The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-06
CHE Messenger.
MILITARY PRESIDENTS AND DEW.
Ely TALK.

There lis a movement through the
more or less to max Dewey a
candidate for president. He modestly
that he is no aspirant for such
that he understands how to run
the ship of the sea but not the ship OF
state. There is one thing about him
that is admirable-he is a man of ex-
ceIlent sense and discretion. What are
his ~leanings politically we do not know.
We see it announced that certain DEM
ocratic clubs in crazy New York city
rave discussed his nomination. 1t is
also sal that both parties would en-
dOrse him. Mckinley is very jealous
of him and afraid Of his great popular
ity. 1t is the talk in the great city
that every body is certain that he
would accept If nominated. At any
rate h has not said that he would not
accept if rendered him. If Gen. Grant
had been nominated in 1868, by the
democrats, he woul have accepted, for
he had always voted with the democra-
cy, and would have been a democratic
president. But the democrats failed to
nominate, and the republicans took
him up. A dispatch from New York to
the republican Baltimore Herald, a Nc
Kinley paper, and for expansion in a
whoop says:
THE positive declaration Of the Id
miral that he was not seeking presi-
DENTAL honors and did not want them
has rather a~ccentuated than discour-
A~4 fhia oil int
out tina. the people have often conferr-
ed upon representatives of the army
the highest office in their gift, but the
navy has never been SC honored, and
the opinion was expressed that this
arm Of the government would like to
have q sea-fighter in the White House.
Every man in the navy, from the
Jackie to the rear admirals, YOU feel
proud if Admiral Dewey were nomina-
ted for president, it was pointed out.
1t is certain that to a nan they would
use every influence to sweep aside
Dewey's objections and induce him to
consent to stand as a candidate"
Admiral Dewey above all New Eng
landers commands our respect and ad-
niration. He is no imperialist or globe
grabber. But democrats would lave
to know how much of a democrat and
what sort of a democrat he is before
they could regard with N thing of
favor his election over the faithful
and able Col. William ]. Bryan, the
foremost American living statesman
under fifty years of age, and possibly
the equal Of any living.
The United States nave had some
very unfortunate experiences in their
military presidents. General Andrew
Jackson was a man of great patriotism,
vigor n determination, and had the
confidence and support of a large
majority of the American peo-
pie. He made mistakes, but he
sought the good of his country. After
him there was hardly a success among
the military presidents. Harrison died
at the end of his first month, if we re-
member correctly, and had but little
opportunity to show what he was in
. civic place. He was a good and true
man, and had the wisdom to choose
as his cabinet the best men, some Of
them among the foremost in the land.
Probably since Washington there has
been no ADLER cabinet than the one Gen.
AAaAA " SClCChSN "S mo
friends and advisers.
g Taylor did not prove a marked
success. Gen. Grant was not the kind
of president that a great moral, upright
people needed. Black Friday and other
conspicuous blotS leave a great stain
upon his eight years. His willingness
to use army and navy to put Hayes in
when not elected d~isgraces any adj
ministration or man connected with it.
Then look at Gen. Hayes, put in by
fraud and corruption. He was weak,
but better than Grant as a whole. Gen.
had capacity, but he was corrupt, as
his record in congress shows it to a
black degree. Gen. Pierce served for a
year in war, but he was more of a civ
ilian than soldier. Altogether the mil
itary presidents since the great Wash
ington's time hav not been what per-
haps' the necessities of the country de-
handed. Jackson may be an exception.
Admiral Dewey, if president, woul be
honest, just, humane, American, but he
would be more at sea" han he ever
was in his life. A good, noble man he
true to his country.
THE TESTIMONY OF GOV. MARTIN.