The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-19
gCESARiSM.

q ~ CESARlSM. e II
FROM the circleville (ohie, Democrat and Watch
man, August 81
The New York HERALD, In a series Of well
written, ably written articles, with the above ex
pressive title, has been discussing the third term
movement OF the satellites Of Grantism. In this
the nrst year OF Grants second term, public
opinion is already being prepared for third uerm
wherein the HERALD sees danger to the Republic
and sounds the alarm. Five years ago men were
disposed to pay little attention TO Frank Blair's
repeated declarations that the American people
did not know General Grant; that beneath
his apparent stolidity there was concealed o love
OF arbitrary power and that he had In him the ele
ments to make q dictator, or what the HERALD
would call Caesar. Subsequent events have
given to General Bairs utterance, force they did
not possess at the time. What little was known Of
General Grant, beyond his army record, did not at
the time seem to warrant the forebodings Of Cen.
eral Blair. But times have changed since then,
and. so far as General Grant Is concerned-call
him Dictator or Casar-his power to-day over his
hordes OF Ofce-holders and expectants Is stronger
than that OF any despot on the earth. There are
many reasons why the third term WILL be tried, why
the President Will be renominated by his party.
In the first place, he wants It, and the army OF
of1ce-holders already understand that they must
rally to his support They would do It without
coercion anyway, because General Grant is party
man. He suits the politicians; he uses every inch
OF his power for the welfare OF his party. In Short
he is the candidate of the otlce-holders and party
magnates, and they can and will dictate the nomi-
nation. II the political situation remains as 1t is
to-day we may as well accept the fact that the
chief salary-grabber the apologist OF Cofax and Of
the other Credit MObilier PATRIOTS the champion of
Kellogg and Durell, the Louisiana usurpers, will be
the radical candidate for President in 1876
from the GAINESVILLE wis., Gazette repubucan),
August ILL.,
The probabilities OF President Grant being
Presidential candidate for third term and the ne
cessity of arousing public sentiment to the dangers
OF permitting the rule established by Washington
to be violated are being deliberately discussed by
the NEW YORK HERALD under the head OF Cesar
ism. Many Of the leading journals OF the country
have given expression to their views In response.
OF course there Is substantially but one opinion in
regard to it-and that is In favor Of maintaining
the policy which has now acquired the force ofaw.
The discussion, however, has given birth to prop
ositiOn to forever settle the question by submit
ting to Congress, at It's next session. consttu-
tional amendment extending the length
OF the Presidential term to six years and
election. 1t Congress and the country
should approve this proposition one cause
Of apprehension to many sensitive minds would be
removed. The natures OF such persons would re-
main the same, however, and they would imme-
diately tax their ingenuity to discover some other
subject on which the public good would require
them to exercise their chronic state Of alarm. To
bewail themselves constantly is to them not only
means OF grace, but in their Judgment, an i'm
portant factor in the power that shapes
ends. As they regard the logical effect OF inlu
ences, the means which elevate the aspirations
and inspire the hopes OF mankind are wicked when
compared with the beneficial results Of lamenta-
tlons This condition Of mind is disease, an en-
tailed affliction constitutional disability from
which there is no escape. Notwithstanding the
the last half century in the higher branches
Of knowledge as well as in the arts, which, when
applied, have made life more comfortable and
desirable, our lugubrtous friends see nothing but
fearful forebodings, the unm1stakable indications
OF impending calamities In the signs OF the times.
This class will read the HERALD articles with
avidity. They arc the kind Of nutriment their
morbid sensibilities require. The Importance
which has been attached to the subject is never
theless, marked tribute to the popularity OF the
President, and forcibly testes to the strong hold
American people. Perhaps of no other President,
except Washington, has 1t been said with so much
plausibinty there is danger that the people will
elect him for third term. Not that the HERALD
charges General Grant with exerting any influence
to secure, or even OF desiring, the election Tor
another term, but that superserviceable friends
are conspiring to that end. When Washington
occupied the Presidential Office for the second
term he was denounced for entertaining a de-
termination never to surrender the govern
ment and as desiring to insidiously establish
the monarchical form for his own benefit. The
people were told that during his administration
their rights had not only been neglected but abso-
lutely sold. His military and political character
were attacked with equal violence, and it was
averred that he was totally destitute OF merit
either as soldier or statesman. He was charged
with having violated the constitution in negotiat-
Ing treaty without the previous advice OF the Sem
ate, and that he embraced within that treaty SUBJ
jects belonging exclusively to the Legislature for
which an impeachment was publicly suggested.
Nay, more-it was asserted that he had drawn
from the Treasury, for his private use, more than
the salary annexed to his ONCE. How much does
this indictment read like one made since Washing
toms timel And yet, at the close OF the second
term Washington retired, declining continued hon.
Ors and passed into history as one of the greatest
characters OF modern times. Not for the cares of
State or the probability that increased honors
might add to his great name or fame would Grant
neglect the golden opportunity to follow so illus
trious an example and one which has become sane
titled by tradition and history.
From the Newark IN j. Journal, August 1871
The HERALD stu! harps on "C@sarism," to the
intense disgust Of the c6wardly Grant administra.
ton press, which, while giving unmistakable signs
that it likes not the very limiting Of third term,
dares not come out squarely and denounce those