The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-03-24

opera house. Several others Of those among the
sufferers lose to the amount of hundred thousand
dollars The fire extended the wide thoroughfare
known Fourth street. injurng the Buckeye Billiard
Saloon to the of ten thousand dollars but not ex-
tending to other buildings the same block. We also
have reports Of large fire at Medina N. T., but the
losses are not estimated
The Next Presidcncy-The Position OF
General Grant.
In the midst of the political excitements of
the day General Grant is looming up into bold
relief as the man for the next Presidency. As
King Saul among the mighty men of Israel
stood head and shoulders above them all, so
stands General Grant, in his great achievements,
among the heroes Of the Union, victorious from
the difficult work of crushing the late gigantic
Southern rebellion. He has accordingly Sc
cured place in the gratitude and confidence
of the American people which is regarded as
certain to bring an easy triumph to the party
for the succession with which his great name
may be identified. Hence we find that the
paper ,ress, are beginning to claim and PFC PFC
claim him as their candidate and their excu-
sive property. Thus Mr.. Washburne, of Illinois,
in the House; Mr.. Wilson, of Massachusetts, in
the Senate, and Master Forney, of their Wash
ington organ, and various other journals of the
same school, have taken up and announced the
name of General Grant as the watchword which
is TO hold their rank and file together in the in
terval, and give them another lease of power
in 1868.
Weapprehend, however, that in all these neat
calculations and great expectations the radi-
Gals are reckoning without their host. What is
the position of General Grant on the leading
issues of the dayf From the morning after the
assassination of President Lincoln to this time
he has been the right hand man Of President
Johnson. We believe that there is cordial
understanding and perfect harmony between
these two distinguished men. In regard to the
restoration of the Southern States to Congress,
and in regard to Mexico, though General
Grant is not q political speech maker or letter
writer he has spoken and written in support Of
the Presidents policy. We undertake to say,
too, that when President Johnson, in his recent
speech to the Montana delegation, declared
that he had no aspirations for the next Presi-
dency, he had General Grant in view as his
rightful and acceptable successor. In his lib
eral terms of surrender accorded to General
Lee, and in everything else that he has said or
done, General Grant has shown himself any
thing but a radical. From his intimate Off
cial relations with the President, and from the
absence of even rumor of a disagreement, we
may safely assume that there is no rivalry be-
tween johnson and Grant for the succession,
but that the one is well pleased with the idea
that the other, in 1868, may be elected to regu-
late the radicals.
But it will be remembered that President
Johnson is ambitious of one thing. He believes
that his Southern policy is right he believes
that II commands the appreciation of the coun-
| try, and he desires and hopes TO accomplish
the work of Southern restoration during his
| present term Of Office. In this hope, however.
he may be disappointed, and the contest be-
| tween his system and the radical system of re-
construction may be prolonged to the end Of
his present term, and may then be cast in such
shape as to leave him no alternative but that
of direct appeal to the people for their YER
dict upon his administration. In this event,
we predict the radicals will be disappointed in
their calculations Of using the name and fame of
General Grant expressly to break down Presi-
dent Johnson and his policy; for, in fighting out
his fight with Stevens, johnson viii become the
candidate of Grant, inasmuch rs Grant may
| now be considered the candidate of Johnson,
under the impression that with his present
term the appointed work Of the latter will be
finished, and that he may wisely and grace
fully retire.
II the radicals. therefore, wish TO share in the
honors and emoluments of the next Presidency
they must change their tactics and seek rather 10
assist than TO embarrass the President in restor-
ing the South TO Congress. Otherwise, in the vim
dcation Of his policy he may be compelled to
stand before the people for another term. aud
General Grant recognizing the justice Of his
claims, may Withdraw in his favor. The ques-
ton TO be considered IL, not the popularity of
General Grant, in any contingency, but whether
he will consent TO run in opposition to an adj
minstration with which he is identified as an
active co-laborcr. From the cordial relations
between them we predict that If President
johnson shall be pushed 10 the extremity OF
running for another term General Grant will
sustain him, for we cannot believe that the
| General has the remotest idea Of taking the
field in opposition TO President johnson or his
policy.
THE News FROM rHE SourH PAuFc--THE
SECOND NAVAL VICTORY oF rHE CHrTEAS-PERu-
WAS FrEEr.-The news from the seat OF war
on the South Pacific coast grows in interest
The Spanish irigates villa de Madrid and
Blanca had encountered the allied squadron
in the harbor Of Ancud, and. after brisk en-
gagement of two hours duration. were re-