Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-24
TIE THIRD TERM.

THE THIRD TERM.
One of the redeeming elements of
,,,,non character is humor. When we
aoo man sparkling all over with fun,
~ a woman that shews face full of
JinnIes. we at once discard the doctrine
Of total depravity, and wouldn't believe
=. # if It was we'll lived up to. For
.ayoral weeks back the Dolly Warden
journals have been specializing upon the
probabilities of Gen. Grant being can
55i5ote for President for the third time
IN 1876. We had looked upon it as a
mood Joke and regarded it as an evidence
9hot our sore head friends were trying to
,,ncb off the disastrous defeat of the
Iost election by humorous illusions to
,ho next and with that conviction we
hod Great hopes that they would come
ant Of their slough of dispond, and be
ready for good square canvass three
vaars from this summer, upon great and
imnortant issues, and national questions,
hnt # appears they are in dead earnest
IN this matter; that as they made per-
soraI war upon President Grant in the
lost election with falsehood and SANDER
IS their principal weapons, they cannot
now refrain from continuing the fight
with the same tools.
Il is cause of congratulation that there
+. nothing in the administration of the
President that his most jealous enemies
can attack, so they have to create the
nbaotom of a third term, to have
something to kick against in connection
with his name. This is not the first in
stance in which a President, who was so
satisfactory in his first term as to merit
q reelection, has been still more popular
IN his second. and we fail to see in the
general approval by the people of the
course of the administration during the
four months of his second term any evil
dence that he or the party that elected
him are scheming for another four years
of power for our firm, quite and well
beloved President 1t cannot be said
Gen. Grant is using his influence or pat
ronago in that direction, for we find him
conducting the public business hy "A strict
adhcrauce to plans formed and adopted
hy the fathers of the republic, eXereis-
inc the same far-seeing craftsmanship
and foresight that made him master of
the situation during the dark days of the
country's agony, counting no favors and
keeping his own counsels.
This cry of third term comes solely
from those who opposed a second, not
that Gen, Grant has expressed or init
mated a desire to be again a candidate,
not that any political party has indicated
such purpose. but because there must be
some bug-hear for political sensatlonists
to weep over, and appeal to the dear
people about in double-leaded columns.
The warnings of Frank Blair, after get
ting up from the composition of the
Broadhcad letter, in 1868, that it would
not do to put Grant in the White House,
because once in he would stay there, we
trust will create no more alarm now thar
when first sounded. The great pOpu
laritv Of the incumbent is nothing new
Washington, jefferson, Madison, Mon
roe, jackson and Lincoln, were all pop
uar chief magistrates, and the custom
of the nation in giving a second term t.
4 President who, by integrity and homes
administration, has won the pOpula
heart, and never thinking of third, ha
settled the course of succession to tina
high office as irrevoCably as a constitu
tional provision, and Gen. Grant and hi
partv friends would never have suggest
ed or thought of a third term, had it no
been for the cry of C@sarism from tn
Warden camp.
1t is certainly an innocent amusemen
for the opposition press to spend thei
space and the time of their readers il
showing the possibility Of the electOra
vote of thiry-one States and a pOpnla
majority of over seven hundred thousan,
again rlccting General Grant; it is ful
as profitable as it would be for them t.
delneate the causes why their mongre
scheme had so feeble a following in tn
last campaign, 1hqt it strikes US that
would be full as interesting if the,
would collate the signs of the times il
reference to the price Of cotton tire
years hence, or make some caicGlatio
on the quantity of breadstuffs in 1876
for people would have as much faith /
their representations on that subject a
on their ability, after the experience 0
the past, in predicting a political tida
wave. As a President Gen. Grant i
his first term so satisfied the people tia
they gave him the endorsement of a
enthusiastic reelection. In his secon
he has so far retained his place in th
public esteem, and we hope to see th
staunch old Republican party in 1877
select candidate who will for anothe
eight years prove a worthy successor {
Lincoln and of Grant.
ARBITRATION.