Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-07-17
The overmasterlng question of the

The Oyermasterlng Question of the
Day.
The New York Herald discourses upon
what 1T calls "the overmastering question
of the day in the following striking man
ner:
Shall we have Cesarism Or republi-
canism7". In our history General Grant
has attained the position which Jefferson,
Jackson and Lincoln attaired. He is
master of the political situation. Supreme
ii, a party which is supreme in the nation,
commanding our politics and legislation,
he is irresistible. Our constitution, unlike
that of France and Spain, makes the Pres
idential office as imprepr eble as the Car.
Impeachment is practice no punishment,
and no President can be reached except
by revolution. 1t is, moreover, pam
full ard extraordinary fact that, while eve
rv politician in America is thinking over
the problem whether General Grant will
or will not be candidate for re election,
no leading republican has dared to say
that such candidacy would be pra teal
ly an avowal of the failure of republican
institutions. We see the unfortunate con
ditions of cur society-coruption in Con
gress, on the Bench in social life, luxury,
voluptuousness, craving for riches, the
absence of simplicity and truth IN our
lives. After Tammany Hall, and Erie
transactions, and, Credit Alobiiier, Casa-
rism is danger that can only be overcome
by such revolution rs was needed to de-,
stroy the Tammany Ring. Men like Mr..
ConkIng, whose eloquence thundered like
the rear Of Niagara against poor Mr.. Gree
+. lev and his fancies, are silent now. They
may say that they do not speak because
they will not be rude or unjust to the
President. They will not speak because
they dare not. When any Senator sup
presses the truth within him because Ca.
sar may frown, then he is q partisan, OF
Cesar. When any Senator has another
monitor for his political conscience than
the peoples will he is ready for any sur
render
Nor does it answer our arguments that
thecharacter of General Grant forblds any
apprehension that he will be a candidate
for re election, OF that, if elected, the ho-
critics Of the nation will be safe IN his
hands. To this we always answer that
when liberty depends upon the iorbear-
ance of any man it has no true life; for
while we have Grant to day, who may be
trusted, whom shall we have tomorrow
Rome had other Caesars than Jullus-nay,
she had Brutus before. c cesar, The evil IS
in our constitution in The subservience OF
our public men. Casarism does not nee
essarily mean that Caesar shall be a vlel-
GUS man. On the contrary, the men who
have mounted to supreme authority nave
generally been men OF rare transcendenJ
gifts What men were Caesar, Cromwell,
Napoleohl How rich in faculty and eX-
perience! how brave and renowned how
faithful to their country and its glory
Gesarism always make nation glorious;
but never free and it is because We would
rather have our country free than famous,
because we see the highest glory IN the
truest freedom, that we press this dlscus
sion. Nor does the character o. General
Grant entirely release him from anxiety.
He is soldier; he knows the felicity OF
authority. His ideas of the Presidency
have always been that it is in many senses
a personal Office. True and faithful as ne
has been, there are many things ne mas
done that show tendency to Casarlsm,
to the belief that, in some way, the fres-
ident has supremacy OF will that knows
no responsibility but to his OVID consci-
ence. From his first selection Of Cabl-
net down to his extraordinary assignment
of his son to q command for which the ar
nv records showed neither excuse nor pre-
cedent, every now and then we see the
Cesar spirit-the belief that there is q su-
preme responsibility which in the. royal
legends is called "by the grace OF God,
General Grant is no greater, no more pa
triotic, no more suited to his country. than
Caesar or Cromwell or Napoleon Each
of these men fought for his country and
would have died for it, In like manner
did General Grant But what these men
achieved for Rome and England and France
did not prevent their assuming power
when it was bestowed.
Therefore we contend that al sentlmen-
tai issues in our politics should be post
poned until we have decided the funda-
mental questions. We have seen France
pass through trialwhich we should dread
to see imposed upon America We have
seen her institutions submit to a strain
which we are sure our own could not re-
si>t. The lesson taught by France we
should be swift to learn. In the presence
Of this spirit of Casarism which pervades
our politics and has expression IN Wash
ington can we feel that there is no danger
to the Republic? Ii it is true that Gen
eral Grants friends mean to place him IN
nomination for q third term and he Is weak
enough to accept, then the issue will be
upon us-an issue involving the national
freedom. We elected General Grant Sec
ord time because his fame, his services
and the unparalleled calumnies heaped
upon him required no less vindlcation.
This VIC did as VIC had done to Washing
ion and Lincoln At the same time we
should gladly end tho precedent here and
support the one-teru amendment. Be-
yond that VIC cannot go; for if it is nee
essary to elect any man a perpetual Presl-
dent of the Republic We have no Repub-
lie Cnadulterated Repubhcanlsm Is IN
consistent with The idea Of perpetual.
constantly renewed power Better, as we
have said, abandon the expensive and IT.
ritating forms OF election and legislation
and government and return to our an
cient allegiance 10 Great Britain. The
Queens government would no doubt re-
gard us as something more than colony,
and worthy of repre-: entation in Parlla-
ment. and welcome us back with stars
and titles. We should have then, what
We are afraid we have not now, the right
TO pass judgment upon our rulers when
they no longer possess public confidence.
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Swindled Carolina.