The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-09

the White House. But the Devil is not
fool, and Geary will never be President
Says Greeley furthermore: l fully
purpose also never to decline any duty or re-
sponsibility which my political friends shall
see fit to devolve upon me, of which shall
be able to fulfil the obligations without
neglecting more imperative duties" This
means, of course, that if any exalted func-
tions should, through the unsolicited agency
of political friends, ''devolve" upon the
Philosopher he would not shirk
their performance, provided always he would
still have time enough at his disposal to write
daily leader for the Tribune, and indulge
in semi-occasional disquisition on "What 1
Don't Know About Farming" At the time
of writing his Kansas letter Mr.. Greeley
had not yet formed a decided opinion as to
the man who ought to be our next Repub-
lican candidate for President, but"-here it
comes again, with all its destructive force
'but it seems to me advisable that he should
be steadfast, constant believer in
the good old Whig doctrine of one
Presidential term" Which the same U. S.
Grant is not, and Horace Greeley is. So,
while the philosopher of the Tribune is 'not
yet" fully prepared to announce his belief in
the expediency of having executive functions
''devolved" upon himself, he is fully prepared
to assert his belief that they will
have 'devolved" upon President Grant
long enough by the close of his present term.
Of course, Greeley wants to be President
who does not, when even John w. Geary
can have such aspirations? But the Office must
''devolve" upon him, and must not interfere
with the "more imperative duties" of the
Tribune Office and the farm at Chappaqua. In
all this, the Philosoper is perfectly honest. If
the people rose en- na0sse and forced him to
seek shelter in the Executive Mansion on
peril of his life, it would be harder work to
get him out before his time was up than it
was to drive him in. But, if the door stood
wide open to the first conner, and no man
raised his voice for or against him, it is ex-
tremely doubtful if he would take the trouble
to walk in and turn the key af ter him.
Says Sherman furthermore: nomi-
mated by either party, should peremptorily
decline, and even if elected unanimously
should decline to serve" And to clinch this
plump avowal, he adds:-''If you can find
language stronger to convey this meaning,
you are at liberty to use it." In simple truth,
this blunt soldier does not want to be Presi-
dent. The Democracy will evidently have to
accept him at his word, for he speaks of
''either party" and Eliminates his declination
at both and all combined. He will not even
be driven into Office. If the six million voters
of the country should lift up their voices in
absolute harmony, General Sherman will not
submit to having Presidential cares ''devolve"
upon him. If he should be driven into the
White House for safety, he will crawl out the
back window and scale the Washington Monu-
ment to escape the unanimous importantly
of the nation. There was perhaps
no necessity for him to be quite
so emphatic; but he had doubtless
lead Gearys speech and Greeley's letter, and
| felt obliged to make his meaning clearly un-
derstood. And in this he is wise in his day
and generation, wiser than some of his oon-
temporaries. He can afford to be content.
Geary can not, and Greeley will not. Geary
can not, because he has gone from bad enough
to worse from the start; while Greeley has
always made it point never to shirk new
responsibility that "devolves" upon him,
unless it demands the neglect of ''more i'm
perative duties
1