The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-14
Tne Englfsh Ally 60 an Amerlcsu
Csessr-Life Term Logic from the
Alabama Builders.

C~ssr-Life Term Logic from tho
Alabama Builders.
One of the best arguments yet advanced in
support of our position on the tendency to
C@sarism in our government will be found in
the special despatch to the HERALD which
transmits the opinions Of the London Times
on the question of third term for President
Grant. If we have complained of the silence
of the President on this momentous question
and the evasive utterances of his most inter-
ested supporters we were all the while morally
certain that we should soon be able to gauge
accurately the amount quality and location of
the forces willing to cooperate for an assault
on the citadel Of our liberties. From the be-
ginning we have clearly foreshadowed the
gradual sapping advances with which the
siege would be conducted by whomsoever dared
to compass the audacity necessary for the
attack. We have shown how the process could
be accelerated by the laundering sallies of
those well-meaning people who rely upon
their own patriotism and lack comprehension
of the plans, positions and numbers of the
besiegers. We have shown what false lights
by night and deceptive cries by day the
citizens would be tortured, misled and con-
fused by, while the Cesar, like panther, was
gathering his iron sinews for the last DEATH
dealing spring. Now we have unmarked
another foe-a foreign one. From England,
Of all nations in the world, we are absolved
from taking advice upon our internal affairs.
Never in our history, from the day on which she
hauled down her flag at the Battery, have we
had to record a single action by which it could
be made certain that she bore honest goodwill
to America for Americas sake International
arcadianisms aside, it is not in the
order of things that she should. Her
form of government. her aristocratic castles,
her commercial exigencies-in o word, her
institutions forbid it. The instincts of self
preservation in her ruling and governing
classes alone would account for it. We have
had one war with her since 1888, and thrice
since have we been on the verge Of another.
If she has not been plain-spoken with US ex-
cept when impressing our seamen or firing on
our cities, quarrelling over boundaries, bully
ing us in our dire extremity or building and
the seas, we have by this time been able to
separate the poison grains Of her animus from
the gilded chaff of her rhetoric To this con-
summate knowledge Of her tactics is due the
era of apparent goodwill which has followed
the payment Of the Geneva award. In such
season it has been Englands fashion to
platitudinize for US in terms Of oily patronage
as complacent as they are interested.
The editorial of the London Times, which
will be found elsewhere, is in perfect keeping
with England's traditional atttude-a fair
expression Of the cheerfulness with which she
would contemplate the humiliation of demo-
cratic government on the American Continent.
But we cannot afford to let the words of the
Times pass with the natural and sweeping
condemnation which Virgil put in the Trojan's
mouth-to fear the Greeks even when they
come with gifts. A close examination shows
that these gifts of advice from England are
worthy Of our study. They indicate exactly
what allies the third term conspirators can
boast; but they do much more They carry
forward the logic of such course to all but
its ultimate end with frankness which will
startle those on this side of the Atlantic who
have persistently denied that any such results.
could flow from placing General Grant for a
third term in the Presidential chair When,
in admitting how third term would lead to
fourth and thence to life Presidency, it stops
short and tells us that the emotion of despot-
ISM may be dismissed, it shows either COM
plete ignorance Of the situation or shameless
perversion thereof to suit it's special ends.
The responsibility of the Office, the immense
official machinery at it's command, the Gu
mulative force of public plumber in the
hands Of its followers, are negations of any
light worded dismissal of ''the notion of
despotism.
There is q special undercurrent in the Times
article which we we'll know is intended for
the behoof of that unfortunately growing
class in this countryside perfumes fingered
.indifferentists and the wealth-selfsh. They
alone. of the American people, can take COM
fort in the patronizing complacency with
which portion OF the English nation will
always regard an attempt to sap the founda-
tons of the American Republic or an en-
ueu'oI W eHecV cHanBeS III Ine ulStiucuVe
features Of our democratic government which,
once accomplished, would weaken, if not de-
stroy, the hold of great principles upon us.
Ever ready, when the eyes of this class are
upon them, to shed crocodile tears over the
abuses of our system, this portion Of the
English nation can deftly pour into willing
ears specious encouragement to the
use, against such abuses, of remedies to
the English taste. Thus the Times does
not mince matters about how desira-
BILE it thinks the gradual extinction
of elections would be, but gives q sop to the
indifferentists, which they will only be too
glad to use, like all shirkers of duty, as an
apology for themselves. When it says