Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 14, Number 109, 26 December 1881 — BLAINE AND GRANT. [ARTICLE]

BLAINE AND GRANT.

'It is said that the "stalwarts " are likely to be very much disgusted with Blame because the latter sent a dispatch to Minister - Angel], in China, in regard to the proposition that Grant should be asked to mediate between China acd Japan, requesting the Minister to explain to the Chinese Government that although General Grant was "a great and honored citizen of the Re '.' public," yet he was, at that time "merely " a private citizen traveling for his own "pleasure, and in his private capacity, and " with no power to represent the United " States Government." Now it is perfectly clear that there is in this dispatch nothing •upon which the "stalwarts," or anyone else •cm base a reasonable objection. It is in truth a simple statement of fact, and, moreover, a statement of fact which there ia good ground for believing needed to be made. For it cannot be denied that several of the Eastern Governments visited by Grant in his tour round the world, fell into the error of regarding him as in some way » permanent official of high rank, who was empowered to speak acd act for the United States. It is highly probable that when he -was suggested as an arbitrator between China and Japan some such notion as tbis was at the bottom of the proposition, and under the circumstances it was not only proper but necessary that Mr. Blame should take precautions against what might have led to serious embarrassments. It was certainly more friendly to General Grant to do this than it would bave been to let the misapprehension concerning his position and powers lead bim into some affair, his connection with which might have compelled the United States Government to make a public disclaimer of any responsibility for his proccdings. But for all this we arc quite prepared to find that the Grant "stalwarts" resent Blame's action in the matter, and for the reason that these ant "stalwarts" have really gone ao far in the direction of imperialist ideas as to think that their hero ought to possess some vague acd general authority to represent the country abrostd, and to co what he pleases at heme. In fact it was made evident last year when they prepared the ■"Grant boom,*' that they had ceased to think or feel about him as about a mere citizen, and .I__ -hey had come to look upon him as one having special and indefeasible claims upon the country, which it ■waa the duty of everyone to recognize, and the non-recognition of which constituted a close approach to treason. The peculiar way in which the "Grant "column" acted at Chicago indeed showed that t_e men composing it cm . Jcred themselves to be in some special way attached to the personality of Grant. They believed very much as the old Jacobites used to believe ia relation to " Price. "Charlie." ThEy upheld Grant as a man -who in some upexpl.iacd way possessed a right to _ be President, and if they had published their inmost thoughts perhaps they would ' have admitted that they believed in hia right to be perpetual , President. _„ Of .-, course . such men will '' resent Blame's dispatch, but the American people •will certainly not do sc. • ■ ■ By way of apology lor allowing a woman passenger to retain her money, one of the perpetrators of the recent train robbery in Missouri said : " The next time we under- ■ take a job of this kind we will have a lady to eearch the lady passengers.".- The worn: an i was not too frightened to . express a doubt whether the robbers could secure the services of a lady in that capacity. . .:.---= _-«2— _»•-_« i". *-:*•_-_ __■—■_. .*?■'■_;_._ ,:^^s_«SS__Steia,