y
no means free from it. But it never got so dangerous a hold
upon the forces of the Government, or upon a great political
party, as in the Administration of General Grant.

General Grant was an honest and wise man. History has assigned
him a place among our great Presidents. He showed almost
unerring judgment in military matters. He rarely, I suppose,
if ever, made a mistake in his estimate of the military quality
of a subordinate, or in a subordinate's title to confidence.
But he was very easily imposed upon by self-seeking and ambitious
men in civil life. Such men studied his humors and imposed
upon him, if not by flattery, yet by the pretence of personal
devotion. He had been himself bitterly and most unjustly
assailed by partisan and sectional hostility. When any person
to whom he had once given his confidence was detected in any
low or corrupt action Grant was very unwilling to believe
or even to listen to the charge. He seemed to set his teeth
and to say to himself: "They attack this man as they attack
me. They attack him because he is my friend. I will stand
by him." So it happened that attempts to secure pure and unselfish
administration got little help from him, and that designing
and crafty men whose political aims were wholly personal
and selfish got his ear and largely influenced his appointments
to office.

Hamilton Fish, the Secretary of State, always retained his
influence with President Grant. He was a wise, able and thoroughly
honest man. But as was fit, and indeed necessary, he kept
himself to the great interests which belonged to his Department,
and took little share, so far as the public knew, in other
questions.

General Cox, of Ohio, was an able, brave and upright man.
He resigned from President Grant's Cabinet, alleging as his
reason that he was not supported in the fight with corruption.
Judge Hoar strenuously insisted that the Judges of the newly
created Circuit Courts of the United States should be made
up of the best lawyers, without Senatorial dictation. President
Grant acted in accordance with his advice. The constitution
of the Circuit Courts gave great satisfaction to the public.
But leading and influential Senators, whose advice had been
rejected, and who were compelled by the high character of
the persons nominated to submit, and did not venture upon
a controversy with the President, were intensely angry with
the Attorney-General. The result was that when he was n