Year: 1871

his four years term, or, rather, little nearer
| TO the period for the nominating national con-


ventions and the Preside ltial election, we are


in good position to survey the political situa-
| tion and prospect. We must take the admin
| isration as the central object in this vicw


and the opposition, both within and without


the ruling rty, to ill up the picture. And


what does the whole indicate? What is the


prospect for the Pr sidenial election in 1872?
The scenes are shifting almost every day,


showing some new phase of the political


drama, ard there viii be, doubtless, many


more changes before the concluding act; but


enough has been seen to show whittier the


administration and political parties and fac
| tions are drifting.


! We said General Grants administration is
| the central object on the canvass Of the politi
| cal horizon, first because the dominant repub-


lican party has no other platform to go before
| the people upon and no other available candi-


date than General Grant, and next because the


democratic party has developed NO policy for


the coming contest but opposition to he
| administration. Nsither party is governed by


large views of national afflirs. Both fail to


bring up broad and comprehensive public
| measures that would command the respect or
| awaken the enthusiasm of the people. There
are DO towering and controlling statesmen


either among the republicans or democrats,
and no one that occupies commanding


position in the eyes of the people, except
General Grant, whose war record and present
| Office alone make him pre-eminent.


| Here we are led to ask what the position of
| the administration is. From our independent
| and impartial standpoint we are bound to say


that both it and its party have lost ground.
This is evident when we look at the popularity
| Of the President when he entered the White
| House in March, 1869, and the overwhelming


strength Of the republicans both in Congress


and in the several State governments, and
! compare their situation then with what it is
| now. They had absolute power over the
question OF recons.ructing the South, and
strained every effort to make that section radi-
cal republican. They believed they had, and


might have had, perhaps, the sympathy and


support of the negroes, who owed their liberty
and franchises principally to the republicans


and this new voting element is very power


full on e in the South. But the administration
and its party overreached themselves. They


were too illiberal, vindctive and restrictive.
A generous and forgiviag policy looking to
| the early restoration and harmony Of the South,
| and making political reconstruction subservient
| to that would have secured the support both
Of the negroes and large part of the white
! population. But the white people and many
of the negroes have become alenated from
| the republican party through the illioeral
policy pursued toward the South and through


the disgust which the carpet-bag and scalawag
! proteges Of the government have inspired.
As a consequence we see most of the Southern
| States have become democratic. and that there
| is a prospect of all becoming SO. The admin
/ istatiQn and the dominant party feel keenly


this detection Indeed, it is whispered in
Washington that the republicans are so disap-
| pointed that they contemplate reconstruct
| ing the South over again. But we can


not believe they will do anything so out


rageous AID dangerous, for it would utterly


ruin them. They have failed in the South
and must suffer the penalty Of their mistaken
| policy.


But there is another thing which has con-
trbuted to the defeat of the radicals in the
South, and it is the same which is tending
to break down the party in the West and


other parts OF the country. That is


their high tariff and protective policy
The people who live by agricultural pursuits
| whether they be black or white, are lot willing
to be taxed heavily for the benefit of few
New England and other manufacturers There
is an impression that the government machine
has been run quite long enough by New Eng
land and for New England interests especially
Everything that the farmers, planters and
agricultural laborers consume is taxed to


raise an enormous revenue beyond the necess-
ties Of the government and to favor extrava-


giant expenditures, and all this with a view to
afford protection to the manufacturers and to


increase their wealth The cultivators of the


soil, South, West and North, begin to see that


the radical republican policy is one oppressive


to them and Of favoritism to New England,


and they are revolving from the party they


heretofore supported in prosecuting the war


and maintaining the Union. This party, how


ever, can no longer make political capital out


Of the Issues Of the war OF from the Union cry.


These belong to the past. The people look to


their material interests at home and for new


issues now, and with regard 10 these they have


weighed the republicans and find them want


ing. The late elections in some of the North


ern States, as well as in the South, show the


reaction that is taking place, and that the


people are anxiously looking for other political


leaders.


An effort is made to manufacture popularity