Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-07-30

place on the 9th of April, nineteen years
On the 18th of July, 1866, Grant was COM
General Of the United States
Army, the rank having been created for
him. For some time he acted as secreta-
ry of war, displacing Secretary Stanton,
At the Republican National Convention
held in Chicago, May 81, 1868, Gen. Grant
was unanimously nominated for President
on the first ballot, with Schuyler ColfaX for
Vice-President. They received pa eecto-
raj votes, against 80 for Seymour and Blair.
In 1872 he was nominated by acclama-
tion for reelection with Henry Wilson for
Vice President, the ticket receiving 26S
votes in the Electoral College against 50
for Greeley and Brown.
Neither of Grants Presidential terms was
marked by the wisdom of the patriot or
the sagacty of a statesman. He was un-
fortunate in the choice Of his cabinet Off
GERS, choosing either typical politicians or
totally incompetent men for the most re-
spOnsible positions; and while in war ne
was the recognized and idolized leader of
his legions, in the Presidential chair he
was completely mastered by the scheming
politicians, in the hands of whom he was
but plastic clay to be moulded as their sell
fish interests might dictate. AS chief exec
utive he was virtually "wthOut a policy"
adopting the phrase of the times, and the
abuses of the administration were innum-
erable, from petty peculatiOns OF govern
ment employees and retainers about the
Presidential mansion to those high in au-
thority. Every man and every public po-
sitioA had their price. So fragrant were the
abuses in the public service, and it having
become byword that to secure an appoint
ment it was only necessary to make pres
ent to President Grant, Senator Edmunds
gave expression to his disgust on the floor
of the Senate by saying that President
Grant, in the disposition of his patronage,
reminded him of a cheap John store dis
playing the sign, "Anything in this window
for one dollar"
In 1871 President Grant urged the annex
alton of San Domingo as Territory of the
United States. The means which he took
to carry out this project were sharply criti-
cised, and that the motive on the part of
some of Grants trusted adherents for the
annexation was the enriching a ring was
more than suspected. The scandal in
which Gen. Babcock, the Presidents aide
de-camp, figured so conspicuously marked
the beginning of the decline Of the Republi-
can party. During Grants second term the
scandals concerning the bonded warehouses,
the sales of public lands, the army trader
whisky frauds, subjected the Administration
to determined and effective criticism. The
public, with generosity born Of true graft
tude. refused to connect the personal char
acter of the President with the notorious
profigacy in office which could not be con-
cealed; yet, in 1872, the unwilling con-
viction that reform could not be effected
within the lines of the party organization
had spread so far as to lead to an earnest
effort to form new and independent party.
But the hold which Grant retained as sue
cessful military leader assured his election,
and during his second term, he still refused
to believe i'll of his personal friends. When
prosecutions were begun and Babcock was
indicted, the Presidents words, LET no
guilty man escape" were again hailed with
delight by all who wished we'll for the
country. Yet Babcock was not convicted.
The managers of the whisky ring claimed
that they levied their assessments upon dis
tillers and cheated the treasury to raise
fund to insure third term to the President,
and that the end justified the means.
After Grants second term he made q tour
of the world, and while travelling in foreign
lands and from crowned heads and dignita-
ries of other governments he was receiving
the homage due to one who had been the
chief executive of the United States govern
ment, the occasion was seized by the corrupt
politicians to foist him upon the country for
third Presidential term. The scheme
failed. Public opinion was too strong for
the politicians. America wanted no third
term, no Cesar Garfield was nominated
and the country breathed easier. Since
then Gen. Grant has been out of politics.
Three years ago. in an effort to aid his sons
to establish a permanent business, Gen.
Grant allowed himself to be drawn into the
scheme by which Ferdinand Ward wrecked
so many fortunes and regulations. Gen.
Grant was made bait to attract victims,
and the story of the crash, under the weight
of which Gen. Grant went to the grave, is
too fresh in the minds of the public to re-
quire repetition.
His association with Ward seems to have
been the unfortunate occurrence of his life,
for after the failure of the firm, which at
tracted such wide attention and so much
comment and criticism, from which Gen.
Grant did not escape, he seemed to be
changed and broken man. He was then,
though the public was not advised of the
fact, a victim of the disease which was slow
ly but surely eating his life away. He went
out but little from his house, became de-
pressed and felt that his fair name was
disgraced. He grew worse until April lst,
last, when it was thought the crisis had
been reached and the end was near. His
death was even reported, but was shortly
afterwards contradicted, and for several
days the physicians, three who attended
him, sent out hourly bulletins of his condl-
tion. But he rallied and seemed to gain
strength, to continue the writing OF his his
tory and to take daily rides. His physi-
in the city of New York, advised his re-
moval to some more desirable place, and
the tender of the cottage of Mr.. Drexel, of
Philadelphia, at Mt. McGregor, n. Y, on the
foothills of the Adirondacks, was accepted,
and to that place he was conveyed on the
10th of June. The journey, though but of
several hours by rail, was fatiguing on his
condition, but after a days rest he rallied
and seemed for some time to have been
benefited by the change, until Tuesday
night, the 2lst instant when, succumbing
to the disease and the extreme heat, his
strength failed, and he quietly, in the midst
of his attendants and family, waited the
end, which came on Thursday morning at
eight minutes past eight o'clock.
How THE EARTH IS BUILT UP HOURLY
BY METEORS.-Dr. kleiber, of St.Peters-
burg, publishes in the AStrOnOnaische Nach-
ricten the results of Investigations by him
self and DR.. Keller on the amount by which
the earth's mass is increased each hour by
the meteors falling upon the globe from
space. The original memoirs, which are
printed in Russian, have not reached this
but the summary referred to is ex-
tremely interesting. Observations by Prof.
Scmidt, of Athens, and others, have shown
that on an average single observer will see
about ten meteors an hour. This is num-
ber which depends upon experiment sim
A Dhc ,nf nd
the whole sky above his horizon, but only
twenty three per cent. of it.