The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-12-16
One Presidential Term.


The New York Spirit Of the Times is the
chroDicer of "the tulf, field sports. and the
stage" aud cougen;ality Of tastes and scnti~
mentI made its proprietor the bosom friend
Of General Grant. But Mr.. Wilkes seems
TO have entered very heartily into the plans
Of those Republicans who oppose n ronomi
nation or reelection Of the present incum
bent of the Presidential Office. In the course
OF an able article. ths Times makes the FOL
lowing good suggestions:
"a very great interest seems 10 te felt, in
all parts OF the country, to know what mea-
sures will be adopted, and what line Of march
pursued, by those leading Republicans who
are opposed 70 tho administration CT General
Grant. 10 prevent the disgrace and the ca
lamitv Of his reelection to the Presidency Of
the United States. That such an rlfJrt will
be made, and earnestly made, in behalf Of
the HONEST and patriotic portion OF the Re-
publican party, in opposition to the slaves
and kycophants Of the Presidential fortunes,
has been tinally determined The gentlemen
WHO will direct this movemvnt against the
aspirations Of tie Great Office Holder. who
desires 30 rcreat himself in place, ard who
have already been derisively charactsrized by
the Court journals in the interests Of those
parasites, as 'malCon;ents,' aTs very we'll
known ID the country. and. without rogald
to their political opuious, enjoy the honor
Of general confidence.
I'VE need not, at this point, pause to de
velop the reasons why this course of action
has been decided upon by the patriotic pur-
ton of great and victorious party. Il is
sufficient that they regard General Grant as
an ignorant and incompetent man, governed
by gro,s instincts. di.danful Of the law.
using bis high Office as if it were 4 personal
possessiou, aud inspired by aspirations which
are represented rather by the sword than by
the obligations Of the oath uuder which he
took his office; IN short. q mere aGventurer,
who, gCldier-like, Only embraced the Repub-
licen faith because he saw success Within its
ranks.
The editor Of this paper desires to say
for himself. that while llo sharez the general
motives which actuste the other Republi~
cans alluded to in the premises, he feels that
he has special justification in resisting the
candidacy of General Grant for a second
term Of office. This justification may be
found in the facts-Grst, that the editor Of
this paper has bsen for many years an ear
nest advocate of au amendment TO the Con-
stitution. prohibiting any person from hold
ing the Presidential tfice for more than .
single term and next. bscaase Gen. Grant.
in a conversation with him, two days before
his nomination at Chicago. pledged himself
formally TO the same principle, bv declaring
II to bs his conviction that the liberties IF
this country could not be maintained without
One~Ierm Amendment 20 the Constitution,
and such Civil Services bill as would enable
the Presideut TO retain good men in Cfico'
This was EaId to the writer during one Of
those interviews, through which be had re.
stored friendly relations between Gen. Grant
and Gen. Butler. and was printed shortly
afterrard in the SpirI 9f The Times, and re-
printed during his friendly personal inter-
course with General Grant. without ohisction
on his part, or caVil On the part Of auy OF
his friends. This declaration by Geuerei
Grant. printed at such time, in i1urpal
OF which hs was AotGTioasly faithful read
er. may be fairly taken as q deliberate prom
ise. that he would not aspire to the houors
Of a second term ray, that he would hold
it to be criminal to do 40; and may be re-
garded. also. as a solemn pledge 10 tho W hole
country to the same effect. 10 organizing a
political opposition, therefore, to Genera,
Grants candidacy for q second term, We
naturally direct ourselves to the f.st salient
eTOUuu Oi op pOsftFOD, 10 VIII 10 demand mat
General Grant shall keep his uoEd-not only
because man ought always to keep his
word. but because. in this instance, it i. ne
esssary 10 the liberties of bis country that
he should do so.
1t is one thing. for a party entering upon
a crusade, sucl as 1t is necessary to direct
against the mighty power which surrounds
the White House and its banded legous eF
superservicesele slaves. to urge general prin-
cjples With the pen, and quite another thing
&c. put then in practical and campaigning
force. SO as to animate and engineer q cause
The frst work had been done. as we hays
seen. by Washington aud jackson, aud sap
ported by many writers. among whom the
editor Of this pepo: has probably bsea, for
the last ten years. the most conspicuous. 1t
was the lstter's fortune, however, willis re-
fectiag on this problem, during his recent
sojourn in Paris, 10 hit upon method of eff,
fecting the organization Of campaign upon
this principle. by giving j, cutting edge