Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1869 — Grant as President. [ARTICLE]

Grant as President.

MM umber tb « York ** Ji j tJM following vlndica UJ if "i»A*sw f *ilnr«*r Admlnktration, from tbs pfa* nf Han- fl*rj Wilson, of Two tnontykteW, amr passed since UanaralWM, >n iW.pswfewce of aaaem bled tkoufeate of hto adiMrteg country ■an, took tb* •*** prescribed for the Piwhflonywfoft United Btatea To him thana ha* bead fffiMto of t«aj rach as he Mm never kwnMhkFiw* ,*U aeotioni of the lafld cam* an tMftA} persistent, vehement prartors for plMn, each aa no President bad ever enoouriarad. Perhaps the pressure faruffloe* area for a few day* fa* 1881 quit* ssfatrong; but the impend ta< eivtfwar cheeked it Many who then sought Civil service hastened-to join the Nauou’s defenders, and patriotism de mended the retention in office of *ome Democrats who were loyal to their country. Then dieappointed aspirations were forgotten or silenced in the. clash of arms. Now nothing came to break the terrible premure upon the Preaident Now. nothing oomes to arouse to high deeds, ungratified ambitions, nor to silence disappointed aspiration*. Many seek, but few can be taken. That few are, doubtless more than satisfied that their own merits, rather than the President’s fitvor, won for them the glittering prises. The many who were not Ikken see no merit in their successfol rivals nor sagacity in a President who could overlook claims like their own. Thefrucoesafol few, having won only that which they think of right belong* to them, are chary of their thank*. The unsuccessfol many, having had that which they think should be their* of right withheld aanunappreqiating and ungrateful Pre«nt, are profuse in their censures. Semfral appointments have been mads that were “not fl) to sap made.” The truest friends of the President see this, but they confidently hope that these error* will be speedily corrected, that these errors will be admonitions in the future. In spite, however, of the mistakes, for which the President is not alone responsible, the new appointments have been, as a whole, marked improvements. Fourfifths of the appointees are abler and purer men than the men whose places they take. No man at all acquainted with the public men of the country—no man who ha* any knowledge of the men removed, or the men appointed—can doubt the correctness of this declaration. More especially is this true of the internal revenue appointments. The Co«nmi**ioner of the Internal Revenue is a gentleman of large capacity and practical experience, and he has brought to the public service an inflexible purpose to reform abuses and collect the revenues. The foture will demonstrate the fact that the Assessors and Collectors he has appointed are, as a whole, greatly superior to the officers whose places they take.

Whatever may be the merits or demerits of the appointees to office, there is, and there will continue to be for some time, expressions of disappointment, unfriendly criticisms and carping censures. But the patriot and liberty-loving masses that made Gen Grant President should not allow themselves to be blinded by the duet nor prejudiced by the clamor raised by the disappointed applicant* for places. In the multiplicity of his appointments the President has sometimes failed “to put the right man in the right placebut he has not failed to firmly maintain the patriotic, liberty-loving, just and humane Meas, principles and policies that made him Chief Magistrate. Never before has the Nation been so exalted. Never before has the Government been administered for sixty day* so in harmony with the demands of patriotism, libertyjustice and a humane and Christian civilization. There no longer goes out from the Executive mansion words that embitter men against their country and their countryman. , The Chief Magistrate now seeks to bring all branches of the Government in accord, and to inspire hope, confidence apd good will among the people. He joins Congress—or, rather, he leads Congress—and hi* countrymen in the grand work of restoring the Union, and of making the Nation one in affection and purpose. Inspired by hi* word* and acts, ten* of thousands of bls countrymen in the States lately in rebellion are now striving to restore the unity of the Nation on the basis of loyalty and equality of rights. Patriotism applauds the firm, wise and practical action of President Grant for the restoration of the States and the unity of the people. President Grant is the first Chief Magistrate of the Republic who is committed to the policy of securing to citizens without distinction of color or race the right of suffrage. He accepts in all its fltlhiess the policy of human rights that recognizes the equal citizenship of the black man. In appointments to official position* he has bravely recognized the rights and privileges of the colored race. Two colored citizens represent the Nation abroad; two colored citizens have been made Assessors of Internal Revenue; and another colored citizen i* postmaster of Columbia, the capital of haughty South Carolina. Through all our history the conduct of the Nation toward the black race has been in violation of the spirit of Christianity Grant was elected by the friends of the despised and wronged black man to assure him equality of rights. To that noble work he is giving practical evidences of personal and official devotion. Surely liberty applauses this firm and consistent action of President Grant

The conduct of this professedly Christian Nation toward the red man has, for generations, been in violation, not only of the precept* oPChristianity, but even of the tense of justice among men. Gen. Grant, th his Inaugural address, remefnbetjed the wronged Indian, and reminded th® Nation of disrejrarded if,unt forgotten dutiea President Grant has ihangn rated a policy that seeka.to redress the wrongs or* the red mao, to save his perishing race from annihitai i >n, and to lift him up to the blessings of civilization and to the rights of American citizenship. As an evidence of this and the Nation's sincerity, he has placed an Indian at the head of the Indian Bureau. He has dismissed agents more than suspee ed of cheating the Indians out of portions of the sums the Nation doles out. with sparing hand. He has summoned the followers of William Penn to the task of securing peace with and dealing justly by the red man. He has selected men honored for their disinterest ednees, benevolence and charities to aid him in this gtand work of justice and humanity. Humanity applauds and Chrisfce'preridSt’ W ° rk “ au « united by tH* time of the noisy elatnorrof disappointed ambitions, the patriotic, the jntti the humane, tim men- who would make this Nation what itprofesse* to be—a free AA Christian .Nation—should rsmember the great work President Grant j* doing for the country and for <«* people of *3l races. They should remenibrr, too, that tfaa counterfeiters and thieves no longer look to the President ’ for pardon and protection. And they should not.fofget that an honest effort is now making, h U h to cgHfct the revenues, redm* Mfj expenses; ‘diminish the pubUo debt, and maintain the Nation’s Meh aid honot. The people who tainted Gen. Grant when he was struggling in the storm* of the Wilderness and in the trenches before Richmond were not mistaken. They who spw trust President Grant in the grand work h> which he is engaged, may find SSESS owl disturb or de-1