The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-04-22
miscellaneous.
GRANT UNFIT FOR PRESIDENT.

GRANT UNFIT FOR PhESlDEN u
The following article from the Spring
field Mass Republican, is mild speci'
men of the "briCks" that will be thrown
at Grant if he should become candidate
for the Presidency:
"The popular consciousness that Grant
has been tried as President, and proved
unfit, is met here and there by the asser.
ton that Grant has learned good deal
since he was President. He had eight
years 10 learn his business in, as long a
time as the American people have ever
given any man at the trade, and ne learn
cd nothing to the last. His record, as
far as it goes, shows that he either can
not or will not learn. 1t certainly gives
no reason to think he will learn in the
future, or has been taught anything in
the past four years.
"Grant began with Jacob D, Cox as
Secretary of the Interior; man of spot
less reputation before he became mem
Der of Grants Cabinet, and after, which
was true of but few of Grants official ad.
yisers. Cox tried to reform his depart
ment. He crushed favoritism, promoted
on merit, cleansed the Pension Bureaus,
and stopped our abuses, and after eigh.
teen months of this work, Grant turned
Cox out. The act was universally de-
nounced. Successive investigations, by
Republican Congressman, the proved
corruption under Columbus Delano, ,Cox's
successor, all showed that Grant was
wrong; but apparently the only man in
the country who learned nothing from
these facts was Grant, which was bad
for him and worse for the country, for
the same thing happened twice. Bris-
tow, five years later, began reforming his
department, iailing rogues, smashing
rings, recovering stolen money, and after
eighteen months of this work, Grant
turned him out, with precisely the same
result. Successive investigations show.
ed that Grant was wrong, but he learned
nothing Nor was this all. Jewell, as
Postmaster General, had been for two
years trying to reform his department.
1t was a rotten spot. JEWELS predeces-
sor had left in disgrace, and five years of
successive scandals ought to have taught
Grant, if he can learn anything, that re-
form was necessary. They did not.
Grant turned out Jewell to follow Bris'
tow, and the only members Of Grants
Cabinet who were turned out with no
expression of regret from the President
at their loss, were the three men who
bad tried to reform something-Bristow,
Cox and Jewell.
"There were men to whom Grant took
pains to express regret at their leaving,
but these men were all caught stealing,
or something like it. Nor did Grant learn
that it was an unseemly act to sympa-
thize with men kicked out for corruption
and NAL administration A Republican
investigation showed that Thomas Muir
ply was wholly unfit for the position of
Collector of New York, and the evidence
of men like A. 7. Stewart showed that
under him the administration of the
Custom House was such as ito annoy and
vex and deplete the pockets of the mer-
chants of New York" The baldest par
tisanship and the basest political servi.
Ces we're the price of appointment under
Murphy. After this was all proved and
published to the world, Grant wrote to
him, Nov. 20, 1871: at gives me pleasure
to bear testimony to the efficiency, hon
esty and zeal with which you have ad-
ministered the Office 80 long as it has
been intrusted to your keeping" Dur,
ing the next two years the downfall of
the Tweed ring brought to light the fact
that Murphy was not only bad ColleC
tor and an unsCrupulous partisan, but
that he shared in the real estate speCula
tions of the ring. In addition it was also
learned that he had helped the President
to good thing" at Long Branch. These
things ought to have taught Grant some
thing. They did not. Boss Shepherd
was Investigated by Republican COM
mittee, and turned out of Office for cor
ruption. Grant renominated him as
mark of confidence. Silas Reed, Grant
man of less note, Surveyor General of
Wyoming Territory, was "guilty of cor
ruptly using the public money" to quote
an official report, and Grant wrote to
him. "In accepting your resignation al.
low me to say that know Of no reason
to be dissatisfied with your administra-
ton of the Office of Surveyor. General"
This was in 1875, a year after the Shep.
herd reappointment. A year after Reed
was indorsed, more prominent Grant
man fell-Belknap. Grant had learned
nothing, however. He wrote to Beik-
nap: "Your tender of resignation is &C.
Cepted with great regret" Probably
nothing but the fact that Belknap had
confessed that he was guilty prevented
President Grant, after six years of pain
full self education in praising resigned
or resigning scoundrels from using the
usual formula.
"This is but portion of the record of
man who is now before the peo.
pie as a candidate for the high Office he
once 30 shamefully disgraced. 1t is high
time the people were seriously consider
ing who they elect to responsible Offices,
and elect trustworthy, honest men,"