Year: 1872

4 General Grant and HIS Second Prosi-


dential Term-The Questions OF Ann


nesty. Civil Service and Other Re-


forms.


The overwhelming popular endorsement of
General Grant in his election for another
Presidential term has turned the attention of
the party press to the widely enlarged prob
abilities and possibilities of his future course.
AS master Of the political field, and having no
longer anything to ask or to fear from party
leaders or their followers, he is certainly ad-
vanced to position of independence which
is well calculated to awaken the apprehensions
of intriguing politicians. If it can be said
| that the results Of the late Presidential elec-
| ton prove that Mr. Greeley was weaker than
the democratic party, it can as truly be said
that these results establish the fact that Gen.
eral Grant among the people is stronger than
the republican party. Hence his opportunity
for q broader administration programme than
that Of the Philadelphia platform. He may
play King Log or King Stork to the frogs in
the pond; but it is already evident
that he is more likely to prove the
master than the servant of his party en-
gineers. Upon this point that recent little
affair of the Philadelphia Post Office and
tho Presidents intimations in reference to
general amnesty are very suggestive. Nor
would it be matter of surprise if, stealing
Mr.. Greeley's special thunder, General Grant,
upon the leading ideas Of the Cincinnati plat
form, should build the highest achievements
of his administration.


In this connection it is not little strange
and remarkable that some Of our contempora-
ries of the party press, such as the New York
Tribune and World, which were most conspicu-
ous through the late Presidential canvass in
their earnest and violent advocacy of the cause
of Greeley and Brown, are now heading for
the broader and deeper channel of indepen-
dent journalism. But quite as remarkable as
this new departure of Mr.. Greeley is the re-
mark in regard to General Grant of the Wash
ington Chronicle, that sit remains to be seen
whether the prospect Of having the HERALD as
his champion is o sufficient inducement to
turn his back upon republican Congress. -
What can this mean? Are we to understand
from it that while the collapse of the late oppo-
sition alliance has left democratic and liberal re-
publican journals free to take their own course,
their late occupation being gone, the great
triumph of General Grant may render him
independent even Of the republican managers
of Congress in the future distribution of the
loaves and fishes? If such is the apprehen-
sion Of our Washington philosopher we hope
for its fulflment; for, indeed. the time has
gone by when it was the chief duty Of the
President as the head Of a political party, to


reward his friends and punish his enemies.
At the opening Of his first term General
Grant certainly manifested no desire to enter
into this distasteful business, yet he could not
avoid it. Now and henceforth, however, he is
free for a general enforcement Of civil service
reform. Marcy's demoralizing party maxim,
that ''to the victors belong the spoils,' has
cost the country rivers of blood and millions
of treasure, and General Grant, in casting it
utterly aside, will win the lasting gntitude of
the country.


Not less in it's national Importance is the new
line of policy which it is said the President
in his forthcoming message will recommend
for the pacifcation Of the South, embracing q
complete removal of rebel disabilities. Again,
in the management of the national finances,
we want better policy than Mr.. Boutwelrs
game of bluff with the gold gamblers Of Wall
street. We want O fixed and regular
Treasury system, which, while carefully
guarding against shocks and panics, will
still push forward to the goal Of specie pay
ments. In this view the late action of the
Boston merchants, in declining the relief of
paper money imitation, was wise and oppor-
tune, and their good example, we trust, will
not be lost upon Congress- Our relations
with Spain and Cuba continue unsatisfactory
to the country. A definite and decisive line
of executive action is here demanded for the
establishment of law, order and liberty in the
revolutionary island, whether the issue is to be
annexation or independence. Mr.. Seward s
great idea, with which he opened the Lincoln
campaign of 1860, and which he cherished to
the end of his life, was the enlargement of our
boundaries till they embrace the whole North
American Continent and its islands but
system Of Independent and cooperative re-
publics will, perhaps, serve us just as well.
In any view, Spain, with her slavery system
in Cuba, ''lags superAuous on the STAGE"
and Mr.. Fish, in our State Department, as an
apologist Of Spain, and as, to this extent, an
upholder of slavery in Cuba, has fallen behind
the spirit Of the age, and should, therefore, be
gracefully transferred or retired.


In oil these suggested measures of reform
and national progress General Grant, with
| his late snlendid endorsement nv the people
may freely go forward and shape the action
Of Congress through his annual message. In
some quarters, however, it is hoped, and in
others it is feared that he will be strict party
man in being candidate for another term,
and perhaps for still another. Indeed, Parson
nllu ca that he would rather Geo