Norwich bulletin., 1920-05-18
Five Minutes a Day
With Our Presidents
Copyright 1sso-sy James Morgan


MIGRANT IN THE WHITE HOUSE
1S69-March 4, Grant inauEurated
18th President, aged 45
September, BLACK Friday" in
Wall Street.
1S72-Tsie Alabama" claims set
tied by arbitration.
The Credit MobiIier scandal
exposed.
lS73-Sept. 10, great panic in
Wall Street
1S74-April, Grant vetoeI Initiation
bill.
December, Resumption act
passed.
t976-February, whisky Ring" ex-
posed.
March. BeIknap, Secretary OF
War .impeached.
IS77-Marh 4, Grant retired from
tho Presidency.
With the passing of Lincoln Grant
lowered above not only all the other
generals Of the Civil war but also above
the statesmen of that day, above even
the great political parties themselves. A
man without a party. he stood wholly for
the Union. A magnaniInous victor.
aloof from the bitter passions of the men
who had only talked while others fought
North SId South. 1t was less his fault
than the fault of our political system
that he gave up to party what was
meant for all. There was no place for
him 70 serve as there never is a
place for any American to serve our
government except as a partisan and a
politician
When he became president it was
Grants misfortune to know no one ex-
cept his associates in the war. The self
respecting among these kept away from
him. But the self seekers and the camp
! followers crowded about a man who
| never distrusted a friend. not even
when he came bearing d Greek gift, and
| Senator Charles Sumner spoke scornfully
| of the administrations as gift enter
| prise
The modest president and the con-
ceited senator. who plunged into a Bit
| ter feud, never were sympathetic.
/ When Grant heard some one say with
| surprise that Sumner did not believe in
the Bible, he Quietly remarked, well,
! he didn't write it,
| Another little brood that preyed I'D
on Grants kindly disposition was COM
| posed of a few of his relations and Mrs.
Grants. For them he laid himself open
to charge of nepotism, which was ex-
| agserated but which no other president
i had incurred.
Grants first act in making up his cab
met, was characteristic. Never having
held council Of war or consulted any
! one in the army, he did not consult the
| republican leaders His secretary of the
| treasury, A. T. Stewart, the New York
merchont could not serve because the
law debarred an importer from that Of
ice. His secretary of the navy was to
| fame unknown outside his city of Phil
adephia. 1t took the mails three weeks
to find, in his obscurity, an attorney
general that the president appointed with
cut knowing where the man lived IT
selecting a chief justice, he. pursued the
| same hit or miss plan and had to SEND
in q third name before the senate SyotsId
give its assent
Two of the seven places in the cab.
met were given to Gaiena, the president.
little home town, the secretaryship Of
] state falling to Congressman Elihu 3
Washburne, ard the secretary of war Il
John A. Rawlins. There were sound
personal reasons for the selection o.
General Rawlins, who had been Grant.
/ vigilant watchdog in the army, standint
between him and the bottle and between
his too trusting nature and false friends
These latter needed now more than evel
" pG WATuCu OIL, anu the untimets
death if this frank and loyal FRIEND
in. the administration left a place which
remained sadly vacant
The many scandals Of the administra
ton were mostly traceable to the betfay
al of Grants childlike confidence In un
worthy friends. Black Friday in Wal
!! Street cast its shadow oS his fa1nil!
4 circle itself A brother-in-law had in
weighed the gulleless president into tn,
!. net of Jim Fiske and Jay Could, who at
tempted to corner gold on the strength
. of the inside information which the,
/ had wormed out Of him. AS quickly a
Grant discovered the trick he sr1ashet
the corner.
The WHISKY Ring involved the pres
| ident's private secretary. member o
the cabinet was irnpeached for squali,
transactions, but by accepting his res
| ignation Grant let him dodge the con
/ viction.
II The Civil War was followed by tn
most corrupt period in our political life
RasfalAg POLITICIANS nitisily dis$re Gee
the people from real evils witt shan
: battles against the rebel brigadier." Tn
bloody shirt was made to cover q nlul
titude Of sins, while patriots went /
loudly for the old flag and an sppfo
priation' -
. | Although Grant himself was above jus
: suspicion. the next highest Official Vic
8 President csifax, was driven int re