American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-01-22
The Latest Scheme for Grants Benefit.

The latest of the schemes for doing
something with General Grant bids fair
to fail, like others that have gone before
it. Mr.. McCook's joint resolution to
place him on the retired list of the army,
with the rank and the full pay of Gen
eral, does not find favor with the COM
mittee that has it in charge, and is like
ly to be negatively reported, or not re-
ported at all.
General Grant is apparently becoming
a sort of elephant on the hands of his
friends and the public. The last year
has been largely taken up with projects
for putting him somewhere, but they
have all come to naught. He has been
talked of for third term as President;
for the craftsmanship of the Pana-
ma Canal and the Nicaragua Ca
nal; for the Presidency of score of
mining and railroad companies; for the
Senatorship of New York and of Penn
sylvania; tor Captain-G Generally; for
pension; and for popular oldest ex-
Presidents fund. So far these schemes
have all come to nothing. Grant is still
unprovided for; and now those who
hoped to shelve him on the retired list,
begin to fear that even this device will
prove Intellectual.
OF course General McCook's plan for
doing something with Grant is much
less Objectionable than Hayes. Calling
for anew grade in the army, with tie
odious name of Captain-General affixed
to it, was a monstrous defiance of pub
lie opinion, as well as contemplated
violation of the Constitution, which for
bids the comforting by Congress of
titles of nobility. But General Nc
Cook plan is itself weighted with
grave objections. Why should the an
nual army budget be loaded with a spe-
cial salary for General Grant? Whv
should the army retired list be made
the receptacle of pensioners appointed
to it from civil life? Why should he
receive full pay, when the law allows
retired officers only three-fourths payP
Why should the army regulations re-
garding the requisites for retirement be
altered in his favor? He is not at the
specified age when retirement can be
ordered or sought under the statutes.
He has received no wounds, and is not
incapacitated by disease acquired in
the line of military duty. If General
Grants friends want to give him pen
sion, why not try to prepare the legisla-
ton for giving him one directly? This
endeavor to put him on the army re-
tired list is of a piece with all the
other clumsy efforts to get some kind
of military rank and salary for him. in
stead of resorting frankly to a charity
foundation. What is Grant to be re-
tired from? He isn't yet even on the
active list of the army.
But deeper than the objections to
form are the objections to substance.
We want no precedent of creating
avowed sinecures. This is not in ac-
cord with the spirit of American insti-
tutions. If the object be only. as Gen
eral McCook's resolution says it is, "a
recognition of his eminent services"
those services of General Grant, it must
be answered, have long ago been fully
recognized. He has had military
grade created especially for him, high
er than any American soldier before
him ever enjoyed; higher than Wash
ington's. He has been President for
eight years, the longest term our Amer
lean custom allows. What more recog-
milton of his services can be given?
Certainly none can be afforded that
breaks down laws, DISCREPANCIES army
regulations. and creates perilous prece-
dent.-N. Y San.