Year: 1867

! AFeSIMehts by Guess.


Fifteen months hence the people OF
the United States will be called to elect
their President and Vice President for
a term Of four years, commencing on
the 4th Of March, l869-almost two
years hence. Meantime, we have to
deal with the great and difficult prob
lem OF the restoration Of ten States,
still but partially solved; we have to
reconcile local self-government with
the permanent sway of Nationality and
Loyalty; we have an immense National
Debt to care for, clamors for the repeal
OF the Cotton and other taxes 10 con-
slider, and the eyer-present perls of an
lrredeemable Paper Currency to guard
against, and, if possible, overcome.
These problems may well tax the best
resources Of craftsmanship, and ought
to secure general attention. In full
view OF their imminence, a few politi-
clans by trade are intent on opening the
Presidential canvass, bringing forward
Gen. Grant as their candidate.


We neither affirm nor deny the fit
ness Of this choice. There are features
Of Gen. Grants character which incline
us to regard him with favor, especially
his magnanimity toward the ex-rebels.
Time may prove that he is the man for
the place; but that question cannot
now be determined. We need to un-
derstand more clearly tie issues on
which that election is to turn, and the
views Of the rival candidates relative
thereto.


The people are not in the mood for
trying any grab-bag experiments
They will insist on having President
who fully knows his own mind with re-
gard to the political situation, aud who
has not essentially another mind from
theirs. They have once or twice taken
candidates on trust, and have not been
encouraged to repeat the venture.
And, when they see that Gen Grants
name is the Shibboleth OF a number of
the most dlscredited of the camp-tol-
lowers and shoddy-patriots Of the late
war, who barked at the heels Of the
sorely beset Republic whenever it was
constrained to take a step forward in
the course which led through Emanci.
patton to triumph, they will be more
strenuous in their demands for light
than if the General were not cursed by
such hackers.


Many things are forgiven to party
which has not outlived its ideas and its
work but one thing is never forgiven,
and that is distrust of the correctness
and value of its own principles. The
Wing party was badly beaten in the de-
feat Of Clay by Polk in 1914 sorely to
its own amazenent and grief; yet its
vitality was SO little impaired that it
elected the next House of Representa-
tiyes and the next Governor of New
York. -Four years later, it succeeded
with Gen. Taylor, but lost the House of
Representatives chosen along with him,
was beaten out Of sight in the next one,
and never recovered its vitality And
the reason was, that in its contest for
Mr.. Clays election it boldly proclaimed
and defended its convictions, asking a
verdict thereon; while in that for Gen
Taylor's it rather concealed and evaded
a distinct Issue of principle, trusting tor
success to Fictitious appeals and clap
trap instrumentalities


Let US repeat, to repel misrepresen-
tation, that we do not call in question
the fitness of choosing Gen, Grant as
the Republican candidate for President.
We will consider that point in due
time What we do say, is that the
Republican candidates must represent
and embody Republican principles, and
be neither afraid nor ashamed to avow
his faith in them and his willingness to
stand or fall by them. His personal
qualities and popularity are important
considerations, but his fearless, explicit
devotion to Republican ideas is a pri-
mary and essential requisite, N. Y
Tribune.