The weekly miner., 1880-08-03
THE.roREmosr NAN OF MS TInE.

| If any one were requested to mention the
example of a public man of the present gem
| Grafton who has made great and conspicu-
oas desce nj from the estimation in which he
! was tsrmerly hold, the person thus interro-
ga ed might reply by citing the case of Gen
eral Grant. Grant, a few short months ago
was the ilustrIous citizen, the great COM
moner, whom all classes and parties delighted
| to honor. His return to his native land from
tour of foreign travel called forth such an
ovation as never before greeted either honored
statesman or military chicftain in the United
S ates. Party lines were forgotten, political
lstinctisns oblitera'ed in the all Pervadlng
desire to do honor TO the man who was
proudly hailed as the deliverer Of his country.
| We remember how spontaneous was this
feeling, how genuine its enthusiasm, aud
remembering this We are f"rcibly struck by
the contrast between the state of feeling of
| to-day and that of only IA few months ago
Aud who but Grant himself is responsible
| for this change? Following the grand nou-
political dtmonstl atlons with which his re-
IuTil nome wis "tIC''I1SN, Nidh' HVA'
prominent appearance before the public was
at the Chicago convention. His action NEAR
while had been such that bis lustre was not
little dimmed by his course SO suspiciulsly
like tina; of the political pipe layer, or wire
puller, in his tour through the south, and op
perfume appearance i'll each State immediately
prior to the srssion of the State convention.
In this matter, though, a tolerable degree of
caution was observed. the mechanism OF the
machine, whose puppet he had consented to
become, was kept out of sight of all save The
slArpest eyes; so that in the southern tour
there was nothing at " hich either very credu
lous or very good natured people could take
offence. But at Chicago there is 10 longer
any attempt At c,ncealment. The thin veil
previously doing service as mask is stripped
off. Ali pretence of accepting nomna
on only in case il is voluntarily and unan-
mously offered is thrown aside and Grant
appears in new light as All INSCRIPTIONS,
ambitious p"tlcian. fighting on common
ground with herd Of aspirants over the
prize for whose possession lie was willing to
override and DESTROY one "f the most cher
lshed traditions of the American people.
What Il spectacle was tlIcn offered, and with
what a pang of regret and humiliation was it
viswed by every true American, whether
democrat or republican, as we saw that great
name we had all held in honor, dragged into
the mud as it was fought over by the Conk-
lings, the Lo.ans. Chambers, Murphys, Ar
thurs, and other corrup,ionists, and banded
about with every expression Of contumely
and insult.
But the nomination " As not given sui an .
mously." 1t wa, not gwen at all. Ii was
refused; and refused with every indication
of lack of confidence. Grants failure at
Chicago was mere Than u failure. 1t was a
rout, all overthrow, q rejection, of SO pro-
| nouncel a character that wisdom would have
suggested the pr, pfiety OF disnited retire
uent thereafter, But The party that would
have none OF lin, the party that subjected
him to the greatest humiliation of his life
sill needs his advice, it seems, and the order
to the Boys in Blue is issued. Now We all
have implicit faith in the strength aud perma
nence OF our republican Institutions, but al
the same time we know in what consists the
price IF liberty. During the lale candidacy
Grant WAS looked upon by a great many
people AS man OF dangerous ambition
Whether he is or not 1t is certain that previ
Gus TO his defeat an unds Unable, vague
feeling Of uneanine>s was abroad. We usel
10 hear hiins of the last presidential cleo
non" of a.'presideut for lifc,' ETC., in cas
Hc was elected, matters never before discussed
III The United States, and it is not to be de
ned that the Whole country experienced
feeling a, of release from impending DANCE
y hen he was defeated. This is not 10 b
questioned, neither will 1t be qu~s iOned b.
close Observers that the recent surrender t.
Cunklins, Cameron and the rest of the Gran
crowd, by Hayes and Garfield, amount praC
tlcaly 10 a reinstatement of Grant. Wit
hose unscrupuous bosses in power the Fcd
erul Patronage will be made use Of to ivanc
any ulteror designs they may entertain, all
those v ho haze At any time been suspicion
Of Grants intentions will do well to watc
closely the course OF events in case CARTEL
ne elected. With Garfield as Plssiden
Grant would be the power behind the thron
, Perhaps it would be more in accord with h
ambition to say in advance of the throne