been the target of the most
bitter and hateful assaults, lie has quietly