The New York herald., 1873-08-15

rent apathy on the part OF the nation, when .
Major BUNDY-f 40 not believe that Grant
mas made or ever viii make the slightest exerton
REP0RrER-Suppose he did entertain that per-
nicious ambition, what would be his chancesf
-, Major BUNDY1I cannot tell as yet what would
DO MS cnancee. III the democratic party were to
KILL OFF ALL ITS FOOLS,
an opposition might come up strong enough to
very lively business at that so far We cannot tell
yet what effect the farmers organization In the
west may have. II may prove large and highly
ITSELF may turn the scale Of the contest. II 1t
had able men to undertake its leadership it would
be far more powerful than the old .liberty party''
which defeated Clay In 1910. The movement
against corporations, too, has its influence; Wash
66arne one Of its leaders Is friendly to Grant and
begun by the HERALD Is a very good thing. Our
people are ant not to think enough about the
may threaten It now and hereafter. Any provoca-
tion, therefore, aronsng the people to talk over
the nature OF our institutions, the powers OF the
Executive, &C., is likely to result in good.
GRANTS NATURAL TENDENCIES.
REPoRTEk-Does not Grants character comport
Win the a%Dsoa Of 6,m MS
Major BUNDy-General Grants education should
have produced the opposite effect upon him. And
modest in obeying ORDERS and while several OF the
other generals mad trouble with the superiors IN
command Grant never had. On the contrary,
priety, he always showed very quiet and unpre-
tenti0us dignity, and never the least sign OF In
subOrdination. His disposition may be called te-
nacious; yet he has never shown purpose OF
increasing his power or OF overstepping Its limits.
There can be found IN his career no instance when
he did this, while at least dozen OF his brother
generals had difficulties of that sort with their
military superi0rs, and sometimes with the depart
mentS at Washington.
sYCOPHANTs ALONE FAVOR CEsARIsM
REPoRrER-Major. do you not think that there
really exists half dormant sentiment in iavOr OF
q third term for General Grant?
Major BUNDY-Ony among men who want to be
In ONCE or wish themselves to be counted among
the friends OF the President. Papers which sus-
tain Grant have treated the subject very cavi-
herly, looking upon 1t as merely question OF
usage and not of principle or OF any deep slgnih-
or three years in the political theatre which may
change the whole aspect OF the subject we, oil
course, do not know. Grant as candidate for a
third term may then be as much necessity as was
the election OF Lincoln at the beginning OF the war
or the appointment OF Grant as Commander Of the
Army OF the Potomac before tts Close There may
GENERAL CHAOS OF PARTIES
from the uprising in the Northwest The Changers,
Tor instance may be divided under small demo-
cratic and republican leaders, and In seeking q
union (wherein alone Is strength) they may pre-
fer TO all Others such man as Grant to lead them
in the fight A great many people have an lndis.
tnct belief that Grant IL not afraid OF anything or
anybody and would not be controlled by any cor
REPORTER-Do you not think that this agitation
may result IN causing revision OF the constltu-
ton SO that the Presidential term Of Office will be
Major BuNDY-Hardy before the election Of 1875,
although the measure might be made rider OF
choosing the Chief Magistrate Several Of the lead
ers in the Senate and House OIL representatives,
however, II they thought there was any danger or
Grants reelection, would combine to push such an
amendment to ratification as quickly as possible.
They themselves desire the Presidency.
The interview here ended.
MIR. Erastus Brooks, Of the New York
Evening Express.
MIR. Erastus Brooks, editor-in.chief OF the New
York EOentng Express and brother of the late
James Brooks, M c. was found in his sanctum
yesterday afternoon just closing up the matter for
the last edition OF his paper Upon being informed
by the reporter of the object OF the visit made he
expressed his willingness TO grant five minutes or
so to the subject, as he was then somewhat busy.
The conversation which ensued was as follows:-
REPoRrER-I have called to ascertain your views,
generally, upon tie subject OF third term for the
Presidency, anu the question of the possibilities
and probabilities OF C1sarsm In our governments
Mr.. BRooKs-well, with such an old whig as my
self there could be but one view in reference to
the successive eligibility OF a President TOR re-
election. have thou2ht great deal Of the sub
ject and have discussed it for thirty years in my
PAPER and am in favor of limiting the tenure OF
the ONCE to a single term. am in favor, however
of extending that term.
REPORTER TO what length OF time, Mr.. Brooxss
Mr. BRoOgs-Well, TO six years, and the circum-
stances might justify even term of eight years
rather than that q man should be twice elevated
to the Office would extend the term so as to
avoid the frequency OF political commotion.
REpoRrER-what are the evils which you believe
to now from the system of permitting President
to be q candidate q second or third time for re-
electionf
Mr. BRooKs-I believe he Is too apt to permit his
desire TO secure denomination and reelection to
shape and control his Official acts He will be likely
to WELD the power OF his office to achieve
SUCCESS TO HIMSELF
when, with a mind wholly devoid Of personal in
terest and devoted to the public requirements that
influence might have been exerted in another and
purely normal direction. Besides, our government
is very di1ereut concern now from what it was
nifty or seventy-lve years ago. The power OF .
President then anu OF President now are largely
altered. single Illustration will demonstrate
that fact, when we consider that in John quincy
Adams time the expenses OF the govern
ment were s13,OooOOO annually, whereas now
they are s30O,0C0,000, and the power OF
the Chief Magistrate is increased in just
that proportion also. The revenues are
larger and the political dependents oiiicehOld-
ers surrounding President are numbered by tnOu-
sands. These thousands OF Oice-hoders, II Presi-
dent becomes candidate for reelection, are, of
course in accord with hun, and it becomes mat
ter of personal interest instead OF public duty with
them. l am in iavor decidedly of a constitutional
provision limiting the eligibility. Jefferson might,
doubledly, have been elected third time, out
he expressed hllnself AS opposed to the movement
and jackson held similar views. IL Is the natural
tendency OIL form OF government to drilt In this
direction OF SUGGESTIONS, and Is largely due to
the fact that the government is derived from the
people.
1T BEGINS AT THE LOWEST ROUND
with the caucus, then comes the primary meeting
and then the County convention. The County
Convention sends It's delegates to the State Con-
venton, and the state Conventions are represented
in the National convention, aud the National Con-
vention nOminates the candidate for the Pres
dency. Thus although tnat caucus or primary
meeting may be iormed BY mere uozen persons
In back room, the whcle concern soon becomes
sort OF association, party, and the tendency Is TO
work inside or with 1.-THE machine" and this
leads to these attempts TO perpetuate the powers
ofparty, and oltentlmcs OF individuals, as repre-
seuting the party. You will thus see how sucn u
result may now from what was In its origin
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