Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-02-24
THE RErTREMENT or GRANT
(ome Reasons Why lie Is Entitled To No such
Honor.


Honor.
For the fsTKILIGENcER.
II IL To he hoped we have now sccn the last
bf tho Grant retirement scheme. The etlron-
tery with which this measure Is pressed ON q
Democratic House. under the circumstances
simply amazing.
Whatever claims Gen Grant may have on
he Republican party, one thing is sure that
pe has mono whatever on tho Democratic
party. Nor has he any on his Cuuntrymcn
h general that have not been amply are paid
n honors as well M in money ; such are owl
entity the views Of Gen. Rosocuns, Il very
pmpetcnt Judge OF Gen. Grants merits and
aims, ps well as his character.
The truth of the matter is, the farther
10 rcccdo from tho rebellion, the better
| bn impartial history fix the true standing
VI Its principal actors. No war ever closed
hat left hchind 1t greater number of what
h.r. Jefferson, on one occasion, stigmatized
ts "ialso facts" than this same war of the
rebellion. History il now only slowly vindi-
Eating herself in setting things right II
zen. Grant, as a military man was conspicu-
busly successful 1t was because he was en-
certionably favored by friendly adninistr,-
tion of which ho was tho chosen pet and
which backed him up by the whole power Of
the nation. lie deserved we'll Of his country,
and in return he received her very highest
lhonors. What moro docs he want? That
he failed in business enterprises in which
he should have never engaged no ono
can complain moro than his friends, and
the nation at large whom he signally dis
honored 10y the disrcputablc business, which,
| 50 to speak, impoverished him.
| The position Of the INTELLrGENCER, on
this whole Grant question in all its bearings,
| Is impregnahlo, and voices tho opinion of
snine-tenths of tho Democratic party. And
right here, let mo say, that Mr.. Randall
greatly mistakes the sentiment of the Dem
ocratid masses, and consequently imperils
. to that extent his own usefulness, by lending
his great influence In support of this uncallcd-
for, undemocratic and more than doubtful
measure.
n GRANT IN 1876.
| The question recurs-what claims has Gen.
Grant on the Democratic party9 In answer
IL may safely be said without the fear Of sue.
cessful contrad ictiOn, that there Is now no
man living, more responsible for the grea,
presidential fraud of lS76 than Gen. Grant,
who was then president Of the United States.
His great Office, when once in it and party
to 1t, made him tho chief of the band of con,
spirators that cheated Mr.. Tilden out of the
presidency. Gen. Grants role in the cabinet
appeared to he that of a low partisan. carrying
/ out what was assigned to him by his fellows
Of more brain but less power and influence.
To the honor Of his illustrious predecessors,
1t may be with truth said that he was the
only president who took pains to embody in
state paper his hatred of the great party
that.opposed his administration. Gen. Grant 81
far forgot himself and tho great position ht
filed, as to insert in the closing part of his
last regular IN, ssage to Congress an unmanly
and unstatesmanlike fling at the Democrat,
party. And it must he remembered that b,
did this without tho least provocation, ant
not in the heat Of "A great debate but delib
4 erately and of course purposely; anC
whilst il is certainly both tho duty
rs well rs the interest of tho Dem
ocratic party, now that it is again il
power, TO act in all things in large-mindeC
way, and even to sustain an attitude o
generosity toward the Republican party
both as to men and legislation, ii seems G
more than doubtful propriety for the Demo
cratic party, or the incoming administration
TO go out of its way and heap special honor
on those who when in great power AM
y spreading themselves " like green ba
tree" were very careful at the same tim
never to let slip chance to slander and abus
the Democratic party, its measures and IL
leaders. Such Republicans, whether great c
small, should hardly receive much favor
W.