Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-07-29
THE THIRD TERN NONSENSE.
From the Brooklyn Eagle, Democrat

THE IHlRD TERN AOASENSE.
From the Brooklyn Eagle, Democrat
We do not believe that General Grant will
run fer third term, and we esteem it of
slight Importance whether he desires to do so
or not. Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jack
son gave way to the example Washington set.
They were the only Executives since the first,
of sufficient momentum TO render a third term
at all likely to be proposed for them. desire
even for second term has been the catas-
lrophe of every Executive who INDUCED in it
since Jackson, save Lincoln and Grant Both
were elected because of exceptional services
and circumstances. Their reelection was n
clear success OF the popular will In each
case the men made the running and the two
term prlnclple was simply form adopted by
the people, who could to their own satisfac-
! ton honor the men they had resolve! to hon
/ or III no other way. On the whole, the rarity
Of re-elections confirms the assertion that one
termism is the general habit and preference
Of our country We depart from that habit in
few cases, but just often enough to show that
we can do what we please With our own. We
| have never shared the appreheESons OF the
one terra school. We would he wiling to
see the constitution amended as th4t school
! wants. Bur We are not very earnest about il,
and cannot find it III us 10 get scared about it
| The people Of this country always have been
I
| We reckon they always will be pretty able 10
| do so.
Nor 30 We believe that Grant is :he sort Of
| man to troable himself with that phantom OF
a third term There is no evidence that he is
Men in this iAttude want no better assuranee
that il won't Snow IN July, than the tAct that
1t j. July. Nor do sensible FOLKS wart any
better assurance TINT Grams IS not iultne.l
with tn third term nonsense than .h. CON
ia, +f,t. f,.t., go.
whence i.os issued this mid Sumn..r madness
l. docs violence 10 coln:uoa 81 use trt! uniYgr-
stt kHo"isdEe Of him 10 paint the President
a. an ambitious. aspiring compound OF Gn1
fawkcS and Jallus Cesar. Frank l.. Blair
dT.. made some discoveries about Grant
which five years Of his occupancy of the most
public @, our Offices have not confirmed. 1t
was the calm conclusion OF that retired pro-
phet that !. Grant ever 20: t. BE- President
the people would never ct rd of him. Til,
peopa OF Missouri had no such difficulty viii
Frank. the people OF the nitcl States will
have no suea difficulty with Franks mscon-
strued President, when the time comes There
is TO single act oGthe Administration, there 3
no known habit or association of the PRESIDENT
which tends towards third term The man
who dglited into the second term by Wis inertia.
Will dFtt iHio private life q. the close Of that
/ term, ~ the Interchangeable iBpui y Of settled
/ traditional custom.
We dissent from the tentative policy, We
disagree with most Of the appointments we
! do not relish the domestic or foreign tone of
the Administration. But we find in none of
these things the slightest pcetext on which to
see the shadow OF n shade of apprehension
about absplutI>n or CwSarism. On the CON
trary, the reverse is what we find. On mat
ttrS as TO winch criticism has been hottest
the EXecuHye bark has been worse than the
Executive bite. He has had giants strength
by law, which lie might have used against the
South and in all State elections. But be has
not used it like giant. He bore down a lit
tie on North Carolina, South Carolina and
Louisiana. Few justify that bat none can
maintain that he went to anything like the
length OF his legal tether. The habits of the
President are primitively democratc He
goes where he wants TO and leaves when it
pieases him. He travels invariably with his
consort and children, like the good family
man he is. He has properly low value OF
the force Of unjustiiiable denunciation and
snap criticism. He is lamentably lacking in
appreciation of the selt-proclaimed illimitable
power of the press. In short, he does what
he pleases, unless he pleases to do something
else. 1t palpabiy pleases him to keep his
mind and body as snng and comfortable as
possible, especially in hot weather. We
wish he was less Indifferent. But for the life
of US we cannot esteem him dangerous We
wish he was less phlegmatic and more digni-
| fed bat that in his mind he harbors a coup
detat is asking too much for people to be-
lleye who recognize in their Chief Magistrate,
matter-ot-tac. person, devoid of ''airs" al
together, and of proved patriotism.