Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-09-12
The Second Term.

Since 1924 there have been but two
instances of Presidents being electca for
a second term, and in those cases each
ofthem had expressed opinions against
the policy of reflections; but the people
in each instance demanded it. Owing
to emergencies in national affairs, Jack
son and Lincoln received second no
minalon, whic met the approval ofthe
people. Presidents who have desired a
denomination, and who shaped their Ad-
ministration so as to secure it, have been
defeated: and this is a result that will in
cWtablv attend Gen. Grants persistent
and unseemIy efforts to continue him
self in Office.
The Convention which nominated
him was mainly composed of Office
holders. The number Of such now
exceeds more than two-lold the standing
army of the United States. y percent
age on their salaries furnishes an enor-
nous corrupting fund, to be used in in
aucncing the elections; and their per
sonal eyertions, from the highest Cabi
net officer to the lowest tde-waitcr, is
being used, wherever a local or State
election occurs, to carry it, as evidence
of Gen. Grants popularity.
We have recently seen the efforts Of
Gen. Grant to re-elcct himself by allow
inc Cabinet officers to take the stumpin
every State where elections have been
held. In Oregon, the Attomey-General
of the United States, Mr.. Williams re-
gardless of his duties and on the extreme
verge Of the Continent, occupied his per-
suasiye powers to assist in elccting men,
bcrs orthc Legislature and Congress-
man. In North Carolina we have seen
three members of the Cabinet, Boutwell,
ofthc Treasury, Robson Of the Navy,
Dclano Of the INTERIOR bring influences
to bear on the elections there. And State
after State, during the campaign, will
be visited by these servants ofthc people,
who are dcgcnerating in character to the
lowest level reached by the carpet-baS-
gers.
This interference of Cabinet officers
in local elections would not occur under
the onc-tcrm principle. The President
would not be sufficiently biased in his
feelings to allow such departure from
the rules of propriety. These high rank
ing demagogues have made the most
prcposterouS statements to the people,
who listened in awe to their remarks,
that Grant had paid of, three hundred
millions of the National debt They eX-
pccted the people to believe their assert
ions, as if Grant did it, for they did not
mention the enormous sums extracted
from their pockets, which, ifeconoml-
cally used would have reduced the debt
at least one hundred millions more, and
have brought legal tenders to their par
value in gold and silver.
While the Cabinet officers are scat
tered from North Carolina to Oregon,
and the President is ruralizing by the
sea, the clerks at Washington are run
ming the Government We doubt not
these subalerns are fully as honest and
as capable as their superiors, but we do
not think that so many of the former
should teabsent at one time on ele, ton.
ecring raids. The American people
can vote intelligeutly without their ad-
vice, for many of their speeches have
sought to inhame the passions of their
hearers. The representative GRANTEES
employed language on the stump which
proved that they did not desire the
auimosiies of the past to be forgotten.
They did not preach from the text
which their chieftain used in 1868.
Instead of saying "Let us have peace"
they tried to revive the spirit Of hatred
and strife wherever they spoke.