The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-08-08
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

in his power to have the reconstruction
acts carried out according to their pur
pose in the several districts.
Before the end of 1867 public meet
ing was held in New York, in which
prominent business men took leading
part, to promote the nomination of Gen.
Grant for the Presidency. 1t was only a
formal expression of the general feeling,
which spread spontaneously throughout
the Northern States When the Repub-
licln Convention of 1868 was held at
Chicago on the Goth of May no other
candidate was thought of, and his nomi-
nation was unanimous on the first call of
States.
His letter of acceptance, dated May
%, was brief and characteristic, ending
with the famous words, Let us have
peace" The election resulted in giving
him PA ELECTORAL votes, to 80 for Horatio
Seymour, and his popular majority was
300 1854 in total vote of 5,71G,0S2. In
his inaugural address he declared that,
while he felt the responsibilities OF his
new position, he accepted them without
fear. His first cabinet was made up
| largely of men who had shown a special
appreciation of his services, and there
was something characteristic in his re-
gu ,st to Congress that Mr.. a. L. Stewart
whom he had made Secretary of the
Treasury, mig Int be exempted from the
operation OF the law of 1889, which s: God
IN the way of his serving in that position
The effects of inexperience in politics and
plblic life were at once manifest, but
with them an honesty of purpose and
candor of expression which disarmed
criticism.
General Grants first term as President
was distinguished by the completion o
the work of re construction, the sup
preston of Ku-klux outrages in thu
South, the settlement of tie Alabamt
claims and the fisheries, the inception o
the civil service reform movement, ant
the failure of the scheme for the annexa
ton of San Domingo. He fully sup
ported and faithfully carried out the re
construction policy of Congress, making
definite suggestions for new Legislation
to complete the work in hand. The &C
for the enforcement of the Fourteenth
Amendment permitting the suspension
of the writ Of haJeas corpus, was passed
at his suggestion. He declared that the
disorders in the South were beyond thu
control of State authorities, that the
power of the national Executive to inter
fere was not clear, and that there should
be such legislation as would ''cffectu
ally secure life, liberty, and property
and the enforcement of law in all parts
of the United States.' His firm ant
vigorous execution of this law put an END
to Ku klux outrages.
The President took a very Influential
part in directing the negotiations ant
promoting the proceedings connected
with the Treaty of Washington and it,
execution. The policy of his admins
tration III respect to this matter wa:
characterized by moderation, tirmness
and ability. When the Minister to Eng
Land Mr.. MOTLEY, failed to act in har
nony with that policy, at its beginning
he was superseded by CHARLES FRANCE
ADAMS, who, under the instructions o
Secretary FISH, successfully conducted
the negotiations in London. The selec
ton of counsel to appear before the arbi
traitors at Geneva was guided by the best
Judgment, and all the proceedings con
nected with this affair reflected credit or
the government. In regard to our for
cign relations, as affected by the trouble!
in Cuba and the Franco German war
the same quick perception of tho rights
and obligations of the government, and
firm adherence to Il well-dcfined policy
were cvinced. In his second Message tt
Congress, in December, 1870, Presiden,
GRANT called attention to the important
subject of civil service reform, and
showed clear understanding of the
abuses to be remedied, and of the require
ments of the policy to be adopted
When authority WAS given in the Sundry
Civil Appropriation Bill, March, 1871. tc
prescribe rules and regulations for the
service, he entered upon the work hear
tily, appointed an able commission, and
showed disposition to make the reform
successful. The San ID ,mingo scheme
was a peculiar incident of GRANTS first
term as President. Almost at its begin
ming, treaties were negotiated with
| President BAEZ for the annexation OF
Dominica and the lease of the Bay OF
SANTANA, the Presidents private secre,
tary, General BABcocK, visiting the
island in connection with the project
An instruction was produced at San Do
mingo, and the treaties met with vigor.
GUS opposition in the Senate, led by Mr..
SUMNER. At the Presidents request a
commission was sent down in 1871 to in
uuire INTO the ACCESSIBILITY of the scheme.
This consisted of b. +. WADE. ANDREW
| d. WHITE and SAMUEL. G.. HOWE. who
made favorable report. which the Presi-
dent urged upon the attention of Con-
gress and the people in vain. lie con.
tinued to revert to the subject to the
| very end of his second term, protesting
not only the integrity of his purpose, but
the wisdom of his efforts to sAc:::iie a
foot hold in the West !nGes.
The vigorous policy OF the admiiistra-
ton in dealing with the South did not
have the unanimous approval even of the
Republicans of the North, and out of il
sprang the movement, begun at St.
| Louis and continued at Cincinnati in
1872, against the continuance OF the ad.
ministration under General GRANT. This
was aided by the opposition to the San
Domingo scheme and the lack of real vi
tally in the civil service reform policy;
but the show of opposition only inspired
the friends of the administration with
greater zeal, and General GRANT was re
nominated by reclamation at Philadel-
phia IN the 9Th of June, and reelected
by an increased popular and electoral
vote In his second inaugural address he
displayed some feeling at the "abuse and
SANDER to which he had been subjected,
and gratefully accepted his reelection as
IA v!ndication.