Year: 1876




NORTHERN POLITICS.


The One Qualification for President for


-Four Years from 1S77.


NEW YORK, April 26. 1876.


In my letter Of yesterday I gave an ex-
tract from an important editorial in the
daily Tribune. In that extract the Tribune
admitted that notwithstanding all the in
vestigations prosecuted by the Confederate
Democratic House of Representatives at
Washington, the character of the President
remained untouched and his official purity
untarnished by even the faintest taint of
corruption. In word, General Grant, after
eight years contact with the blacklist kind
of political and party pitch. has not been
soiled. This admission by the Tribune is
equivalent to nomination for third term.
if the President could 80 far forget what is
due to his own self respect, as to consent any
longer to be the target at which an
unscrupulous press is at liberty to
fire it's ISLANDERS at will. say this
admission of the Tribune is equivalent
to . nomination of General Grant for q
third term, because we 'have been told that
''character" and personal purity" consti-
tute . supreme qualification in any one
seeking the votes of Americ6n sovereigns
during this centennial year! / do not sup
pose that General Grant desires any more
such "terms" as he has experienced during
tho last four years. Nor is it probable that
any gentleman who values his private char
acter and personal respect above any polit-
ical station whatever, will be very eager to
occupy the White House at Was hington.
II things go on much longer in the way
they have been going during this per iod of
partisan abuse of the President, decent
men will arrive at the same conclusion in
regard to the state of society in the
United States, as it effects offi ,ial char
acter, that right thinking men are com.
ing to in regard to the insecurity of
private character, even when she ltered by
q lifelong record of unidentified virtue.
l make this remark because the attack on
Charles O'Conor, of this city, is on a par
with that made upon General Grant during
the last four years. We hear much of the
fatal effect of official corruption upon the
stability Of popular institutions. Official
corruption, if unchecked, will undo ubtedly
undermine any form of governm eht and
destroy the social life of any people. But
there is something quite as dangerous to
popular forms Of government as official cor
ruption. That something else" is the de-
of private character by an unscru-
pulous party press. By this latter process
the class Of men most needed in conducting
the affairs of state and in enacting and ex-
ecuting the laws will always withdraw
more and more from political life. This
would leave irresponsible power in the
The end of such state of things is inevita-
BILE. In time society, in sheer self preser-
vstion, must under these circ umstances
call in power from some source to protect
itself against lawless license. So Rome fell
Are We stronger than was the imperial
mistress of the worldl commend this
phase of American politics to the "refor-
formers" who have been so busy with the
name of General Grant during the last four
years.


Now that it is we'll understood that the
President looks forward with eagerness to
the day when he will be relieved" from
duty at the White House, it maySnot be
amiss to call attention to the part which
the Southern Confederates have taken in
the abuse Of General Grant. Has not Gen
eral Grant been most generous in his treat-
ment of Confederate officers, begi ming
with General Leea Has he not made every
possible effort consistent with "right' to
attach the Confederate leaders to the gov
The South has never had better
friend than General Grant; and the South
ern Confederates may yet live to app reciate
this fact through most bitter expe rience.
Under these circumstances it is disg race
to the gentlemen Of the South that they
have permitted themselves to become
parties to unscrupulous attacks upon the
Presidents private character and official
acts. Now that General Grant is fully vim
licated before his countrymen and the
world, it will be an interesting sight to
watch by what tests we are to select the
nan who, above reproach, above tempta
lion and above abuse, will sweeten the at
ncsphere of Washington by his angelic in
1uence. o.! consistency, thou art indeed
\ 'Jewer'-a diamond Of "purest ray Sc
.ene." B.
The Property Holders Central Council.