The New York herald., 1873-09-09
G E S A r | s M.
C@sarism from an Eng
1ish Point Of View.
The Power Of the Execu-
tive Patronage.
THE DANGER TO THE REPUBLIC.
From the Gondon) Pail Mall Gazette.l

|
| victors and vanquished have hung up their armor
and abandoned their strategy for while. One set
is loaded with the spos OF ONCE and silently con-
tent; another set Is compelled to look out upon
| prospect OF four years. hopeless exclusion from
| the sweet pastures OF power. But 1t s in this
| sleepy season that some OF the most remarkable
changes in the position Of American parties have
| occurred. and when the "men inside politics."
| to use q frequent American expression, have
| awakened again to the business of election
eering, they have often found that the stealthy
workers In the dull season have stolen march
upon them. Some fears have been entertained in
the United States that this is already happening
with regard to General Grants pretensions to be
reelected to the Presidency for third time. 1t Is
| said that he and the party managers who are so
faithful to him and jealous for him laboring to
exclude the chance of any other nomination by the
| republican party az the convention OF 1875, and
they calculate, after their complete victory last au
tumn over the democrats and the seeding republi-
cans combined, that their organization, once fairly
put In the field, will be irresistible. There many
circumstances which are favorable to these
schemes, presuming them to be entertained by the
friends OF the President There Is the alb.
sence OF any conspicuous political figure In
the republican ranks, except General Butler,
and for the present General Butler limits
State There Is the devotion OF the wirepullers and
the place hunters to President who has become
their instrument and placed himself at their head
more openly than any who have gone before him.
There is the decrepitude of the democratic party
which goes about feebly cropping Tor policy or
even cry, and finding none There Is the discom-
future OF the republican reformers, the marplots OF
politics. who have busted themselves more about
such things as freedom Of trade and purity Of ad-
minstration and civil service reform than about
maintaining the discipline Of the party, and
who were punished by political extinction year
ago. On such influences the wirepullers who hope
to- carry General Grant third time for the Presi-
dency are counting, and they have q right so to
count They have succeeded in discredlttng
most Of the politicians who are in the second rank
and those who are casually mentioned as possible
competitors for the ONCE are men whose reputa-
tions reject light by comparison upon the Presi-
Blaine are so insignificant that we should say their
names have been shrewdy suggested by way Of
showing how poor Is the chance OF obtaining an
efficient ana respectable substitute for General
Grant. Mr.. Henry Wilson, the Vice President, is
broken III health; Mr. Sumner is seceder from
his party, and many other weknOwn politicians
have been too suspciously implicated IN the COM
mercial scandals OF which many have been lately
exposed. There remains the chance OF another
military candidate for the Presidency; but OF the
two soldiers who alone would have any chance OF Op-
posing General Grant with success the one, General
Sherman has declared himself to be no politician;
and the other General Mcclellan, II q candidate at
which is in hopeless minority Everything, there
fore, appears to point to the probability that Gen.
era Grant will obtain three years hence the nOmi-
nation Of the republican party for the third time,
and, uniess the balance OF parties be entirely al
his election Should this happen an established
custom which has come to have almost the force
be broken through. When the constitution OF the
United States was framed the danger that the
bitious chief of the executive to found
personal sovereignty was 1oreseen and dis
debate naS pS' the int
President, although finally the concession was
made. But for the good sense and modesty OF
Washington the provision might have wrought
mischief long ago. Washington accepted office for
a second time, but declined to be put in nomlna.
tnat longer period OF personal rule would be
dangerous and Unconstitutional. His example was
followed by Jefferson, by Madison, by Monroe. and
by General Jackson, each OF whom governed for
two terms, or eight years. Alter General Jack
until the closing months OF the civil war when Mr.
Lincoln was reelected by an immense majority
over General Mcclellan. one cannot predict what
career had not been cut, Short but
the ease with which General Grant sue
makes 1t probable that If Mr.. Lincoln had cared to
come forward a third time as candidate he would
easily have obtained majority. But would he
have cared TO do SOY 1t is much more likely that
he would have followed the example OF all his most
distinguished predecessors and laid down his office
at the end OF his second term. But General Grant
is in many ways very unlike Mr.. Lincoln, and there
is reason :or crediting him with superstitious
reverence for the example or the opinions OF
Washington and mis- early successors.
1t is very remarkable that General Jackson, the
last of the Presidents who governed for two terms
before the civil war; declared himself in his first
message to Congress in favor OF the dlsquallnca-
tion OF the President for reelection. though he |
suggested az the same time the proprri,
ETY. OF lengthening the term OF service. In
the OF the STATES snis es au
chosen for term OF six years and was dlsquaiiled
for reelection. The same question was debated 3a
c,,ha tlv in fha n TO
sons conflict with Congress, and some remarkaDle
speeches were made on the subject, among others
change, however has been made in the constitu-
tlon and If General Grant has the daring TO break
through the CUSTOM which the warnings OF wash
ingtOn have consecrated, he will find no legal OBJ
stace to his ambition. The question 10r the Amer
man in the place OF General Grant might make OF the
immense resources which he Yields. Inc power OF
patronage was never before organized into system
so complete and so coherent as that wnlch is az
the disposal OF President Grant. Caucuses anu
wire pallers and the stirring ecp!oite'ns OF count
less rings and obbies are bound In iatnlu e. ane
glance TO the Chief OF the Executive by the bonds
OF this comprehensive system. IL shouid De re-
membered that the patronage OF the admln'stra, sra,
ton is almost wholly OF modern growth, and that
the practice OF removing the mass OF ehe puunv i
been developed within the last half OF the eighty
four years. existence OF the American constitu-
item General Jackson was the lonnncr o@ " po,Itss
rewards and punisnments. In ,oo MS oo,c,s,s csn'
years OF rule he removed esS constits. 9lr'sn.s
tonal government that preceded his election only
sixty -four removals had taken place; ins engine
OF authority has now been perfected. ana u never
was used skilfully by General CRAM. Grant ,vhn IL Is
certain that this influence, aided oy oSneas "nvn %
1t is unnecessary to indicate more preclseIy, con-
solldates the strength OF the President ior g0ou or
evil more enectuay during every aoutionai year
of his power. There Is I'm the American mlnu
traditional and almost fanatcal detestation OF tne
hereditary principle and II Is in the hignest uegree
unlikely that General Grant or anv other Anerlcan
President will be able to eradicate preJudlce SO
deeply rooted as this. Bat 1t is quite possiDe tnat
n the custom which limits the ambition OF fresi-
dent to a second term Of ONCE be broken tnrouen
crafty and inscriptions chief OF the american can
Executive NAV succeed in imposing nlmseu ior-
maIly upen the Republic as o personal ruler ior ms
lifetime.