Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-11
THE PRESIDENTIAL SPHYNX.
The Republican Players in the
Game of Politics.
Is Grant working for n Third Term
His Character and Tactics-MOrton
Takes I'm the Situation and Spells
LITTLE Game-The Double Shuttle.
C.i; In.

Takes I'm the situation and SpOils a
Little Game-The Double shuttle.
From the Chicago Tribune.
WASHINGTON, March 5.-The Presi-
dent has rarely INDUCED himself more
at the capital than in the camp, de-
veloping In the line of his natural
character, which has the qnyieldlng
preiudices Of the Scotch. His powers
are almost imperial. His patronage
he knows as fully as he knows the
army-reputations He Furnishes in
sincerity, hearkens TO Observation-Disclosures,
rewards fiatterers, and fears bold in
tellects. No man ever reproved him
to his face and saw it again. He is
conscious of his want of mind and
training, relies upon his instincts, and
conquers by silence.
THE LINE OF RETREAT.
The singular feature of Grants Ad-
ministration is, that his will has pre-
vailed by the fact that his party was
never quite sure of him. A previous
experience with President Johnson
showed the party-men that the organ
ization must keep the President ap-
peased, and he knew their necessity in
this respect, had advised with Rawhns
and other Democratic Aides about 1t,
and determined 10 keep the back gate
to the Democratic party open. This
plain situation has kept the Republican
party impotent In spirit and timid for
craftsmanship. 1t is ike Queen Of
genius married to a self-lOvlng, unen-
terprising, and suspicious King. Both
Morton ana Butler bitterly lnYelgh
upon this theme in the privacy of the
closet, and hence the third-term idea is
a bad dose for the party to smell, much
less to take. Ont of this third-term
possibility come such uneasy move
ments as for awhile disturbed
THE LOUISIANA CASE.
Warmoth long ago made his conces-
sions to the President; and the brothel-
in-law, Casey, bore this beaten Mon
mouth to the Throne, beseeching par
don.
"Warmoth," said Casey to your cor
respondent, says that the mistake of
his life was going against the Presi-
dent"
Grant, thus Modified, was willing to
expunge his Louisiana record, and pro-
vided Casey was taken care Of, let by
cones be bygones, for the sake of ac-
cessi0ns Southwark and fossilward.
The idea Of becoming the candidate of
the Conservative forces of the country
had been impressed upon him by Mos
by and others. and it looked as If his
own Republicans were dull and migrate
in SAYING nothing timely about third
term. Butler and Matt Carpenter had
been attached to the anti-KellOgg side
for kindred reasons, Of which WarmOth
was not unaware. Other Senators held
their original views, or a State govern
ment which had never possessed any
ballot-boxes or voting lists was usur-
pation-the more cruel that the PresI-
dent had confirmed it. lie also wished
to make amends in this regard-the
scandal having, after some years, be-
come dimly apparent to him. And
50 the proposition was made to
hold a new election in Louisiana.
1t received the support of 50
many Grant men that Morton saw the
danger. He saw that the President, in
pursuance of his scheme for a third
term. was willing to disband the Re-
publican organization, which he, Nor
ton, believed strong enough to triumph
in another campaign with straight
leader The great old cripple took the
field and sounded the slogan. 1t was
an interesting picture to see HIM sit
ting there, in his black and iron char
acter. hammering out words and
phrases which slowly recovered the
party men to their traditions. He re-
vived the blood which was shed IN the
streets of New Orleans. He set the
rebellion up again, and crowned and
armed it. The party closed up feebly,
like old veterans who had nearly for
gotten their drill; and Conkling also
slipped into the ranks, thereby con-
Tossing that Morton was still his chief
tain. At or about that moment, the
President lost his nerve at the rumor
that Morton was about to head a gen
eral attack for the overthrow of his
Secretary Of the Treasury, and he was
further brought to his senses by the
rude rebuff of both his Chief Justices,
Williams and Gushing. He hauled off,
and the matter was disposed Of by let
ting Louisiana alone, Grant also half
protesting to have had no intentions to
displace Kellogg.
THE CANDIDATES FOR THE PRESI-
pENCY.
Thus they stand for the time: Nor.
ton about half-aware that the third
term issue is too indecent to be left
much longer to rumor. and ought to
be met in the Senate and sneered away.
But that would be tocommit all Grant S
favor to Conkling, who meantime is re-
garded as the abettor of the President
pretensiOns to a third term, hoping
somebody else viii destroy those pre-
tensions and let him quietly reverse
positions with Grant-the favored IN
stead of the faYorer. Meantime Speak
er Blaine is drilling outside, with
nearly all the House of Representatives
inclined toward hiscandidature. In the
House, Grant is the most unpopular
man in the United States; and the Re
pUJIican, which is the Presidential or
| Gan. shows the reason. He does not
divide fair. That paper attacked the
patronage of Congress in leading az
ticle recently, and claimed that the
whole Of the Executive forces Of the
government belonged by right TO the
Chief Executive. If the Congressman
can hold their districts and elect dele
gates t. the next National Convention
pledged to Blaine, he will be the regu-
| lar candidate. Hence, the Importance
of next falls elections.
On the other hand, Senator Morton
is raising the Changers issue in the
| Senate, fora two-fold reason: to elimi-
nate Conkling and Blaine, who are rail
| road men. and TO bring that clement to