, 1873-08-09
CE1hRIET.

Tho Washington Chronicle in repeated articles
has sought to inlproas On tho country the fact
that Gou. Grant's election to O third torn may
be d necessity, while ostonsibly ridiculing tho
Now York Ileralds articles OIL " "Cnsarism." Tho
Indianapolis Journal, also q Republican organ,
GU tho other hand, has repeatedly ridionled tho
assumption that Grants election to a third term
can. undor eny circumstances, DO contemplated.
It has embraced each occasion, howevor, to
mako an elaborate argument against tho third
torn principle, apparently booming 1t nocossnry
to arouse public aontimont to Oppose it. Tho
country, moro or losB, arc discussing this quos-
tion Of O@Rarisna, and It may bo appropriate to
inquire what CnBarism ia, md who would 10
likely to favor it.
Cmsarism is tho establishment Of absolute
power in single hand tho proceeding having
tho semblanco Of popular choice. When mon
speak Of CDaariBm in tho United Statoa,
thoy 10 not mean that the form OF tho Govern
nent will bo overthrown in q day, or that per-
son holding tho Office Of President will, by q
decroc, or D coup t'etat, or by military violence,
declRre tile Republic at an ond. Julius Cgsar,
In 3. G. 40, crossed tho Rubicon and entered
Rome; in 48 was elected Consul, and tho namo
year temporary Diotator; in August, At. was
again made Dictator; in 10 WAS mado Dictator
for ten years; in 45 7as declared Pator patrip,
.Eo., md Imporator for life, aud Dictator. Throe
timos he rojoctod tho crown, and in March. 44,
was aBsasainated. THO First Napoleon, hastily
returning from Egypt in October, 1900, over
turned tho Directory, aud was made ono Of threo
Consuls; IN December waa made First Consul;
in May, 1902, was rlado solo Consul for ten
yeara; in August Of tho sa'no yoar was mado
Consul for lfo; in AIny, 1901, had himself de-
clarod Emperor. and i'll December WIS crowned.
Napoleon III. was elected President in Doccmbor,
1848, for four years. III December, 1861, declaring
that tho people wantod him for longer time, l,o
submitted tho question to n popular vote, and
was elected President for ton yeara. A gear
later, Ao submitted tho question agaill to pop
ular vote, md tho Empire waH declared, less tllan
PSI, ,o00 out Of 100000 Of yotos being cast in
tile negative. In eacl Of these caBoa, tho steps
wore taken in Ree1ning ohetllonco to tho will Of
| tho majority. III oach case tho poriol required
| to advance from tho lowest to tho highest powor
was about hyo yeerB, aud tho result in eacJ, caso
wns absolute dospotism. ThoBo who discuss tho
| posaibilitoa Of OnsariHm iii tho United States
trace tho slcrs thus A third torn; MI election
for ton yoara; aa election for llfo; abolition Of
State Governments; Tho foundation Of porma-
mont dynasty by popular yoto, or what passcs for
HGch.
For tho proaont, Cnsarism is laughing
stock, but 1t is more than probable that In Il
worry short t!1no 1t would Layo the direct or inl'
rect support OF uovoral largo oauson Of tho pop,l'
lat'on, including thu following: !. Tho whites
OF tho South. q Tho b!acks OF tho South, O.
Tho Northorn monopo!tatn Of all kinds, the land-
grabbors, neutrality-suspicious.. Halary.grubbora,
tarilr-grabbers. 4. The Fo1oral oilico.,oders,
Tie frat OF those clnhscB, talson aa whole, are
sadly tliecontontod people. Whi|o such tl,ine
aH rebellion Or armed opposition to tho present
form Of government IL utterly gono out Of thoil
minds, thoy arc Intensely anxious for somt
change that will roloaao them from tho domina
tion OF their local 0oyernmonts. They arc pro.
pared for anything that will afford them relic